Relaxation of Restrictions, Part VIII *Read OP For Mod Warnings*

Boggles

copeyhagen wrote: »

told the lads i needed a haircut yesterday before i do it myself. was sent two phone numbers within about 5 minutes of arbers cutting hair, so not sure if you dont believe this stuff goes on or what?

Poor enough effort.

There is a lad on here claiming he can drink a pint whilst getting a haircut whilst watching a team of builders knock out a conservatory for him.

copeyhagen

lost a year of my life and a year of my livelyhood to the chance that I could have caught a cold or mild flu after this.. smh

heard the doctor on the last work the other day, doctor in belmullet
"and yu had covid yourself, how was it"
"felt sick for a day at the start, still managed to work right through it. the kids at home have it, not a bother on them"

the doctor was still trying to warn us all about how deadly it is, when he himself was sick for a day and still worked.. he would have been worse with the actual fooking flu.

its like we're not living in reality.

cue the "its like YOUR not living in reality, old people will die".

copeyhagen

average_runner wrote: »

And behave like we did at Xmas. Let's see where that will get us.


Lock the borders and we have a chance. Put the army on the border up north like we did for the foot n mouth disease. Cover all the main arteries of it. Yeah there be back roads but we can have random garda checks there as we won't need them anywhere else

sweet jesus.

copeyhagen

Boggles wrote: »

Poor enough effort.

There is a lad on here claiming he can drink a pint whilst getting a haircut whilst watching a team of builders knock out a conservatory for him.

effort of what?

we're not able to drink in pubs, theres pubs open and shebeens open around the Country.

i dont get what ye mean?

average_runner

copeyhagen wrote: »

sweet jesus.

Well Spain are blocking all tourists for the summer from outside their country.
Belgium has shut its borders now.


Not sure we will see the same freedom in Europe as last summer, this year

copeyhagen

average_runner wrote: »

Well Spain are blocking all tourists for the summer from outside their country.
Belgium has shut its borders now.


Not sure we will see the same freedom in Europe as last summer, this year

Spain, lol, no theyre not.

uli84

[Deleted User] wrote: »

MM is talking about getting to 100 cases a day.
Considering the vaccine doesn’t stop you getting Covid, I don’t see how we’ll ever reach such a number, let alone maintain it with an open economy.

I’m fully expecting harsh restrictions until late summer at least. Probably still very harsh restrictions for all of 2021 and into 2022.

I think it will possibly take finances collapsing or Europe embarrassing us to reopen.

100 cases a day HAHAHAHHA, taking it the schools which were meant to be opened at Level 5 will actually never reopen

Ashleigh1986

average_runner wrote: »

And behave like we did at Xmas. Let's see where that will get us.


Lock the borders and we have a chance. Put the army on the border up north like we did for the foot n mouth disease. Cover all the main arteries of it. Yeah there be back roads but we can have random garda checks there as we won't need them anywhere else

This virus has far more effect in winter time than in summer time .
Probably down to the fact of the cold and we spend far more time indoors than outdoors in the winter .
Certainly by next winter we should have enough people vaccinated to fully open up .
However next winter is a long way off .
We need to give people hope .
The politicans are well aware how the public are feeling at the moment .
We generally are on their side , but when the weather improves and evenings get longer ....WE THE PUBLIC NEED TO SEE THINGS IMPROVING .
The only thing a politican understands is getting reelected .
Fianna Fáil and Fianna Gael know damn well how major the next few weeks are to get this right .
I feel it's at a tipping point now and it could go either way .

Ginger n Lemon

pjohnson wrote: »

I wonder how many of these now criticising the Gardai have probably spent plenty of time in squad cars/courts. Hence the jumping up and down to criticise them.

Seems a prexisting hatred for law and order is linked with the "anti-restrictors". Also explains how they thought looting was a good thing for business.

_Kaiser_ wrote: »

What kind of idiotic nonsense is this?

People questioning the use of Garda resources are antisocial criminal types in and out of courts and squad cars? :rolleyes:

The desperation from this post is hilarious. You forgot to mention the Shinners though.

Step away from the keyboard and go back to hiding under the bed would be my suggestion.

Some things never change. :D:D

3 things are certain in life: death, taxes and PJ posting absolute nonsense.

average_runner

Ashleigh1986 wrote: »

This virus has far more effect in winter time than in summer time .
Probably down to the fact of the cold and we spend far more time indoors than outdoors in the winter .
Certainly by next winter we should have enough people vaccinated to fully open up .
However next winter is a long way off .
We need to give people hope .
The politicans are well aware how the public are feeling at the moment .
We generally are on their side , but when the weather improves and evenings get longer ....WE THE PUBLIC NEED TO SEE THINGS IMPROVING .
The only thing a politican understands is getting reelected .
Fianna Fáil and Fianna Gael know damn well how major the next few weeks are to get this right .
I feel it's at a tipping point now and it could go either way .

FF/FG will not go against NPHET now after xmas.

We could of disarm NPHET but instead we showed them the very reason why the government will listen to them till the bitter end!!!

DrSpongeBobz

What case numbers will the 5km travel restriction be removed?

Ginger n Lemon

Whats all of this rubbish about fining a man who walks alone on the beach? Has world gone completely insane??

There was a cleaner stabbed in the neck in bloody IFSC last week. The lad who stabbed her cycled away without a worry in the world.

Can some1 explain to me why do we have Gardai resources patrolling empty beaches instead of actually camping in high crime areas like Ballymun, Tallaght and IFSC??

Mad

average_runner

Ginger n Lemon wrote: »

Whats all of this rubbish about fining a man who walks alone on the beach? Has world gone completely insane??

There was a cleaner stabbed in the neck in bloody IFSC last week. The lad who stabbed her cycled away without a worry in the world.

Can some1 explain to me why do we have Gardai resources patrolling empty beaches instead of actually camping in high crime areas like Ballymun, Tallaght and IFSC??

Mad

Welcome back, you always seem to go missing when numbers go high but come back when they start to come down!!

That is not the first time it happen in the IFSC, its drug haven when offices are closed.

ypres5

Ginger n Lemon wrote: »

Whats all of this rubbish about fining a man who walks alone on the beach? Has world gone completely insane??

There was a cleaner stabbed in the neck in bloody IFSC last week. The lad who stabbed her cycled away without a worry in the world.

Can some1 explain to me why do we have Gardai resources patrolling empty beaches instead of actually camping in high crime areas like Ballymun, Tallaght and IFSC??

Mad

what sounds like more work to you, grappling with the increasing state of lawlessness in the capital or fining one solitary old geezer for walking on an empty beach? there you shall find your answer

Penfailed

average_runner wrote: »

And behave like we did at Xmas. Let's see where that will get us.


Lock the borders and we have a chance. Put the army on the border up north like we did for the foot n mouth disease. Cover all the main arteries of it. Yeah there be back roads but we can have random garda checks there as we won't need them anywhere else

No one was stopped from crossing the border during Foot & Mouth. Many people are crossing the border daily for work. There's no political will to close the border. It's not going to happen.

MOH

average_runner wrote: »

And behave like we did at Xmas. Let's see where that will get us.

Don't know how you behaved at Christmas but less of the "we", don't assume everyone else was as irresponsible as you.

uli84

I wouldn’t actually mind that much if only they were putting restrictions as gradually as they are taking them away, this is so unfair
When is anpost distributing those free postage cards? Will send few to MM with the relevant message

Ginger n Lemon

average_runner wrote: »

Welcome back, you always seem to go missing when numbers go high but come back when they start to come down!!

That is not the first time it happen in the IFSC, its drug haven when offices are closed.

So why do we have Gardai patrolling empty beaches rather than patrolling drug havens????

I knew 2020 was a bit,you know, moronic.

But it seems like 2021 is a whole new game

BredonWimsey

uli84 wrote: »

I wouldn’t actually mind that much if only they were putting restrictions as gradually as they are taking them away, this is so unfair
When is anpost distributing those free postage cards? Will send few to MM with the relevant message

i'm starting to hit a metaphorical wall to be honest - this lockdown is getting very hard. i have no intention of leaving the country but even the thought that they are policing the airports and checking your reasons for travel just feels like all dreams being taken away (yes greater good blah blah i know)

average_runner

Penfailed wrote: »

No one was stopped from crossing the border during Foot & Mouth. Many people are crossing the border daily for work. There's no political will to close the border. It's not going to happen.

There is no political will to do the right thing in Ireland.

average_runner

MOH wrote: »

Don't know how you behaved at Christmas but less of the "we", don't assume everyone else was as irresponsible as you.

I was responsibility over xmas, but sadly a certain number didn't do what they were asked to do.

Ginger n Lemon

BredonWimsey wrote: »

i'm starting to hit a metaphorical wall to be honest - this lockdown is getting very hard. i have no intention of leaving the country but even the thought that they are policing the airports and checking your reasons for travel just feels like all dreams being taken away (yes greater good blah blah i know)

Does leave a bit of WW2 aftertaste in your mouth doesnt it.

Can we see your papers?

Penfailed

Penfailed wrote: »

Old article...but it's wrong to say that the government haven't got the word out about Vitamin D.

If you think "They wouldn't be discouraging anyone from taking Vitamin D" is "getting the word out" about a low-cost, simple, incredibly safe, effective measure for significantly reducing the severity and death rate of the biggest pandemic in a century—almost an ENTIRE YEAR after the effectiveness of Vitamin D started to be demonstrated (I know this because I mailed some to my mother at the time)—then I don't know what to tell you.

I can understand believing that level 5 restrictions are the correct path currently. I don't necessarily agree, but I can see the logic in it and I can see how someone would come to that conclusion quite solidly. What I cannot understand is the abject refusal to hear a bad word said about the government's handling of this pandemic, unless you think someone is just waiting for you to "admit" they mishandled one area only to smuggle in an "Ah-ha! So you admit the restrictions are bad!" on you when you turn your back. But that's not what's going on here, and criticising the government where they've erred is the only way we'll ever manage to improve on this performance when the next, possibly much worse, pandemic hits.

Even when the evidence of Vitamin D's role in the course of Covid-19 was shaky (a long time ago now), we still knew that Vitamin D was important for immune health, we knew it was an incredibly safe supplement even in very high doses, and we knew that more than half of the Irish population are deficient. And here we are in 2021, a year into the pandemic, deaths spiking, cases higher than ever, with health officials saying "They wouldn't be discouraging anyone from taking Vitamin D". If you don't think that is an utter, shameful disgrace, then I don't know what to say.

I'll go further and say that anyone talking about "granny killing" and not utterly disgusted by this failure is being disingenuous.

BredonWimsey

average_runner wrote: »

I was responsibility over xmas, but sadly a certain number didn't do what they were asked to do.

the fact of the matter was that restrictions were eased over christmas (and in hindsight they shouldnt have been) but people were following the guidelines n the "relaxed" restrictions


there's always going to be morons - but there's no talking to them.

average_runner

Ginger n Lemon wrote: »

So why do we have Gardai patrolling empty beaches rather than patrolling drug havens????

I knew 2020 was a bit,you know, moronic.

But it seems like 2021 is a whole new game

Well if the beach was outside Dublin, it would have no effect on the resources in Store St which looks after IFSC.


There is gardai patrolling IFSC daily, but these criminals don't stab you in front of the gardai. Also a single or two garda won't enter Sheriff St without back up.

pjohnson

_Kaiser_ wrote: »

I think hiding away from "de virus" for so long is getting to you pj

I've never been in trouble with the Gardai in my life and have only been in a court once when someone ran into the side of my car and denied it.

What your posts tell me about YOU though is that you are someone who needs to be told what do do by his "betters" for validation and lashes out when something challenges that comfortable worldview - unfortunately though you live in a country with a weak ineffective and ass-covering political class and similar types in the upper levels of the civil and public service.

You want to talk about role models? I think you may need some new ones!

:pac:

At least you didn't chuck in a random Sinn Fein comment this time around in your rant. Why dont you boys start a political party or join GemGem to save the country. So many in this thread can save Ireland. BUT can't leave the keyboard to actually save us all.

Also dunno why anti restrictors always think those being responsible adults are "hiding".

BredonWimsey

Ginger n Lemon wrote: »

Does leave a bit of WW2 aftertaste in your mouth doesnt it.

Can we see your papers?

i'm not a conspiracy theorist and i feel like anytime you try to approach anything in a nuanced fashion that people automatically scream from the other side because you dont think like them.


Yes it does feel like that - that our rights are being restricted, that big brother is watching, that we are losing the things in life that we love to do. But I know there will be people screaming DONT YOU CARE ABOUT COVID? of course I do and I always abide by the restrictions but its alot to wrap your head around. and we should think about it. Sure we have nothing to do but think anyway.

Ginger n Lemon

pjohnson wrote: »

:pac:

At least you didn't chuck in a random Sinn Fein comment this time around in your rant. Why dont you boys start a political party or join GemGem to save the country. So many in this thread can save Ireland. BUT can't leave the keyboard to actually save us all.

Also dunno why anti restrictors always think those being responsible adults are "hiding".

PJ I really you should follow his advice.

This is probably the single most idiotic post this thread has ever produced.

Ginger n Lemon

BredonWimsey wrote: »

i'm not a conspiracy theorist and i feel like anytime you try to approach anything in a nuanced fashion that people automatically scream from the other side because you dont think like them.


Yes it does feel like that - that our rights are being restricted, that big brother is watching, that we are losing the things in life that we love to do. But I know there will be people screaming DONT YOU CARE ABOUT COVID? of course I do and I always abide by the restrictions but its alot to wrap your head around. and we should think about it. Sure we have nothing to do but think anyway.

Well that in bold is a constant.

You have hysterical people.

You also have smart media that knows what gets clicks.

It makes for 1 toxic combination, unfortunately. Only thing you can do is stay sane and dont change your views, no matter how many billions of people get told they have covid even though they dont got any symptoms. AKA cases.

hynesie08

Ginger n Lemon wrote: »

Does leave a bit of WW2 aftertaste in your mouth doesnt it.

Can we see your papers?

Ginger n Lemon wrote: »

Well that in bold is a constant.

You have hysterical people.

You also have smart media that knows what gets clicks.

It makes for 1 toxic combination, unfortunately. Only thing you can do is stay sane and dont change your views, no matter how many billions of people get told they have covid even though they dont got any symptoms. AKA cases.

Yes...... Quite.

pjohnson

Ginger n Lemon wrote: »

PJ I really you should follow his advice.

This is probably the single most idiotic post this thread has ever produced.

I dunno some are thinking this is akin to WW2.

_Kaiser_

pjohnson wrote: »

I dunno some are thinking this is akin to WW2.

Bit more like this PJ...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZQpTNuLiA8k

(Great movie too! The books were better though!)

Ginger n Lemon

Lundstram wrote: »

Stop deflecting from the fact a lone man walking on beach was fined.

The lack of empathy from the likes of you and a few others on here is disgusting.

You people spend your days nitpicking at posts because you’ve got nothing relevant to post.

Unfortunately true.

ArthurDayne

BredonWimsey wrote: »

the fact of the matter was that restrictions were eased over christmas (and in hindsight they shouldnt have been) but people were following the guidelines n the "relaxed" restrictions


there's always going to be morons - but there's no talking to them.

I do think though that we need to move away from the “blame thy neighbour” philosophy which has been used as a convenient ploy to mask the failings of what is essentially a bad policy. When policies do not work, bosses often blame staff for not adhering to the policies rather than looking inwards and asking whether the policy is sensible, workable, sustainable etc — and whether it needs to be re-designed.

When we think about the Christmas period, I’m not sure what many would have done without the small dose of a semblance of normality. The mistakes were made long before Christmas, and the severity and lack of nuance to the restrictions has more or less guaranteed that any reopening (whether at Christmas or any other date) will see a rise of infections because people are essentially starved of the interactions and experiences that make life worth living. Quite simply, we cannot stay at Level 5 indefinitely — and seemingly the longer you impose the most severe restrictions, the more inevitable it becomes that you create a bottleneck.

We have entered into what is nothing more than a cyclical process of using severe restrictions to quash infection numbers even though it only seems to achieve little more than sowing the seeds of desperation for people to want to interact and seek stimulation — thus creating the perfect environment for cases to rise again when an entire nation, entirely simultaneously, wants to see their friends and family and enjoy some brief glimmer of fun. What’s more — we are still stuck in a narrative where the questioning of the official line seems to be categorised somewhere alongside flat-earthers, Holocaust deniers and those who believe a civilisation of alligators thrives underneath Manhattan.

I hope people can start to turn their cannons away from the ordinary men and women around them, and towards the policy itself — which is a bad policy.

DeanAustin

BredonWimsey wrote: »

i'm not a conspiracy theorist and i feel like anytime you try to approach anything in a nuanced fashion that people automatically scream from the other side because you dont think like them.


Yes it does feel like that - that our rights are being restricted, that big brother is watching, that we are losing the things in life that we love to do. But I know there will be people screaming DONT YOU CARE ABOUT COVID? of course I do and I always abide by the restrictions but its alot to wrap your head around. and we should think about it. Sure we have nothing to do but think anyway.

The thing about that theory is this. There has to be an end game for the people looking to restrict our freedoms. Something that will benefit them.

FF/FG and the Greens want to get re-elected. That's their whole point of existence. What they are doing now won't help them to get re-elected. Quite the opposite. People are massively pissed off with the situation at the moment and many are, incorrectly in my view, blaming the government. And a conspiracy on this scale would require the co-operation of just about every other government in the world. And never before in history has that level of co-operation existed.

There is no conspiracy here. It's just a bunch of politicians trying to do what they think is right in a really ****ty situation for everyone.

BredonWimsey

ArthurDayne wrote: »

I do think though that we need to move away from the “blame thy neighbour” philosophy which has been used as a convenient ploy to mask the failings of what is essentially a bad policy. When policies do not work, bosses often blame staff for not adhering to the policies rather than looking inwards and asking whether the policy is sensible, workable, sustainable etc — and whether it needs to be re-designed.

When we think about the Christmas period, I’m not sure what many would have done without the small dose of a semblance of normality. The mistakes were made long before Christmas, and the severity and lack of nuance to the restrictions has more or less guaranteed that any reopening (whether at Christmas or any other date) will see a rise of infections because people are essentially starved of the interactions and experiences that make life worth living. Quite simply, we cannot stay at Level 5 indefinitely — and seemingly the longer you impose the most severe restrictions, the more inevitable it becomes that you create a bottleneck.

We have entered into what is nothing more than a cyclical process of using severe restrictions to quash infection numbers even though it only seems to achieve little more than sowing the seeds of desperation for people to want to interact and seek stimulation — thus creating the perfect environment for cases to rise again when an entire nation, entirely simultaneously, wants to see their friends and family and enjoy some brief glimmer of fun. What’s more — we are still stuck in a narrative where the questioning of the official line seems to be categorised somewhere alongside flat-earthers, Holocaust deniers and those who believe a civilisation of alligators thrives underneath Manhattan.

I hope people can start to turn their cannons away from the ordinary men and women around them, and towards the policy itself — which is a bad policy.

i agree with you but do think people are irresponsible too

uli84

Maybe a stupid thought but I believe that if the money spent around the world on lockdowns and what not got invested in proper medical research many more lives would be saved and medical problems solved.

DeanAustin

ArthurDayne wrote: »

I do think though that we need to move away from the “blame thy neighbour” philosophy which has been used as a convenient ploy to mask the failings of what is essentially a bad policy. When policies do not work, bosses often blame staff for not adhering to the policies rather than looking inwards and asking whether the policy is sensible, workable, sustainable etc — and whether it needs to be re-designed.

When we think about the Christmas period, I’m not sure what many would have done without the small dose of a semblance of normality. The mistakes were made long before Christmas, and the severity and lack of nuance to the restrictions has more or less guaranteed that any reopening (whether at Christmas or any other date) will see a rise of infections because people are essentially starved of the interactions and experiences that make life worth living. Quite simply, we cannot stay at Level 5 indefinitely — and seemingly the longer you impose the most severe restrictions, the more inevitable it becomes that you create a bottleneck.

We have entered into what is nothing more than a cyclical process of using severe restrictions to quash infection numbers even though it only seems to achieve little more than sowing the seeds of desperation for people to want to interact and seek stimulation — thus creating the perfect environment for cases to rise again when an entire nation, entirely simultaneously, wants to see their friends and family and enjoy some brief glimmer of fun. What’s more — we are still stuck in a narrative where the questioning of the official line seems to be categorised somewhere alongside flat-earthers, Holocaust deniers and those who believe a civilisation of alligators thrives underneath Manhattan.

I hope people can start to turn their cannons away from the ordinary men and women around them, and towards the policy itself — which is a bad policy.

I don't agree with you but that's a good post. What would be good policy in your view?

BredonWimsey

DeanAustin wrote: »

The thing about that theory is this. There has to be an end game for the people looking to restrict our freedoms. Something that will benefit them.

FF/FG and the Greens want to get re-elected. That's their whole point of existence. What they are doing now won't help them to get re-elected. Quite the opposite. People are massively pissed off with the situation at the moment and many are, incorrectly in my view, blaming the government. And a conspiracy on this scale would require the co-operation of just about every other government in the world. And never before in history has that level of co-operation existed.

There is no conspiracy here. It's just a bunch of politicians trying to do what they think is right in a really ****ty situation for everyone.

i agree with u. just feels like with some people you cant discuss your thoughts on the situation without having to caveat it by IM ABIDING BY RESTRICTIONS etc. I do think Ireland is particularly strict though - other countries have curfews- i see people on my feeds in the US (yeah i know ), Canada, Australia all much larger populations than us and their lives are not being restricted as much. i will abide by restrictions and have been doing so but why is Ireland so strict and other countries are not. its not like Ireland doesnt have a ****show on its hands - if we had zero covid like new zealand than it would be worth it - but we do not.

BredonWimsey

uli84 wrote: »

Maybe a stupid thought but I believe that if the money spent around the world on lockdowns and what not got invested in proper medical research many more lives would be saved and medical problems solved.

good point!

Whatsisname

DeanAustin wrote: »

The thing about that theory is this. There has to be an end game for the people looking to restrict our freedoms. Something that will benefit them.

FF/FG and the Greens want to get re-elected. That's their whole point of existence. What they are doing now won't help them to get re-elected. Quite the opposite. People are massively pissed off with the situation at the moment and many are, incorrectly in my view, blaming the government. And a conspiracy on this scale would require the co-operation of just about every other government in the world. And never before in history has that level of co-operation existed.

There is no conspiracy here. It's just a bunch of politicians trying to do what they think is right in a really ****ty situation for everyone.

I think its more so a game of politicians trying to save face. If you look at America, Trump (who I think is a horrible human being) gets single handedly blamed for killing 400k Americans by some. I think all politicians want to avoid ever being labelled as anything similar.

Sometimes here in the UK atleaast it feels like they're purposely confusing the public and making asinine rules just to be able to flip it and go "we did all we could, you're the ones who didn't listen". ie. Eat Out To Help Out scheme, encourage the public to go to half price restaurants, then blame the public for the increase in cases.

Boggles

ArthurDayne wrote: »

When we think about the Christmas period, I’m not sure what many would have done without the small dose of a semblance of normality. The mistakes were made long before Christmas, and the severity and lack of nuance to the restrictions has more or less guaranteed that any reopening

The old wet pubs weren't opened in July so people went apeshít at Christmas narrative. If Paddy was allowed have pints in his local during the summer he wouldn't have visited 10 houses at Christmas, it's a theory without any realistic merit.

You'd have to wonder what drove the Germans and the English, etc to such fevered interactions so.

The only failing was entering Christmas week with such a high instance rate of the virus in the community, something which was flagged for months by public health.

mightyreds

Boggles wrote: »

The old wet pubs weren't opened in July so people went apeshít at Christmas narrative. If Paddy was allowed have pints in his local during the summer he wouldn't have visited 10 houses at Christmas, it's a theory without any realistic merit.

You'd have to wonder what drove the Germans and the English, etc to such fevered interactions so.

The only failing was entering Christmas week with such a high instance rate of the virus in the community, something which was flagged for months by public health.

Why is it always pints people go back to here, I rushed out to do my xmas shopping over Christmas and shops were packed, no queuing just squash everyone in, went and got my haircut, that was also packed even though they had a booking system I was still seated in the couch area with 3 others while 3 were getting cuts. So yes because they opened up for only 3 weeks everyone rushed out to do those things as we were told they'd be shut in January again.

And you know what if barbers are open march 6th I'll rush out again to get a haircut as i'm already over due but so will everyone else. We just rinse and repeat

Or wait what we will do is open 50% of barbers this time the ones that only do dry cuts, sounds like a great idea only 50% of the usual barber goers will then go to the barbers

retro:electro

What’s clear is that we seem to have any number of headless chickens up there making decisions. Our “decision making” so far seems to be to copy whatever the UK are doing. There is sense behind that but if that is our only approach then we are always going to be on the back foot and never ahead of this thing. Deciding a year later that they are thinking about mandatory quarantine for people coming in. Well done lads. According to Leo last night he didn’t seem to think travel was a big issue in relation to Covid, yet the UK strain is the most dominant one here. So what, someone sneezed over on England and it landed here? I can’t go outside 5k, can’t see family until after March but it’s okay guys. The lads in office are “thinking about” mandatory quarantine a year on since the virus arrived here.

Boggles

mightyreds wrote: »

Why is it always pints people go back to here, I rushed out to do my xmas shopping over Christmas and shops were packed, no queuing just squash everyone in, went and got my haircut, that was also packed even though they had a booking system I was still seated in the couch area with 3 others while 3 were getting cuts. So yes because they opened up for only 3 weeks everyone rushed out to do those things as we were told they'd be shut in January again.

And you know what if barbers are open march 6th I'll rush out again to get a haircut as i'm already over due but so will everyone else. We just rinse and repeat

Or wait what we will do is open 50% of barbers this time the ones that only do dry cuts, sounds like a great idea only 50% of the population will then go to the barbers

Shop online, buy a razor.

It's what they did in World Word 2, adapted.

mightyreds

Boggles wrote: »

Shop online, buy a razor.

It's what they did in World Word 2, adapted.

I'm 4 weeks waiting on a shaver from Argos cause of Brexit :eek:

But i'm def not going to try do my own hair

MOH

It's interesting to see Leo basically saying we should get rid of all restrictions.

He seems to think there's no point introducing a quarantine since it won't be 100% effective, since the border will be open. But none of the other restrictions are 100% effective, people will always evade them. So logically, he must be against all other forms of restrictions too.

And then further tries to justify not doing it because it would be so hard to reverse we'd be stuck with it for a year, and also we'd have to follow New Zealand's policies about how many people we let in. The first part is nonsense, and he seems to be conflating restricting travel with the zero-covid crap.

It's all a bit late now anyway, the time to have plans for a quarantine on the books was last autumn when it was clear what a huge proportion of cases was the new Spanish strain. That it never occurred to any of these clowns that the next variant might be more problematic and travel was an issue speaks volumes.

facehugger99

uli84 wrote: »

Maybe a stupid thought but I believe that if the money spent around the world on lockdowns and what not got invested in proper medical research many more lives would be saved and medical problems solved.

The hundreds of billions spent combatting this first-world, social media pandemic could have saved and improved countless more lives in the developing world.

Instead, the cowardly and hysterical response of western Governments have made the lives of the more vulnerable, far worse.

ArthurDayne

DeanAustin wrote: »

The thing about that theory is this. There has to be an end game for the people looking to restrict our freedoms. Something that will benefit them.

FF/FG and the Greens want to get re-elected. That's their whole point of existence. What they are doing now won't help them to get re-elected. Quite the opposite. People are massively pissed off with the situation at the moment and many are, incorrectly in my view, blaming the government. And a conspiracy on this scale would require the co-operation of just about every other government in the world. And never before in history has that level of co-operation existed.

There is no conspiracy here. It's just a bunch of politicians trying to do what they think is right in a really ****ty situation for everyone.

Where I think you are going wrong here though, and of course this is just my own opinion, is that you are applying the “normal” parameters for political success in the context of what has become an extraordinary situation where the parameters have changed and now boil down to one single rubric — Covid cases.

If you were look at the media narrative right now in Ireland — and as we know, politicians know well the importance of media narratives — what is the success of this country and other countries being ‘assessed’ on primarily? It’s not economic performance, it’s certainly not employment, it’s not education, it’s not how countries are trying to safeguard other important medium to long term interests. The measure of success is quite simply Covid case numbers — countries are either “doing well”, “deteriorating” or are effectively in an ongoing state of all-out apocalypse depending on how their case numbers are.

The government knows this — and I think you also need to boil it down not just to parties as a whole but to individuals. Who wants to be the person who went against the grain? Who wants to be the person who argued that more Covid deaths might be a price worth paying for a sustainable policy? Who wants to be that scapegoat who will be wheeled out and given a media lynching as the man / woman who made the call that sentenced another 1,000 pensioners to death — or the one responsible for an ICU unit being overwhelmed?

You are correct in saying that people are massively pissed off with the situation — but remember the mass sense of civic duty last March? Remember the nation getting behind the ‘flatten the curve’ mantra? People are getting more pissed off now yes, but I still think the government is banking on the idea that people being pissed off in lockdown (with the very helpful narrative that ‘irresponsible people’ are at fault) is something they can stand behind — because they can say it was based on a public health need. As long as cases are low, the country is deemed to be succeeding.

Boggles

Boggles wrote: »

Shop online, buy a razor.

It's what they did in World Word 2, adapted.

Think there’s a bit of a difference between a world war and a mild respiratory illness to be fair...