All Covid-19 measures are permanent, don't be a boiling frog!

Wrong person.

We have to entertain ourselves somehow while we wait for you to post your next wacky conspiracy 🤷‍♂️

USC is also a "temporary" tax

Yes, and the measures are relative to those figures. We have a lot of restrictions dropping soon. However if cases really start to spike up significantly we may see some measures reintroduced. We are reacting to the pandemic.

"It was said to be a temporary measure" - No. It's a measure in reaction to a threat. Most of us thought all of this would be finished in mid-2020 when cases dropped massively due to the lockdown, we all thought that was it. It wasn't. No one has a crystal ball. Again, we are reacting to a pandemic.

As a result of wearing masks to reduce Covid, we have discovered that other respiratory diseases have dropped significantly, like flu. Therefore some places may be considering having masks on e.g. public transport to reduce those respiratory diseases (and Covid if it turns seasonal). That's the only reason.

You seem completely unable to process any of these things because it's obvious you deeply paranoid that the government is "up to something". The fact that you latch onto every daft conspiracy that drifts by further demonstrates that. Paranoid people are unable to see things objectively and normally.

And you guys still just want a complete echo chamber.

Its a discussion forum.

Yes there may always be cases. That doesn't automatically mean we will all be systematically wearing masks as we do now. It depends on what's feasible. Some regions/countries may decide that in e.g. winter, we may wear masks on public transport. It all depends on how this plays out.

The country is not 100% vaccinated. And vaccinated people can still catch the virus. The more cases there are, then the more cases there will be (exponential spread). It all depends on how many cases there are.

Again you clearly don't want to understand any of this and are fixated that TD's are just making restrictions for the sake of it because they "love tyranny" or whatever nonsense narrative you can't let go of.

Sorry, were your false and paranoid accusations that all of us are secretly American and being paid to post supposed to raise the quality the thread?

Your claims are really funny. It's not really anyone's else fault if they want to have a laugh about how ridiculous they are.

But if your accusations are meant to be serious then commit to them. Show a little spine and make your accusations directly.

Who is actually a secret American agent?

Or better yet bring your iron clad evidence to the mods.

Yes, there will likely always be cases, just like with colds and flu. In time it's likely the vast majority of the population will have gotten covid, and be reasonably immune to its worst effects, like with flu. If we get to that stage then the threat of overwhelming the hospitals will be reduced, or get to flu level, and most restrictions will become unnecessary, and will just fall away. I do think masks in winter, worn at least by those with symptoms, would be a good take away from the pandemic.

You talk like the restrictions are being imposed without any context or reason. If you don't believe the virus exists, or you don't take the threat seriously, then of course it must seem strange to you that we've had restrictions, and that some still continue.

However most people who realise the virus is real, and who see that it has caused havoc in hospitals already, and know people who've had a bad bout of covid, or who have lost family members, have no problem seeing the logic of the public health policy. If you were trying to put out a fire, would you just give it a quick squirt of the extinguisher and walk away, or would you monitor it and give it more if necessary, till all was extinguished?

My turn to ask if you are actually living in Ireland? Using what kind of logic do you deduce restrictions are getting heavier, on the very eve of more restrictions being lifted? Have you been out and about, or driven in rush hour traffic, which seems to have gone back to pre-covid levels, despite some people still working from home - I dread to think what it will be like if everyone goes back to the office!

Firstly, what other areas of life are they being expanded into? Second, do you not see any logic in requiring a vaccine cert for large gatherings without social distancing? Take two events with lots of people crammed together. One requires all to be vaccinated, the other doesn't. Which one is likely to produce more covid cases?

Who is calling for unvaccinated to be shut out of society? And what do you mean "shut out of society"? Do you need a vaccine cert to go shopping, or to get public transport, or to visit someone in their home?

If you are not vaccinated because you are afraid of what Bill Gates put in the vaccine, then that's fine, it's a free country. With most people vaccinated the risk is now mainly to yourself, but of course you are also more likely to need hospitalisation. What do you think the situation would be now if everyone in the country took your advice and didn't get vaccinated? Do you think it would be exactly like it is today, with moderate numbers of cases, etc, or would we have more restrictions in an attempt to control the virus?

You mean the posts making fun of Markus' accusation that we're all secretly American and paid to post here?

Not a great example to point out.

Do you agree with his accusation? Do you think accusations like these help or hinder discussion?

And yes trying to engage with people even though they repeatedly declare they are bravely not responding to you is by definition "trying to have a discussion". And the fault again squarely lies with the people ignoring questions and refusing to engage.