When will it all end?

JDD

I suppose it depends on how the survey question was framed.

If it was "are you afraid to go shopping" - then the 71% is absolutely NOT representative.

If it was "does the possibility of catching covid cross you mind when entering a shop, and cause you any level of anxiety" then possibly, yes, 71% might be representative.

I can't wait to get back into shops and will do so the minute they open. That being said, when going into the supermarket at the moment I am immediately reminded of the possibility of catching covid because of the queues, masks and hand sanitiser. There is a momentary level of anxiety, which passes by the time I get to the bakery section.

Doctor Jimbob

JDD wrote: »

I suppose it depends on how the survey question was framed.

If it was "are you afraid to go shopping" - then the 71% is absolutely NOT representative.

If it was "does the possibility of catching covid cross you mind when entering a shop, and cause you any level of anxiety" then possibly, yes, 71% might be representative.

I can't wait to get back into shops and will do so the minute they open. That being said, when going into the supermarket at the moment I am immediately reminded of the possibility of catching covid because of the queues, masks and hand sanitiser. There is a momentary level of anxiety, which passes by the time I get to the bakery section.

It says in the article the study was backed by a group called digital business Ireland.

I'm going to go out on a limb here and say it's pretty likely the questions were framed in a way that would make people lean towards saying they don't want to go to shops.

JDD

AdamD wrote: »

Meanwhile, 6% say they will never feel comfortable shopping in-store on their local high street - ever again.


That's..worrying

Honestly I wouldn't put too much store in the answers to those questions. Most people can't see beyond the end of their nose. During the first lockdown I was quite anxious about getting on the Luas again given my general experience on the Luas was being pressed up against my fellow passengers. Then I took it one stop in May, and then a few more stops a week later, and I couldn't understand why I had let it build up in my mind.

You can be sure most of that 6% will not go into a small shop for the first few weeks, then they'll just pop in for a book or a coffee, and then they'll laugh at themselves at why they were being so stupid.

JDD

Doctor Jimbob wrote: »

It says in the article the study was backed by a group called digital business Ireland.

I'm going to go out on a limb here and say it's pretty likely the questions were framed in a way that would make people lean towards saying they don't want to go to shops.

Ahhhhh. Well that completely explains that. I didn't read the RTE article - I'm assuming they didn't point out that the survey was carried out by a vested interest?

Micky 32

Batattackrat wrote: »

Because I know those numbers are BS, 71% do not fear going shopping FFS

That’s what you’re up against i’m finding that very hard to believe, not what i’m hearing out there people ( including my parents) are dying to shop again. It’s no wonder the thread is the way it is.

Doctor Jimbob

JDD wrote: »

Ahhhhh. Well that completely explains that. I didn't read the RTE article - I'm assuming they didn't point out that the survey was carried out by a vested interest?

In fairness to RTE, they did!

Coillte_Bhoy

JDD wrote: »

Ahhhhh. Well that completely explains that. I didn't read the RTE article - I'm assuming they didn't point out that the survey was carried out by a vested interest?

Of course they did, anytime a survey is being reported, its normal to name the body that commissioned it or carried it out.

Coillte_Bhoy

Micky 32 wrote: »

That’s what you’re up against i’m finding that very hard to believe, not what i’m hearing out there people ( including my parents) are dying to shop again. It’s no wonder the thread is the way it is.

But they didnt say they were afraid to go shopping

Micky 32

Coillte_Bhoy wrote: »

But they didnt say they were afraid to go shopping

Reluctance is usually caused by a bit of fear. Anyway i couldn’t be arsed reading it as i had no interest in the poll. I was going by what others were saying, calm down there.

El_Duderino 09

drunkmonkey wrote: »

Nothing absolutely nothing, all restrictions will be over for the general public. Once we have a safe at home treatment in good supply that's the end of it. Molnupiravir stops Covid spread and disease progression, Leo mentioned it in January and we know have even more evidence.

Well, You seem very certain about that. Not much room for discussion in your post there.

I would point out that there's a poster who keeps telling me that we can't predict anything about how this will pan out, but I suspect they won't take any issue with your certainty at all. It seems you can't be certain about anything - unless you 're certain that the thing we all want to happen, is going to happen. It's usually called wishful thinking.

As yet, we don't know what will happen in winter re restrictions and whether we can get through winter without them. We all hope restrictions are lifted this summer and we never need them again. We'll just have to wait and see.

Micky 32

Micky 32 wrote: »

Reluctance is usually caused by a bit of fear.

Why would you think this?
I have no interest in going into a shop and if they stay closed forever I could not care less.
Nothing to do with fear, I just hate shopping.

Micky 32

El_Duderino 09 wrote: »

I would point out that there's a poster who keeps telling me that we can't predict anything about how this will pan out, but I suspect they won't take any issue with your certainty at all. It seems you can't be certain about anything - unless you 're certain that the thing we all want to happen, is going to happen. It's usually called wishful thinking.

.

I’m guessing you’re reffering to me and now are twisting it to suit your narrative.

If you look at my last post i’m explaining my exact opinions more thoroughly. Yes no one can tell the future for sure but with the current info and data on vaccines etc i think we are less likely to have future lockdowns. The chances are more in favour that we won’t IMO. Hence i don’t think we will at the end of the year once we have the old and vulnerable inoculated that protects from near 100% serious illness, hospitalizations and death.

Micky 32

bubblypop wrote: »

Why would you think this?
I have no interest in going into a shop and if they stay closed forever I could not care less.
Nothing to do with fear, I just hate shopping.

Good for you. I hate shopping also.

GooglePlus

I think going by the floods that went high street shopping at Christmas, that percentage is a bit off.

I guarantee you that if the government announced that shops would be open tomorrow, you'd have loads in.

Irish Stones

As for the time being, I am not shopping in local shops anymore. And it's not because of fear. It's because that I don't stand the fact that I'm being treated like a plague-ridden person, waiting outside, with the mask, only allowed in when the previous customer has gone out, please keep your distance, let me read your temperature.
If this is the way they like to do business today, they can keep their stuff on the shelves.
Internet has just everything, and while I'm clicking on the items I need, comfortably sat at home, nobody is asking me to sanitize my hands and wear a mask.
It is very likely I will keep doing this even in the future.

https://www.irishexaminer.com/news/arid-40242125.html

No need for anyone to worry, shops aren’t opening soon.
Hurrah! Another 2 months of this balderdash.

accensi0n

SnuggyBear wrote: »

Next report. 67% of people are scared to go into their back garden.

It's fairly windy to be fair.

Scotty #

Batattackrat wrote: »

Because I know those numbers are BS, 71% do not fear going shopping FFS

Well of course you think the figures are bull****. You've been given a stat result of 71% and you've pulled your own question of what that represents out of thin air.

The question was "When will you feel comfortable shopping again in physical stores?" and the survey was carried out in mid January, when numbers where at their highest.

6% - Never
16% - When lockdown is over
28% - When covid numbers are lower
27% - When vaccine rollout is complete

23% - I already do.

The 16%, 28%, and 27% is your 71% (I don't know why they didn't include the 6% and say 77% are uncomfortable).

You can read the full report here > https://www.weare.ie/TippingPoint2021/2/

GT89

Irish Stones wrote: »

As for the time being, I am not shopping in local shops anymore. And it's not because of fear. It's because that I don't stand the fact that I'm being treated like a plague-ridden person, waiting outside, with the mask, only allowed in when the previous customer has gone out, please keep your distance, let me read your temperature.
If this is the way they like to do business today, they can keep their stuff on the shelves.
Internet has just everything, and while I'm clicking on the items I need, comfortably sat at home, nobody is asking me to sanitize my hands and wear a mask.
It is very likely I will keep doing this even in the future.

Whatever about masks any shops that require me to sanitise my hands upon entry will not be getting my business. The virus is not spread by fomites so therefore using hand sanitiser is near useless against covid 19.

CalamariFritti

Deleted User wrote: »

I’m not so sure that the economy will bounce back as strong as people think. Ultimately, normality is just normal.

People will obviously flock back to the pubs and have nights out but I think it will be short lived before settling back into routine.

People who have saved big won’t want to blow it and people who were unemployed won’t be going mental. And lots of the savings will end up going on foreign holidays.

I’d say after 2 or 3 months of normality everything will settle down again.

Even more so people will be wary to spend.

We all listened to Leo being on about the people's savings and how he cant wait to see it spilling into the tax coffers. We also understand that this borrowing printed money craze is unlikely to be without consequences. Tax hikes will come and so will inflation. More money being pumped from the bottom to the top. Like it always does.

Plus trust and belief in the stability of our societies has been shattered. The unthinkable has become the norm. A continued uncertainty will hang over everything for years. We are seeing birth rates plummeting already. The damage we have done and continue to do will dwarf the actual covid fallout.

Just my opinion.

El_Duderino 09

Micky 32 wrote: »

Of course life is full of uncertainties. I mean who’s to say if i’ll be around next winter, easy to get hit by a bus.

If you want to go by what politicians say Leo did say this “ nobody could say for certain that there wouldn’t be another lockdown”. I do get that. That’s not a confirmation but maybes, possibilities etc

However he then goes on to say “ he said the vaccine data was “very positive”, with all vaccines showing “close to 100pc effectiveness in preventing severe illness, hospitalisation and death”. That’s the very important part. If that holds true and we have the most important people vaccinated ( as we are doing now) we are less likely to have problems at the end of the year. The chances are quite low that we will need further lockdowns in my opinion. I think it’s more likely we won’t have lockdowns than we will have.

In the words of Joe Biden “ There is real reason for hope folks, I promise you,"

There's great reason for hope. I hope that we can get through the winter without need to reimpose restrictions. This winter we were barely out of lockdown, let alone restrictions. Some restrictions would be a massive improvement if we could meet family and friends all winter.

But the chances of restrictions aren't like being hit by a bus or being struck by lightening - things that, strictly speaking, could happen but not worth considering seriously. Depending on how things go, there could be some restrictions needed in winter. We'll just have to wait and see.

francogarbanzo

We're expecting our firstborn in July. Am I naive in thinking that in August, my folks will be able to travel here from the States to meet their first grandkid?

They've both had and recovered from Covid, and will both be vaccinated by that point, btw.

Scotty #

GT89 wrote: »

Whatever about masks any shops that require me to sanitise my hands upon entry will not be getting my business. The virus is not spread by fomites so therefore using hand sanitiser is near useless against covid 19.

But look what's it's done to the flu. This is one that's going to be staying I would imagine.

I'm not saying you won't be allowed in unless you sanitise, but I think sanitiser at shop doorways will be a permanent fixture.

Scotty #

francogarbanzo wrote: »

We're expecting our firstborn in July. Am I naive in thinking that in August, my folks will be able to travel here from the States to meet their first grandkid?

They've both had and recovered from Covid, and will both be vaccinated by that point, btw.

They're allowed travel now. Why not then? They may have to produce a negative test result.

Multipass

Batattackrat wrote: »

Because I know those numbers are BS, 71% do not fear going shopping FFS

Wait a minute, if 71% fear shopping how did we all ‘go mad’ over Christmas?

francogarbanzo

Scotty # wrote: »

They're allowed travel now. Why not then? They may have to produce a negative test result.

Cheers. It's difficult to set any expectations for what May will look like, let alone August. Appreciate the sanity check.

El_Duderino 09

the kelt wrote: »

Maybe people are just fed up being told the same point again and again and again and again which basically says well you can’t predict the future on a thread where people are contributing to, to try and predict the future!!

On a thread where people are actively discussing what might happen in the future.

“Well we don’t really know what’s going to happen and when it will end, this might happen or that might happen”

Yeah we get that, valid point and very true but this is a thread where the title kinda gives it away and people come to discuss when they think this will end.

“Well we don’t really know what’s going to happen and when it will end, this might happen or that might happen”

Again yes valid point but it’s looking very good with the vaccine efficiency etc.

“Well we don’t really know.......

It’s like going on to one of the sports forums discussing upcoming championships etc and declaring well we can’t tell the future so don’t know what’s going to happen, again and again again.

It’s a valid point but guess what, we know that we can’t tell the future etc.

Well, you say that we can't tell the future - and you're right, obviously. But some posters seem pretty sure they know what will happen. Here's an example referring to whether restrictions will be needed next winter or not...

drunkmonkey wrote: »

Nothing absolutely nothing, all restrictions will be over for the general public. Once we have a safe at home treatment in good supply that's the end of it. Molnupiravir stops Covid spread and disease progression, Leo mentioned it in January and we know have even more evidence.

It seems pretty clear that predicting that things will go back to normal in summer and no restrictions will be needed in winter is free from this rule that "we know that we can’t tell the future".

El_Duderino 09

AdamD wrote: »

Meanwhile, 6% say they will never feel comfortable shopping in-store on their local high street - ever again.


That's..worrying

Ah, it is and it isn't. I take it as a snapshot of how people are feeling right now rather than a serious prediction of how people will behave in the future. I'm sure lots of people have become more comfortable with online shopping as the primary way of getting things so i imagine that will change behaviour to an extent. But I wouldn't take the 6% as a serious predictor that those people will almost never set foot in retail again.

El_Duderino 09

JDD wrote: »

Ahhhhh. Well that completely explains that. I didn't read the RTE article - I'm assuming they didn't point out that the survey was carried out by a vested interest?

The entire second paragraph... "The research published by .IE, the company that manages Ireland's country domain .ie, in partnership with Digital Business Ireland, shows that 23% will not feel comfortable until Covid-19 cases are much lower than they are now."

El_Duderino 09

Micky 32 wrote: »

I’m guessing you’re reffering to me and now are twisting it to suit your narrative.

If you look at my last post i’m explaining my exact opinions more thoroughly. Yes no one can tell the future for sure but with the current info and data on vaccines etc i think we are less likely to have future lockdowns. The chances are more in favour that we won’t IMO. Hence i don’t think we will at the end of the year once we have the old and vulnerable inoculated that protects from near 100% serious illness, hospitalizations and death.

I was not referring to you.

Why do you keep jumping to lockdowns? Lockdowns would be at the extreme end of the scale and are only likely if things go disastrously. Restrictions are far more likely than lockdowns. I keep talking about restrictions and you keep wanting to only talk about lockdowns.