Will there be another lockdown?

There would be little public buy-in for lockdown now because there's no need for it. If the need increases then public buy-in will increase.

They wouldn't do lockdown for the sake of it. Why do you think they would?

No because the country is basically broke, they have already spent a fortune on covid, the European moneytree is finished as the ECB needs to raise interest rates next year to tackle inflation, Inflation is now the biggest issue out there not Covid.

Germany just experienced its highest inflation rate in decades, if there is one thing the Germans fear more than anything it is inflation. The government is now afraid to close down any businesses even nightclubs because they cannot afford anymore PUP payments

I get what you're saying and I think they'll do what's necessary depending on the circumstances. No need for heavy restrictions now and the government hasbt imposed any and people wouldn't wear them because they're not necessary. If the circumstances change then people's attitudes and government behaviour will change.

The libertarian wing of the Conservative party is already pissed off with the increases in NI contributions (income tax basically), so I really don't see them going back on no-more-lockdowns.

That is pretty much it. In the height of it last autumn their wasn't a word mentioned about money or the cost from ministers, now any hint of lockdown's been introduced the cost is always put first. There hasn't been any reversals to PUP, EWSS etc, no more grants. The free money tree is dead, if there is future closures we can't expect the same level of support.

It is becoming blatantly obvious that we are reaching brokedom. I reckon NPHET are really recommending full lockdown but government are telling them we can't because of the financial situation. So essentially they are screwing hospitality by saying you can open but with unviable restrictions, so they cannot claim PUP.

Makes you wonder why Micheal Martin went to the EU last year and handed them over 16bn, then lined up to the media and said it was "a show of strength".

I think they are as much afraid of what's happening in Germany (and America too) with inflation. As you said, Germany have a pathological fear of inflation. I feel they will panic if it starts to escalate. They are already having inflation issues. The new government is coming in and jacking the minimum wage from €9 to €12.

Vlad in the Kremlin is swinging his gas pipes around and telling Europe his price. If Germany fails, the ECB fails. The Eastern bloc (who are in the EU through necessity rather than want) leave the EU because the gravy train is over.

France, Germany, Italy will vote for nationalistic governments. No more EU or it will be at least be reformed to what it should be, a free trade agreement and that's it.

The house of cards is falling. Governments getting nasty. Everyone panicking. Protests getting bigger. Vlad in the east swinging his dick prepping for an invasion of Ukraine. America in serious bother. Tension in Bosnia.

There's only one way out of it. A War.

Imagine if pubs have to close by 8pm or earlier, the people out of work will actually benefit more as they have time to enjoy a few drinks while the people working have little time for a few pints. Saturday and Sunday will be manic

Not all day drinkers are unemployed living off social welfare (some are retired, others on days off etc) but you get what im saying

So you remember reading that covid might mot be ended by the vaccine? That's waaaay more than loads of posters claim they remember. They'll tell you they remember being told thst the vaccine meant the end of restrictions, the end of covid.

I doubt anyone would seriously accept living with covid meaning using emergency morgue and overwhelming the health service every winter so you can't get seen for anything until it becomes a life and death emergency. Because that's probably what no restrictions and ignoring the numbers would look like.

Loads of people want to give out about restrictions but jobody really wants to live in the world without restrictions. There are plenty of anti restrictions people at the moment who like to give out about the government restrictions (the government has introduced very few restrictions in light of the new variant). But if there were no restrictions and they "let the bodies pile up" as Boris Johnson said, then they'd join the rest of us in condemning then government for not imposing restrictions. They wouldn't even remember the time when they opposed restrictions.

How long will restrictions on? I don't know. I'm pretty sure thst they won't let the bodies pile up, so I'd say there will be some restrictions for as long as they're needed. The vaccines are very effective and they claim to have produced treatments which can reduce hospitalisations. So that's the best hope of getting back towards normal for next year.

But look, anyone who really believed that the vaccine would definitely solve the whole situation was probably getting their info from their mate on Facebook or skimming headlines in tabloids. People need to be responsible for their own information and not all information is equal. If you're the kind of person who gets their news from tabloids, that's fine. Tabloids tell nice neat, simple stories and leave people with strong opinions. But don't expect to know what's actually going on because tabloids don't deal in complexity. And this situation is complex.

In the Summer of 2020 when the PUP was in full swing all student houses where absolutely crammed with students. Students who pre covid lived at home were going out renting to get away from their parents. It was wild in relative to other demographics. And it was funded by PUP. Not that controversial to say. Wasn't a huge percentage of the student population I imagine but it was a thing.

Here's a new article from the time: https://www.echolive.ie/corknews/arid-40117751.html