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

I really fail to see what the big deal is; minimum 60k cases over last 3 days and around 100 extra in hospital, so an admission rate of less than 0.2%; zero information on the age of that 0.2%, their vax status or whether they are in solely for covid or for drinking too much and falling over and happen to have been tested on admission

I can’t say I agree with that.

The ‘better educated’ Irish Times types are by far the worst when it comes to hysterical fear mongering. They are easily led and are convinced that there are ‘far right anti vaxxers ‘ hiding under their beds.

I wouldnt have said that we are in the same ball park as that. Although i think any more restrictions could be a water shed. Certainly with bills for people to pay in January and most needing schools to remain open in order to earn any attempt at delaying a reopening could be the straw the breaks the camels back. People will take a lot but not that.

Again we are back to will they or will they not reopen schools, somethings never change. Schools should reopen when they are suppose too. We can't keep closing and adding restrictions because some people are irresponsible and will send their kids to school sick, it has always happened and always will. We just need to suck it up now and get on with living and stop this shaming and fear mongering.

The government have really played a blinder making people believe this.

this is true, things wont change or change slower until the public make up their mind, the power is with the people but they need to make up thir mind. The ogv are left with a kind of Zenos paradox to deal with

One thing I haven't seen addressed much, which will need looking at when the dust settles, is the complete and utter failure of decades of study and work in the fields of epidemiology, virology and public health as they relate to pandemics.

Decades of scholarship and planning had created policies around pandemic outbreaks, and they seldom included any sort of "lockdown" measures like we've seen over the last two years all around the globe. Instead of calling on those decades of study and work and implementing the policies that were in place, which balanced pandemic response with liberty and collateral damage and so on, much of the world simply went with the authoritarian model exported from China with very little opposition. The virologists and epidemiologists whose life's work was being flushed down the toilet in front of their eyes simply... hopped on board the authoritarian train. So then what was all that work for, and can these same people who abandoned their own policies and cheered on a response that will cause collateral damage far in excess of potential pandemic deaths, all told, be trusted to work in those fields in the future.

All evidence suggests that they absolutely cannot and should not remain in their jobs, or even in the field.

He's not wrong about the cops on South William Street (He wasn't driving past. He would have been spotted on any of those little roads and who was he picking up from work there at night?) He shouldn't be tweeting stuff like that and he 100% should not be a media darling.

His job is to advise The Government. It's not his job to tell us how many people we are allowed in our own homes. In fact, no one should be telling us that!

It is your right to disagree and everyone else's right of course, but that doesn't mean you're right.

Now, this may seem a brittle and poor example but, people have spat on Bono (That happened a few years back) because he's too preachy about Africa. Yet, despite his actions in the past and present, it's almost like a crime to even be critical of Tony Holohan? I can't get on board with that. He went all over the city yesterday, doing his media appearances, meeting and encountering all sorts of people, indoors and outdoors, in close contact with them yet, he's telling us to avoid each other and not to let anyone in our homes and not to go to work? He could easily have done those interviews by phone. I'm surprised and yet not surprised people don't see the hypocrisy in that.

The fallout from this will be spectacular...Unfortunately, not in a good way. Anyone denying that to themselves are in for a massive rollercoaster ride

It is interesting that Paul Reid's current renumeration appears to be twice that paid to his predecessor,Tony O'Brien.

It remains...."Al labout the Money"

Anyone else considering a move to England? What a great NYE display last night despite the circumstances. Lovely choir singing also without the n95 masks RTÉ trotted out on Christmas Eve, revellers in clubs and pubs. They’re living with Covid and respecting human rights also in the process using antigen tests or vaccine passport to gain access to big events.

Speak for yourself. I'm not locked down. I'm not a coward.

Semantics again.. this was covered before.

Are you still forced to get out of a pub at 8, present your covid pass if you want to sit inside, wear a mask in retail situations, get tested if you want to travel outside this State or possibly even go to/stay home from work? Are you doing all these things for something that is now presenting as a common cold in the majority of cases and which you would previously (prior to 2020) have just stocked up on lemsip and tissues for and gone about your business unrestricted?

You're "locked down" whether you realise it or not.. you don't have to be confined to 2/5km to realise that.

Nah, English pubs are not for me!

Revellers, ugh.