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

It pains me to say this but under FG there was a bit more order to it. Since MM has taken the reigns and this coalition 2as formed, communications have been disgraceful. How many times have their own ministers been caught on the hop with decisions they've made and had to scramble to put leasure and legislation in place.

My fear would be the moment they open up and the cases inevitably go up that they start closing again.

Leo is like a flag in the wind though, "it needs to stop, we have to reopen, steady as it goes, cases are worrying, we need to slow down".

I witnessed the nonsense with my own eyes on Friday evening.

We went into the vigil in Carlow for 6pm. By the time it finished & got chatting it was about 7pm. Tried 3 restaurants & none were allowing walk ins at that hour citing this place needed to be empty by 8pm. Went for a pint instead & rang a takeaway for the way home. While waiting I went into O'Briens to pick up a bottle of wine & it was packed. Takeaway took 45 mins to be ready as they were slammed too, the whole thing is a stupid manufactured mess that serves zero purpose.

I honestly dont see that happening though, the big driver is schools, theyre back and cases dropping, literally cannot see cases go up because they change from 8pm to 11 for hospitality and cinemas.

Closing stuff at 8pm made next to no difference, just theatre. If anything its goign to be an eye opener for a lot of people seeing these restrictions go and making no difference

I see ISAG are at it again. Still holding up NZ and China (!!!) as exemplars. https://www.irishtimes.com/opinion/letters/aggressive-suppression-and-zero-tolerance-of-covid-are-crucial-1.4777808

China has not reported a single Covid death since April 17, 2020. Using it as a comparison is either ignorance or malice, and basically invalidate every single other claims they make in my eyes.

At least they're not advocating for full lockdown "to avoid another lockdown" and full border closure (and probably a wall up north) anymore, I guess.

was there a date limit put on masks for primary schoolers? Thought I remember someone here mention February but can’t find anything now. My 11 yr old was complaining as her lips became badly chapped last week they were painful. Improved over the weekend but still very uncomfortable.

ironically got an email from the school saying they are celebrating ‘well-being week’ while it’s about 5 degrees in the classroom and she is sitting there with her coat on with freezing hands and painful lips from the mask!

I await somebody coming along to the thread later to tell me she should just toughen up.

personally I think we may be entering one of the most divisive and frustrating periods of the pandemic as many feel frustrated that the emergency is over and freedoms and norms need to be handed back quickly as is our right while others want the abundance of caution approach.

So far as I'm aware, the requirements for masks in schools is only advisory after the pushback that occurred. If it's making your daughter uncomfortable and causing her pain, that's a legit reason not to make her wear one IMO. Just talk to the teacher/principal is my advice.

It's another reason why masks are impractical and/or pointless in schools and many other places they've been required, but I fear they'll be the last to go.

I've no problem with them being voluntary for those who feel better wearing them though.

I was wondering this last week as well

I think we all know it will be till the end of this school year anyways sadly. At a minimum

The one thing that's crystallized in my mind over this pandemic is that we have no questioning media. No one to hold the government to account. The media is bought and controlled by billionaires and governments.

It's very **** worrying.

That's because a lot of our journalists are either related to or married into political families, or aspire to moving up to being an advisor/staffer for them in the future

NPHET can still turn around and say 'nope too early for that' etc and bring out another sobering model.

'Need more time with boosters'

'Can't take the risk that the health service will become overwhelmed, esp with the climate'

'We need more data'

'Variants variants variants'

Restrictions extended to 21st February

That may be so, but it's still true..

Here's a recent example:

This gentleman even recognises it as a valid career path:

Or...

Or (a bit further back)..

Or as far back as 2011:

There's a fairly easy way out of it: stop complying. I know it's easier said than done, but the people in charge have demonstrated that have no intention of returning to the real normality, it's time for us to take back our freedom by any means: business should stop enforcing these stupid rules, customers should stop following them.