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

January lockdown on the way it would seem, maybe even the same Christmas period announcement like last year.

Will we be left with inter County travel this time?

I'd say Tony Holohan would love to see the 2km restrictions from March 2020 back.

This is exactly who it is.

People who are still on full pay, have a mortgage or have it nearly paid off, saving on the commute or childcare, and who don't particularly like work colleagues and would work from home indefinitely, don't go out much anymore and whose friends are long settled and busy with their own families are not really bothered what happens in the pub (as its rare they set foot in one), or cinema (as they watch everything on Netflix).

Now, in all honesty, aside from the mortgage (and that I actually like most of my colleagues), I would fit all of those criteria except for one important difference - I can absolutely see the damage it's doing to those businesses and the people who own/are employed in them, to say nothing of the knock on effect to suppliers and society as a whole. I may not get out much anymore, but I like to have the choice and I appreciate how important it is.

More than that, I'm disgusted again by the lack of opposition (except among the general public and hospitality industry) to this "strategy" of bouncing in and out of varying degrees of restrictions because NPHET have been given too much weight, and Micheal Martin and Leo are either incapable of making a decision (in the case of the former), or obsessed with the affect it might have on his twitter account (in the case of the latter).

All this for something that has never been a real threat to the majority of the population here, and where the latest variant is even milder by all reports.

It's absolutely nonsense at this point. It's like living under the Church - don't believe in it, know it doesn't make sense and a lot of what goes on is wrong and immensely damaging, but still turn up every Sunday proclaiming the faith and attacking anyone different as a heretic.

We have spent so much time as a people being told what to do, that we can't function without it. We handed off Independence to the Church, then when they finally collapsed we handed it to the EU, and now to NPHET. We're the most servile people on the planet.

Great country we've created isn't it?

Ah now, that means a Libra, gay, married, farmer with a bit of a limp in their 50s could go to the pub almost all week. Hell, if they are trans, they might get all 7 days.

Don't be so ridiculous!

Okay let me rephrase, (its not literally no one going to them) the pubs aren't packed, there are very few customers going, there is limited if any spread associated with pubs, closing them makes no sense giving the restrictions they already have to work to.

Hospitatlity sector are reaping the benefit now of their utterly useless representation whose only concern was being paid off to shut down, instead of fighting back against this idiocy.

Yes true, there will be some busy spots, but the vast majority aren't. Unfortunately its the busy ones that cause 'concern' amongst nphet and attract social media attention.

Seriously?

Yep the busy ones will cause concern for people concerned with transmission of virus in the community.

But they are really just saying that they are very worried about what could happen with Omicron?

I mean our numbers are okish now?

Well no, I'm saying the poster was wrong that no one is going to the pubs.

Loads are and people are making a living out of it.

It will have a massive effect closing them at 5pm to the industry and customers.

Why am I not surprised by that. You know, you could always just live your life as you see fit and let others do their own risk assessment, rather than having every aspect of our lives being dictated and micro managed by public health officials.

Not to sure but if people keep bending over and letting the Gov fcuk them there might not be one.

While i totally disagree with the 5pm thing i really don’t think there is any point in looking across the sea at what our neighbours are doing.

Overall they have dealt with the pandemic horrifically.

Hold firm until the omicron version vaccine is delivered.

Get the omicron booster 2 months later.

Get the Alpha booster again, just to be safe.

panic when the Zeta variant arrives.