Covid 19 Part XXVI- 50,993 ROI (1,852 deaths) 28,040 NI (621 deaths) (19/10) Read OP

ShadowTech

Public life here is already so heavily curtailed under the current restrictions that it's hard to see how a further lockdown is going to do much. Already we can't go to museums or art exhibits, listen to live music, go to sporting events, or eat inside a restaurant. Dublin city centre is barely a shell of its former self at the best of times now and other than small groups of people huddled under blankets, or if they're lucky heat lamps, eating a quiet dinner there is no public life to speak of after 7 in the evenings.

For months now we've been told that the biggest concern is private gatherings. I'm not using the words "house parties" because they immediately conjure images of drunken debauchery. NPHET have specifically stated that it's meeting friends and family in their homes for lunches, dinners, tea, drinks, whatever that are the biggest drivers of spread currently.

So the solution that NPHET and the government invented is.... to completely lock down public life?! This is so incredibly irrational! It's clear as day that this will only lead people to have more visits in private residences. Say what you want about 5km limits and fines; I have a bridge to sell you if you believe the majority of people in this country are going to go another 6 weeks without seeing friends and family (realistically given that the first lockdown was supposed to last 2 weeks and lasted 3 months instead I'm going to guess we're looking at 9 months to a year this time). Anecdotally I'm hearing from people in my job who followed everything to the letter in April that they will not go months without seeing their family and friends again.

The truth is, NPHET doesn't know exactly where cases are coming from; they said as much themselves a few weeks ago when they admitted there is no back-tracing to understand the origin of the spread. Shutting everything down is just shooting in the dark hoping something works and it's being done at the expense of hundreds of thousands of people's livelihoods and millions of people's quality of life. It also seems unlikely to work in any dramatic way unless they somehow get the public to buy in to not visiting each other's homes.

Frankly, on an individual level, they've lost me entirely. I was so proud of our response at the start of this. I believed that there would be a partnership between the medical experts on NPHET and the government who would look after the broader needs of society. At that time the government and the HSE took bold steps to ensure hospital capacity and they promised to ensure we'd be ready for the winter. I never in my wildest dreams would have imagined that things would reach this juncture. The government is an utter shambles and I don't trust the experts in NPHET anymore.

Neither entity ever provides metrics for their decision making. Now that we have over 1,000 cases a day the CMO is concerned. Back in June when we had 10 cases a day the CMO was concerned. When everything is priority nothing is. Now we're being told 6 weeks of lockdown with a review at 4 weeks. Why? This is, pardon my language, bullsh*t. It's not the amount of time that matters, its the metric(s) they will evaluate at that time that matter. What are we aiming for? How can anyone trust the experts when they don't show their work?

What's more, there is a small but growing contrarian view amongst medical professionals that lockdowns are not the way to go and that we should consider revamping our approach. This is met with forced resignations and character assassinations. Covid is the single most impactful event in our lives at present and yet dissenting voices are expunged or denigrated. This is literally the antithesis of a science-driven approach where ideas are questioned, tested, and reevaluated.

I have never protested before and I don't share the politics of the people organising the current anti-lockdown protests but I really don't see any other viable alternative at this point.

Summer2020

Can’t stand this mc donkey clown

BorneTobyWilde

Donnelly has lost it

SEPT 23 1989

Here we go

niallo27

Sanjuro wrote: »

I've never seen this McConkey bloke before. He's practically buzzing over this. Cretin.

I feel a bit uneasy watching him, kind of weird uncle look about him.

is_that_so

Gael23 wrote: »

I have an exam for work next week, would that be deemed essential?

I'd say yes.

"higher and further education, insofar as onsite presence is required and such education activities cannot be held remotely."

gmisk

Gael23 wrote: »

I have an exam for work next week, would that be deemed essential?

Is it 5kms from your house?

Are you willing to form a bubble with the exam supervisor?

Gael23

Gael23 wrote: »

I have an exam for work next week, would that be deemed essential?

What is the exam?

Plumbthedepths

peasant wrote: »

Am I reading this wrong or did they forget food shopping in the 5 km rule?

I'm not trying to be smart but unless you took Ryan's suggestion to grow lettuce it's a given food shopping is essential. Prehaps though don't drive from Dingle to Dublin to buy a speciality cheese.

Quantum Erasure

Deleted User wrote: »

Bringing on a funeral director.

What da f*ck.

We'll let 10 in the church, and the rest huddled around listening to the speaker outside

SEPT 23 1989

Thanks for that Eamon

Happy4all

Thank god I still have a few tins of paint in the shed. I can give the place a freshen up, must by five months since it was last painted.

owlbethere

Only 10 people are allowed at funerals but 25 people are allowed at weddings

Where's the sense in that?

Akabusi

secman wrote: »

Must recite the loopholes in my sleep, on the jacks, driving the car, recite..recite..recite.

I was visiting a grave ..... yeeeeeees

The new toilet paper is..... laurels

Yes that will be my go to, might even by a reed of flowers for the backseat.

Funsterdelux

You can visit a dead relative, but not one thats still alive

MikeSoys

Akabusi wrote: »

Level 4 didn't work in Cavan? They haven't given it much time

Problem is people can be infected 2 weeks before they start showing symptoms...

JP Liz V1

Well thank you to all the selfish ba$tards who decided to have large gatherings, holidays in hot spots not quarantining, meet ups and parties which have driven up positive cases and put major pressure on the health care workers and hospitals leading us now to level 5 lockdown coming up to Christmas, what is needed is damn strict enforcement, arrests, fines, curfews etc., give the Gardai more power and if needed get the army on board to help too

Blanco100

Surely teachers are safer under level 5 than under any other level?

No retail open, tighter restrictions at home etc. suppressing it in the community should logically decrease the chance of school outbreaks?

They know they will be paid regardless, don't know why such a stink will be kicked up. Teachers should be on par with nurses in terms of being essential.

AlphaDelta1

10 at a funeral. 25 at a wedding. FSS that's disgusitng

Will Yam

thomas 123 wrote: »

No it wasn’t - NEPHET are the people we pay advise on health.

Interpretation and opinion from unqualified people(TD’S) should not have happened.

So why would you move a area from l3 to l5 where the incidence was falling?

GazzaL

0ph0rce0 wrote: »

So to sum up.

No haircuts for anyone.

Everything else is basically the same.

You'll still be able to get haircuts behind closed doors.

mr_edge_to_you

Minnie Snuggles wrote: »

This is an ABSOLUTE DISGRACE. I have had no problem with the measures all along, but this is beyond idiotic. Have they learned nothing. Even childrens training can go ahead, which means groups of parents being able to meet up. Inter-county championships can go ahead, even though these were the very events that caused so many clusters in communites.

Fully agree.
I'm not sure watching Westmeath v Carlow on the Sunday Game is going to massively improve my mental health.

The only place children should be going is to school. We pulled our kids from their rugby and football because its the right thing to do. They know that they have to limit this stuff so they can protect their granny and granddad who live next door.

KennisWhale

JP Liz V1 wrote: »

Well thank you to all the selfish ba$tards who decided to have large gatherings, holidays in hot spots not quarantining, meet ups and parties which have driven up positive cases and put major pressure on the health care workers and hospitals leading us now to level 5 lockdown coming up to Christmas, what is needed is damn strict enforcement, arrests, fines, curfews etc., give the Gardai more power and if needed get the army on board to help too

Jesus, chill the fcuk out.

The broad smirk on McConkey. Absolutely revelling in the misery of the public. Someone should cave his face in.

bottlebrush

Happy4all wrote: »

Thank god I still have a few tins of paint in the shed. I can give the place a freshen up, must by five months since it was last painted.

You have six weeks to watch it dry

Thepoet85

Renjit wrote: »

Who is up for black friday sale?

Being rebranded as Bleak Friday for 2020!!

jojofizzio

Funsterdelux wrote: »

You can visit a dead relative, but not one thats still alive

Yeah,that’s an unusual exemption....I spose the risk of catching or giving Covid there is relatively small....

begbysback

MikeSoys wrote: »

Problem is people can be infected 2 weeks before they start showing symptoms...

Even if they’re dead?

Will Yam

Louise oreilly on now

Byrne “does sf agree with this decision?”

Answer: Everything and anything excpet a simple yes or no.

Will Yam

Louise oreilly on now

Byrne “does sf agree with this decision?”

Answer: Everything and anything excpet a simple yes or no.