When will it all end?

Bit cynical

wotzgoingon wrote: »

I was all for the third round of restrictions but it's gone beyond a joke at this stage. First it was till 05 February then extended to 05 of March and now 05 April.

Pure piss take at this stage.

The problem with extending this level of lockdown this long is that should they try to ease it up there will be an overreaction as people naturally compensate for the months they've been restricted. The R number thus elevated leads to rising case numbers and the re-imposition of the lockdown. The Government of course knows this which is why I don't think the 5th of April will be the last of it. We have painted ourselves into a corner in this regard over-relying on lockdown and restrictions for too long.

Parachutes

I wonder how long they think they can get away with this crap?

CalamariFritti

They will get away with it as long as people let them get away with it.

titan18

CalamariFritti wrote: »

They will get away with it as long as people let them get away with it.

Which would be indefinite.

I don't understand why everyone is somehow shocked and giving out?
We were always going to stay in level 5 until 5th April
Vaccinations are ramping up.
Kids are going back to school.

We are basically aligned with Northern Ireland, who are opening up on 1st April.

the kelt

bubblypop wrote: »

I don't understand why everyone is somehow shocked and giving out?
We were always going to stay in level 5 until 5th April
Vaccinations are ramping up.
Kids are going back to school.

We are basically aligned with Northern Ireland, who are opening up on 1st April.

Have they a 5k restriction with construction closed in NÍ/Uk also? Genuine question btw.

batman_oh

the kelt wrote: »

Have they a 5k restriction with construction closed in NÍ/Uk also? Genuine question btw.

Nope - they are advised to stay at home but no checkpoints (according to somebody I know in Lisburn) or distance limit so can essentially go anywhere up there.

HansKroenke

Bit cynical wrote: »

However we have polls like this from a week ago:

59% of Irish feel restrictions necessary until cases drop below 20 a day

with broad support for restrictions. Many others before that with maybe 50% supporting current levels of restrictions, a further third wanting harder lockdowns and only 9% wanting lighter restrictions.

Surprising support from the public and fairly consistent too, although there may be media bias at play here. And of course the whole thing could change. But at the moment the government are doing the populist thing by imposing restrictions.

59% of surveys can get the result they want in order to portray a narrative.

I prefer to read comments on IT and Journal articles as well as on Boards.ie to better gauge popular opinion. It is quite evident the majority are not at all happy with the current restrictions, in fact I would say the vast majority. Remember, newspapers are getting paid quite well to help "raise awareness" about covid.

El_Duderino 09

Silentcorner wrote: »

The longer it goes on the more damage is done...the damage hasn't been suspended, small locally owned SME's and their employees are being flushed down the toilet with each passing week...this is carnage.

That’s true to an extent. And this is going to sound harsh, but those businesses will be replaced by new businesses. If there’s a market for a pub, someone else will buy it. Likewise with other businesses. Some businesses were failing or breaking even anyway and this pandemic will kill them off. Some healthy businesses will also go bust. But the market won’t leave markets unserved.

Some of those same limited companies will set up under a new name and carry on as before. At the level of the individual, it’s tragic. At the national level, little will change.

Does the punter care of the pub is taken over by a new owner who continues to run it as before? Maybe they care for a month and then get over it. Or maybe they try a new local. Things change and things move on.

I feel for those who lose out due to the pandemic, but as they say in the ads, “your investment may go down as well as well as up”. And I support the government borrowing to offer help to save business form failing. I agree that myself and others pay higher tax for years to come to help pay off the debt for that borrowing to help those businesses.

Christmas showed that we’re not good enough at self imposed distancing. So now I hope that the vaccine rollout goes better than planned in Ireland and the reopening in the UK goes better than planned. That’s the most likely way that Ireland will speed up the reopening during the summer.

RGS

It will never end. Leo on newstalk not ruling out a 4th lockdown (so its easier to stay in the 3rd.)

Individually we can ignore the restrictions but if businesses are closed all we can do is go beyond 5km.

CalamariFritti

RGS wrote: »

It will never end. Leo on newstalk not ruling out a 4th lockdown (so its easier to stay in the 3rd.)

Individually we can ignore the restrictions but if businesses are closed all we can do is go beyond 5km.

Until we kick this into touch we will have lockdowns hanging over us forever. The precedent is set and Pandora wont be put back into her box.
Democracy they say, do your thing at the next election. Oops, the opposition are even bigger lunatics.

Basically we're fvcked.

SnuggyBear

HansKroenke wrote: »

59% of surveys can get the result they want in order to portray a narrative.

I prefer to read comments on IT and Journal articles as well as on Boards.ie to better gauge popular opinion. It is quite evident the majority are not at all happy with the current restrictions, in fact I would say the vast majority. Remember, newspapers are getting paid quite well to help "raise awareness" about covid.

Ye the comments section are a good way to gauge it. You can see they are getting more against restrictions. People on here will say the journal lol though

batman_oh

Inter county travel in Level 2 in the new plan is a complete joke. They've already said 4-5 weeks for easing after each review point, so even if by some miracle they go to Level 4 from 5th April, it's going to be months before you can travel around Ireland.

iagreebut

douglashyde wrote: »

In some ways this is the scariest thing for me.

The broad population is either not impacted and enjoying lockdown or more likely, genuinely afraid of COVID.

We've been conditioned as a society to fear for our lives of this disease despite it overwhelming being only dangerous for those in late stages of life. Terrible, but part of life.

Yet we go out drink to much, eat too much, exercise too little and the majority of us will die of heart disease, mental illness or cancer..

We need in this country a proper public debate, not blindly following government who blindly follow NPHET.

NEPHT are not leading the government blindly.

They're following the science, and they're doing all they can to keep us safe and secure.

We have to put the vunerable are senior people in the population first, because without the older generation we wouldn't be here.
They're the most important people in our lives, and NPHET and the government have proven without a doubt that it's the vunerable and senior members of society who needed this lockdown event in order to live longer.


As well as that the people working in the health system are under strain and we couldn't put any more pressure on them than there already is.
Without their long hours and hard work we wouldn't be getting ready for the new normal, but as stated by the best doctors and consultants even though there's a vaccine it's still paramount to wear masks, keep our social distancing and no gatherings for the foreseeable future.

Vaccines will not stop the transmission of the virus it'll only stop it from getting worse.

NEPHT are showing the world how advanced we the Irish health system are, and we should be proud of them,as someone else said in another post Tony Houlihan is a visionary.
If the rest of the world had a health system like ours they would be on top of the game.

I was listening to the radio this morning and Ian Dempsey was saying that we're on the way to opening up the county, keep washing your hands, wear your masks and keep up the social distancing.

We have well spoken people on adverts on the radio telling us what we need to hear, it's very clear and concise.

We are entering a new age where we'll be clean, aware of keeping our distance and the powers that be or NEPHT they m government and the senior civil servants should be considered heroes.

Only for them there could be a lot more people unwell or even lost to this dreadful disease.

Bill Gates is another person worthy of a shout out, he's leading the world in the advancement of vaccines and he is a scientist.
Science has all the answers.

Actually I was flicking through the radio stations on my hands free this morning and nearly at the same time there where adverts telling us how great we are and how we're on the way to opening up.

The national airways have been keeping us all informed about the suggested guidelines.

I think the green party need a round of applause,no doubt they're encouraging the government to make great changes for the new normal.

They're definitely getting places, and I think the left have played a blinder in their time in government.

I'm a liberal, and we know what's right for everyone.
I used to be Conservative but I've now seen the light and changed my ways.

We're heading for enlightenment, a new age where we'll all be working together to create a world that's fair for everyone, and most of all were trying to save the planet and help people in the right direction.

Coillte_Bhoy

SnuggyBear wrote: »

Ye the comments section are a good way to gauge it. You can see they are getting more against restrictions. People on here will say the journal lol though

But it's not a good way to guage public opinion. IT or Journal readers are not representative of the entire population, not by a long shot and i would suggest that those who favour tight restrictions are less likely to be posting their thoughts on social media

francogarbanzo

El_Duderino 09 wrote: »

That’s true to an extent. And this is going to sound harsh, but those businesses will be replaced by new businesses. If there’s a market for a pub, someone else will buy it. Likewise with other businesses. Some businesses were failing or breaking even anyway and this pandemic will kill them off. Some healthy businesses will also go bust. But the market won’t leave markets unserved.

Some of those same limited companies will set up under a new name and carry on as before. At the level of the individual, it’s tragic. At the national level, little will change.

Does the punter care of the pub is taken over by a new owner who continues to run it as before? Maybe they care for a month and then get over it. Or maybe they try a new local. Things change and things move on.

I feel for those who lose out due to the pandemic, but as they say in the ads, “your investment may go down as well as well as up”. And I support the government borrowing to offer help to save business form failing. I agree that myself and others pay higher tax for years to come to help pay off the debt for that borrowing to help those businesses.

Christmas showed that we’re not good enough at self imposed distancing. So now I hope that the vaccine rollout goes better than planned in Ireland and the reopening in the UK goes better than planned. That’s the most likely way that Ireland will speed up the reopening during the summer.

Christmas showed nothing. They gave people 3 weeks in the dead of winter to do non essential shopping and see their families.

SnuggyBear

Coillte_Bhoy wrote: »

But it's not a good way to guage public opinion. IT or Journal readers are not representative of the entire population, not by a long shot and i would suggest that those who favour tight restrictions are less likely to be posting their thoughts on social media

Go compare an article from before Christmas and now. I heard multiple people in the supermarket yesterday complaining they have had enough. The polls are a load of bollocks. Even bloody rte news were saying people have had enough.

the kelt

the kelt wrote: »

Have they a 5k restriction with construction closed in NÍ/Uk also? Genuine question btw.

No, but I would expect the 5km limit for exercise to be gone here also in April.

the kelt

Coillte_Bhoy wrote: »

With all due respects that is a totally unreliable guage of public opinion, totally unscientific

It is, but so are these "surveys" as has being proven time and time again and they are becoming less reliable, Trump, Brexit, Israeli Election, previous British Election, rise of SF etc etc

People keep putting up polls as if theyre gospel when increasingly people just tell pollsters what they want to hear especially when you run the risk social ridicule for not toing the line.

Personally i just rely on what i get from people i talk to on a daily basis, what are they thinking etc and for the overwhelming feeling is "anger and lifes just a struggle"

Silentcorner

francogarbanzo wrote: »

Christmas showed nothing. They gave people 3 weeks in the dead of winter to do non essential shopping and see their families.

It really is like an abusive relationship, they have us believing we deserve all this because we didn't behave when we had chance!!!

We have the 3rd strictest lock down on this planet...there is no justification for it unless you've been brainwashed into thinking we deserve this inhumane anti science Government policy.

franciscanpunk

How could this end anytime soon? I know there is probably an element of under promise and over deliver but look at the level of ambition we have.

In 9 weeks we might open up a few bits that were already open under previous level 5 rules!

Might open up a bit of sport for the summer to try keep us quiet. maybe level 3 equivalent for a 6-8 weeks around july or august. next thing we will say we are worried about variants and the seasonality of the virus, lockdown again. rinse and repeat.

I don't for a minute believe that the government wants to do this, why would they, but they have created an environment of complete fear of covid, no deaths should ever happen, covis trumps they need for a normal life - we've gone too far on it and wont be able to roll back anytime soon. 2021 will be another year of this. (unless the UK are restriction free by end of june but that plan has caveats too which they will use)

Coillte_Bhoy

SnuggyBear wrote: »

Go compare an article from before Christmas and now. I heard multiple people in the supermarket yesterday complaining they have had enough. The polls are a load of bollocks. Even bloody rte news were saying people have had enough.

Compare what articles?

Ah the polls, polls are far from bull****, what a ridiculous generalisation to make, i read the same nonsense every time there is a political poll, always rubbished if it doesn't conform to their own narrative. They are the most reliable and scientific method we have of gauging public opinion but never mind you overheard someone in the supermarket

the kelt

bubblypop wrote: »

No, but I would expect the 5km limit for exercise to be gone here also in April.

Thats great isnt it!!

In 5 weeks time we MIGHT have some of the same freedom (although we know we wont because it will still be some other random stupid distance restriction) that our nearest neighbours have had all along but sure yeah we are closely aligned with them!!!

opinionated3

Silentcorner wrote: »

It really is like an abusive relationship, they have us believing we deserve all this because we didn't behave when we had chance!!!

We have the 3rd strictest lock down on this planet...there is no justification for it unless you've been brainwashed into thinking we deserve this inhumane anti science Government policy.

They also have us thinking we should be very grateful for PUP and twss, when it's their lockdowns are forcing people to avail of them!

Doctor Jimbob

El_Duderino 09 wrote: »

That’s true to an extent. And this is going to sound harsh, but those businesses will be replaced by new businesses. If there’s a market for a pub, someone else will buy it. Likewise with other businesses. Some businesses were failing or breaking even anyway and this pandemic will kill them off. Some healthy businesses will also go bust. But the market won’t leave markets unserved.

Some of those same limited companies will set up under a new name and carry on as before. At the level of the individual, it’s tragic. At the national level, little will change.

Does the punter care of the pub is taken over by a new owner who continues to run it as before? Maybe they care for a month and then get over it. Or maybe they try a new local. Things change and things move on.

I feel for those who lose out due to the pandemic, but as they say in the ads, “your investment may go down as well as well as up”. And I support the government borrowing to offer help to save business form failing. I agree that myself and others pay higher tax for years to come to help pay off the debt for that borrowing to help those businesses.

Christmas showed that we’re not good enough at self imposed distancing. So now I hope that the vaccine rollout goes better than planned in Ireland and the reopening in the UK goes better than planned. That’s the most likely way that Ireland will speed up the reopening during the summer.

Christmas was in December when it's cold, wet, and dark outside. We opened up indoor activities. Of course distancing was difficult then. That shouldn't mean we can't loosen restrictions a bit in spring when it's much more practical for people to meet outdoors. There are plenty of restrictions that could be eased without us going back to what things were like at Christmas. It isn't a binary choice.

Coillte_Bhoy

the kelt wrote: »

It is, but so are these "surveys" as has being proven time and time again and they are becoming less reliable, Trump, Brexit, Israeli Election, previous British Election, rise of SF etc etc

People keep putting up polls as if theyre gospel when increasingly people just tell pollsters what they want to hear especially when you run the risk social ridicule for not toing the line.

Personally i just rely on what i get from people i talk to on a daily basis, what are they thinking etc and for the overwhelming feeling is "anger and lifes just a struggle"

Polling is far from perfect yes, it never can be and the votes you mention above were not really that far from the actual polling, certainly within the margins of error in many cases. In the case of Trump the polls did accurately predict Clinton winning the popular vote.

Im not disputing that people are getting angry and fed up btw, i just dont see any major sea change in attitude towards restrictions etc, thats just my take from talking to people.

bubblypop

bubblypop wrote: »

No, but I would expect the 5km limit for exercise to be gone here also in April.

Most people arent sticking to that 5km restriction compared to the previous lockdowns. Has to be one of the most ridiculous restrictions anywhere.

Salvation Tambourine

francogarbanzo wrote: »

Christmas showed nothing. They gave people 3 weeks in the dead of winter to do non essential shopping and see their families.

Christmas is also nothing like any other period in the year. It is usually meeting people and shopping taken to the extreme. I had planned to meet friends for dinner, as is Christmas tradition, but we cancelled. I wouldn't be planning anything more than a meal with my wife if restrictions were lifted now and what a lovely treat that would be.

Christmas conditions and March conditions are massively different.

the kelt

the kelt wrote: »

Thats great isnt it!!

In 5 weeks time we MIGHT have some of the same freedom (although we know we wont because it will still be some other random stupid distance restriction) that our nearest neighbours have had all along but sure yeah we are closely aligned with them!!!

Yep. Better then it staying I would think

batman_oh

bubblypop wrote: »

Yep. Better then it staying I would think

Hardly 'great' though when we are the only country with such a restriction for months on end.
It's like saying getting punched in the face is great because you aren't getting kicked in the nuts