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The Daily PollTHE GOVERNMENT HAS announced several new restrictions aimed to reduce Covid-19 risks heading into the Christmas period.
As part of the measures from 7 December to 9 January, nightclubs will close, certain events will be limited to 50% capacity and visits to private homes are advised to be limited to a maximum of three other households (so four households in total).
However, Tánaiste Leo Varadkar noted that this is guidance and not statutory so “there’ll be no gardaí calling to people’s homes, to see how many are inside”.
The measures were agreed following “exceptionally clear” advice from the National Public Health Emergency Team outlining the risks associated with heading into Christmas without restrictions to reduce the volume of personal contacts.
So today we’re asking: Will you limit indoor visits to three other households at a time for the next while?
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If your double vaccinated there’s not much more we can do as a nation. Enjoy your Christmas lads. I am, I’ve lost faith in this government. Health care system is an absolute shambles, but it’s us thats the problem apparently
@Warren kennedy: Anyone know why they haven’t increased ICU capacity to 2000+ since they have had 2yrs to prepare for surges and outbreaks? We are in a pandemic and not increased ICU capacity by more than 50 despite spending near 50billion in two years. We still have an average of about 80 deaths everyday in Ireland. Covid seems to be the only show in town. 94% of the population vaccinated including all elderly and vulnerable but we are still living with on going restrictions. The government and NPHET are a one trick pony and we’ll out of their depth.
@Richard Right: 2000+? You keep asking the same inane questions. One quick question to you. Where would trained staff come from to support this fantasy figure?
@Richard Right: And where do we find multiple staff to look after each bed? You do know there is a world wide shortage of medical staff. It takes intensive specialised training to become an ICU nurse. The amount of equipment you need to know how to use alone requires huge training. You are dealing with all manner of extreme illness. It’s not something anyone can just do. Coupled with the amount of responsibility that comes with providing such specialised care. Not everyone is cut out for dealing with such traumatic illness and injury. There is a huge mental and physical toll placed on these amazing staff.
@DJBERMO: Thousands of trained nurses returned to Ireland when asked to at the beginning of the pandemic. How many of them have even received a call from the HSE ?
@Declan Doherty: And you think you can just grab a load of nurses and magically ICU qualify them overnight ?
@Heather Knowles: You sound like the government making excuses. Of course it takes time to train ICU nurses but at some point you have to stop stating the obvious and actually start hiring and training. So how many additional nurses have we hired and how many are currently training to provide additional capacity in our ICU’s ?
@Declan Doherty: OK Declan, I’ll bite. Let’s say “thousands” of ICU trained nurses returned to Ireland and our hospitals had capacity and resources for an additional c.1700 ICU beds. What would it achieve? Considering the number of ICU beds currently occupied?
@DJBERMO: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_hospital_beds
Compare with Best in class:Germany 38 icu/100,000
Ireland:(5,000,000/100,000)*38=1900 icu beds.
Get off your high horse…
@DJBERMO: it achieves capacity to deal with a pandemic, does everything have to be spelled out for you..
@DJBERMO: It would mean we wouldn’t have to shut businesses, put people out of work and place restrictions on the rest of the population because we’d have enough beds (and staff) to treat the seriously ill – covid and non covid. And let’s not forget, our hospital numbers are coming down thanks to vaccinations.
@Declan Doherty: The HSE is a mess. Unfortunately it has been that way for years. The blame is successive and the blame lies at the feet of multiple governments not just the current one who are absolutely useless by the way. But thinking you can just magically fix such a broken monolith overnight is unrealistic. The unions alone are a nightmare. We have one of the most funded health services in Europe but the HSE management is incompetent, top heavy and full of beaurauccy. Beds and staff have actually been added but absolutely nowhere near enough. But people need to stop being so simplistic and need to be realistic about what is involved in ICU care and stop just throwing out the line that we need more.
@Heather Knowles: I don’t know where they find staff but the increased health budget now at 23billion in 2021 should of helped I’m sure
@Declan Doherty: Most returned back to their lives and the countries they were living in. Many who returned did so on a temporary basis.
@DJBERMO: One question for you. Why wasn’t capacity and staff increased long before covid. Problems have been ongoing for decades. Our health system didn’t just fall into disarray because covid appeared. So please you and your ilk stop with the”train staff”.mantra. This is a problem that goes back many years ask any front line health care worker.
@Anthony: Staff are not applying for the roles that’s the harsh reality. No matter how many millions we have if there are no applicants money is irrelevant.
@Captain CJ: simple answer with 2 years to do it yes….
@Franny Ando: Franny, no argument there. Our health service is sub par and mismanaged for years. However my “ilk” are actually dealing with the practicalities and challenges of the current crappy situation we’re in. I’m sick of armchair experts whining and throwing out ifs and buts. ICU staff are resigning because of the stress they are under. That’s the reality we’re trying to manage.
@Neil Ryan: sit up here on my high horse and have a crack at managing the sh!t show we’re currently facing. You might get a better view of the actual situation.
@Heather Knowles: multiple governments as in FF and FG as they are the only two parties going into and out of power back to back and guess what the current government is made up of, yep you guessed it ff and FG so Yes the current government are to blame. The head of nephet Dr TH was also in charge while the smear test scandal was going on, yet he is still in the position he is. In Due to this government whom were Not voted in by the people , the people of this country don’t decide what their taxes are used for the government do and they can’t even get that right but sure hey they will put the whole country into lockdown, out of work slap a travel ban in there and then fly plane loads of people into this country to pick fruit. Give your head a shake pal or else get back in your box
@Warren kennedy: . The virus cant spread if we dont let it. Its every man woman and childs fault that catch it from not abiding by the hygiene/social guidelines (obviously its a lot harder for kids). People need to live and socialise but it can be done responsibly. Blaming the govt and not taking personal responsibility is a cop out. Summed up by your “enjoy your christmas lads, i am” statement.
@Heather Knowles: one year part time course to become an ICU nurse once you have the initial nursing qualifications. I’m sure it can be condensed to qualify quicker in emergency circumstances such as a pandemic. IE create a full time course instead of part time.
@Captain CJ: ovenight!? it has been 2 years now…
@Richard Right: because you would need over 10000 specially trained ICU nurses, which take a couple of years
@Richard Right: average of 40-6o deaths a week not per day
@Paul Hedderman: here listen we have been doing this for 2 years. There’s a serious problem with a person’s level of Intelligence if you have to tell them to wear a mask and wash their hands at this stage of the pandemic. People aint stupid, they know right from wrong, others choose not too adhere to mask wearing and washing their hands ect, but jesus wept, the vast majority of us have been for 2 years. Don’t talk to me about personal responsibility! Look at your own comment before calling mine a cop out
@DJBERMO: you’re wasting your time. People don’t care. My friend works in ICU so I hear from her pretty much daily how hard they have had it. They’ve tried to train normal nurses to help but they just don’t have the time to train them while some days looking after 2 patients at a time which goes up to 4 when covering someone’s break. She said she can’t survive another winter like last year. People can bang on all they like about the state of the HSE and why should they follow restrictions to protect hospitals when nothing has been done to fix them. It’s not the hospital you’re protecting, it the men and women who gave up their lives to protect everyone else. Real people with real lives some who are suffering from PTSD because of what they have seen over the last two years.
@Warren kennedy: Whats your point? We’ve to to this for as long as it takes. Do you think viruses care that we’ve been inconvenienced? Cant just turn it off. Instead of blaming govt why dont you blame the people that choose not to wear the masks and dont sanatise like you said. 64,657 cases in the past 2 weeks ain’t the govts fault. Theres alot more we can do as a nation on top of getting vaxd. If everyone did we wouldn’t be where we are. But many people are fed up and want to do what the want to do. Enjoy your Christmas, keep wearing that mask and keep sanatising!
@Warren kennedy: If our healthcare is a shambles, try the US. Now THERE is a genuine horror show.
@Richard Right: This is something I have mulled over constantly since the pandemic began. Before anyone jumps on this and says “you know ICU facilities can’t just appear magically”. Yes I am aware of this as would any thinking cognisant person. The pandemic has been ongoing now for 18 months yet ICU facilities in the ROI are now no better than when this began. It makes economic sense to invest in ICU beds now as borrowing money is cheaper than it’s ever been. This would prevent the economic catastrophe that occur due to endless lockdowns. There would also be a nice bonus of extra cash in the economy due to construction costs and ongoing maintenance etc. This virus is going nowhere so measures need to be taken to allow society to function and improve economic confidence.
@Richard Right: 2000 ICU beds isn’t required even with Covid, even if they did manage to get that many ICU beds we’d never get the specialized staff required to make use of them.
@Llewey Byrne: 255 ICU beds at the end of 2019. 301 ICU beds now. A 17.5% increase of 46 additional beds. Although 321 was initially promised by the end of the year. Theres also the ability to provide 70 temporary ICU beds. ICU bed audit in 2018 recommended we should have 430 ICU beds….. Very slow progress on that.
A lot of the restrictions don’t make sense. Have to show a cert to get into a pub, 6 to a table, no multiple table bookings and no mingling with other tables and yet weddings with hundreds of people are unaffected.
@Colleen: most decent people will take an antigen test before going to a wedding. Nobody wants to make their family and friends ill.
@CarmelOh: agreed it’s the most sensible thing to do but I honestly think most won’t be arsed
@CarmelOh: you would hope so.
@CarmelOh: but sure we’re all vaccinated you dope
@Bitcoin Buddy: you don’t know what that means you dope
@Anto Curran: ligma
No government will tell me what I can do in my own home.
@Andrew English: really Andrew? Have you put any thought into the multiple amount of things that the government already doesn’t allow you to do in your own home???
@Gordon Larney: I don’t think Andrew is the sort of chap that puts a lot of thought into anything.
@Andrew English: you have to leave your parents spare room and buy one first.
@Justin Gillespie: Wow you must be the biggest melt in the country on here everyday on your high horse. Unbelievable…
@Justin Gillespie: Justin is the type of chap that expects me to pay for his crumbling house with my taxes.
@Gordon Larney: what happens in my house is none of anyone’s business. If you think letting a bunch of doctors dictate who and what is allowed in your home, you’re a fool to put it simply. But carry on. Our compliance has worked wonders so far. Just 2 more weeks. Flatten the curve. All in this together. Get the vaccine. Now the booster. Keep the windows open in school for the kids. Blame the foreigners for not getting vaccinated. Blame the GAA, IRFU and FAI etc etc etc
@Tracktrack: after looking at your twitter and noticing you follow a page for ps5 releases, I’d say it’s you waiting on your aul one to use her one4all gift voucher to buy the ps5 from gamestop and deliver it down to the little hovel of a basement you try to hide in. Stay down there you little toad.
@Andrew English: so I’ll take it from that, that you haven’t put a lot of thought into the many things that the government don’t allow you to do in your own home. ;)
@Gordon Larney: you’re obviously a very intelligent person Gordo. Much more knowledgeable and compliant than my good self. We’ll leave it at that. Enjoy your Christmas and make sure to keep a safe distance.
@Andrew English: will do pal, and a Merry Christmas to you and yours. Ps. Was at the Board Gáis last night, two thousand people packed in to see the book of morman. If you get the chance to go see it i highly recomend it. :)
@Andrew English: I guess no driver licence then
No. We’re all vaccinated and my folks have had their boosters. We don’t have any kids in school and we’re all careful. I’m not going to skip another Christmas with my folks because we have an incompetent government. We’ve played our part, they haven’t. They don’t get to tell us what we can and can’t do in our own homes.
@Declan Doherty: Nobody says you can’t have your folks over Declan. Read the details and calm down.
As for the government not being able to tell you what to do in your own home, I think you’ll find they can and have been doing so for centuries.
@Declan Doherty: they haven’t asked you to skip Christmas Dinner with your parents.
@Declan Doherty: how is the spread of airborne disease the fault of the government?
@Anne: Ah ok. My bad. I though we’d been asked to restrict the number of households down to 4 in one home. I must have misheard the best reports.
@Declan Doherty: why did you comment? Not a mention of cannabis in this article..
@Disco Inferno: It’s not. But the complete lack of investment in our healthcare system which has led to the reintroduction of restrictions is 100% on them. Well actually it’s probably about 90% on them and 10% on the people who keep voting for them.
@Charmaine ☘ Irish: There’s only one poster mentioning cannabis here and it isn’t me.
@Declan Doherty: “We’re all careful” is a very subjective statement and what exactly does that mean in terms of your transmission prevention efforts? You might want to see your folks but do they want to see you?
@Declan Doherty: yes 4 households under one roof. So you and your parents and two other households allowed for Christmas.
@Anne: although could change by then of course! Christmas is overrated anyway.
@Tracktrack: I don’t think it’s subjective at all. Being careful involves washing hands, wearing masks, using sanitiser, staying out of high risk environments, using antigen tests, not sharing glasses, cutlery, ensuring the house is well ventilated, minimising physical contact etc etc. There are lots of practical things we can do to reduce the risk of infection. And yes they want us. They’ve been very clear that they don’t want to live out their days in confinement and away from their “kids” and grandkids.
No, the gobbledegook must stop.
@a: Three times as many people going to reduce interactions as not according to the poll.
Considering that journal is is home to malcontents, whingers and whiners of all colours this must be seen as great news by the government as the ratio in the general public will certainly be higher.
@Justin Gillespie: brilliant.
@Justin Gillespie: I hope your including yourself in the statement!! You don’t know what your talking about in the slightest.
@Josepi: Doing my best to fit in with the rest of ye.
Completely lost me last night.
I have done what has been asked of us even as I began to see the restrictions as non sensical at times over the course of it – took it as must be something we don’t know.
I don’t like where it’s going now. I had to apologise to someone I called a lunatic in 2020 a few weeks ago, she called how this was going play-out on the button.
I don’t understand covid passes as anything other than coercion. If it stopped transmission I would be all for it. But it doesn’t. Antigen testing at places/events only way.
The way he snuck in the comment about kids vaccines was an absolute disgrace. People have a right to decide for their kids on case by case basis.
I have a wide group of contacts from across the country and the general consensus was – “lost the room now”
@Richie: My 14 year old daughter doesn’t want the vaccine. I have asked her about it and she point blank refuses to get it. Not a thing a parent can do about that situation. That decision has to be respected.
@Richie: if this is the case this Christmas and we have to drop this like this.
What’s to say we will be in a position that at any point in the next 20 years the Govt can just drop restrictions on and off like a tap.
That is not living with covid.
Covid will likely never be eradicated.
We have done what we can. The goalposts can’t keep moving.
Set an Acceptable endstate and stopped messing with people’s heads.
And before it starts I’ve had my vaccine and my close family worked in 3 separate icu hospitals throughout.
@David Corrigan: Not in my house David. Rule is very simple, as long as you’re living under my roof my rules.
As for respecting the decisions of 14 year old daughters,……
@David Corrigan: agree completely, and fair play to you.
People are living in that much fear they will try to force others into making decisions which are not best for them or there circumstances. Kids will transmit and carry anyway so it’s the environment they are in not the vaccines that are the answer. Ventilation etc.
Your daughter may or may not change her mind and that is completely her choice.
Apologies, I wrote it slightly off in my comment, I meant for say the 5-12 group where parents will be the primary decision makers.
You in essence are giving your daughter more choice than the Govt are giving others.
And again I’m pro vaccine but also pro choice.
Best wishes to you and your daughter. Happy Christmas.
@Justin Gillespie: What do you want me to do? Drag her into a vaccine centre and have a nurse force a needle into her arm?
If she doesn’t want the vaccine, then so be it.
@Richie: Thanks. Yes, I have been fully vaccinated also and I would encourage people to get the vaccine. If a person doesn’t want it, there is very little that can be done about that.
@David Corrigan: so let’s switch that around David, what if your 14 year old daughter walks into your home and starts putting a needle into her arm with something else in it, what can you do about that? You have to respect her decision right?
@Gordon Larney: There is always a few like yourself and Justin around. Why are you so determined to find issues where there are none?
If my daughter doesn’t want to get the vaccine then that’s fine by me. Painting up other wild scenarios like you are doing here is just plain pointless and a pure waste of time.
@David Corrigan: No David, you are letting a child make long term decisions about their health. If your 14 year old daughter decided not to go to school anymore or not take up the hpv vaccine would you be ok with that?.
@David Corrigan: it’s your decision not your daughter’s. Medical independence is 16yrs of age. Once you are happy with the decision you don’t need to justify to anyone but make an informed decision. Research long Covid particularly amongst young people in the UK.
@Denis Ryan: Here’s another one. This is about taking an injection. It’s only one single decision.
Why are you and Gordon Ramsey above bringing in other things like drug taking and school attendance into this conversation?
That’s nothing to do with you guys.
@David Corrigan: Nothing got to due with letting a 14 make long term life decisions, really David at this stage you are just being contrarian.
@David Corrigan: just as well there is always a few like myself and Justin around who realise that at 14 there are decisions that kids shouldn’t be allowed make. School, food, health, alcohol, drugs and living conditions to name a few. Let’s be honest David there is multiple things you would make or wouldn’t allow your 14 year old kid to do. You just choose to allow her make this one. Giving the danger posed by the virus to young teens the odds are well in her favour that she won’t have any trouble with not taking the vaccine, but let’s not kid ourselves, you make decisions for your teen all the time….
@Gordon Larney: You are thinking about this too much Gordon. You need to let it slide.
@Denis Ryan: ah stop.
Does he not let her leave the house or put the kettle on either because the reality is she has more chance of ending up in icu with that than due to covid at her age.
@David Corrigan: no you need to realise that you made a nonsense remark about not being able to make a child to something they don’t want to do. Yet any parent including yourself will and does make decisions about their kids health. Every day. You are willing to let her say no to the vaccine, and that is your choice. But if she wanted to eat Mars bars and drink monster for breakfast dinner and tea you wouldn’t allow that because it’s bad for her health. You got called out for a nonsense claim, just admit that.
@Richie: Still a lunatic. Go back to your friend and get an update for 2022 and stop spouting complete Chite. Ps: 4 people is not a wide group of contacts.
@David Corrigan: I’d normally agree with you on Covid stuff by my kid doesn’t get a choice when it comes to health and safety decisions like this. If he says he doesn’t want to wear his hurling helmet because it’s too itchy then I push it back on his head and push him back onto the pitch. I explained why we were getting the vaccines and he understood it. Sit down and explain the wider need for the vaccine with your daughter and keep her away from crackpots on social media. She’ll see the need I’m sure.
@GrumpyAulFella: But if he explains and others try to help persuade her and she is still adamant that she does not want it, what does he do then? Physically restrain her and give the injection to her? Not realistic is it?
@Gordon Larney: Do YOU have children?
@David Corrigan: I have four daughters David, now all grown thankfully.
One thing I learned is that is that my role was not to be popular but to do right by them whether they liked it or not.
You may well think that respecting your teenage daughters wishes is acting in her interests but that will be cold comfort to both of you if she ends up on a ventilator.
@Bert Carolan: 18 year old daughter. Who did make her own decision on the covid vacc as she was 18. But when she was younger we as parents made health decisions for her. She got the mmr and the hpv vaccine. We considered her to young to make those choices herself. How about you Bert, do you have kids?
@Gordon Larney: You have no idea what you are talking about Gordon. Please stop what you are doing as you are doing yourself no favors. Good man.
@Justin Gillespie: The way you and others on here at talking, you would think I hadn’t a bloody clue about rearing a child. My daughter is a very well reared young girl and she follows the rules of her parents. It was all explained to her about Covid and she understands all of that. She doesn’t read nonsense on social media about C-19. She processed it all and doesn’t want the vaccine. End of.
Like Bert asked above. What do you expect of parents when their kids don’t want the vaccine? Tie her to a chair in the vaccine centre and get the needle shoved into her arm?
@GrumpyAulFella: Maybe in time she will take the vaccine but it can’t be forced on her. Like I said, I am fully vaccinated as are all my family and I will continue with the boosters etc. We don’t agree on somethings on here but we are pretty much aligned when it comes to C-19 issues like you rightly said.
@David Corrigan: David, you and I have sparred here on many occasions and I have no doubt that we will again but I am talking to you now father to father.
Have another talk with your daughter, I lost a child 29 years ago and not a day goes by when I don’t think back to that day, the shock and horror of it.
Do whatever you can, she is still a child. God bless you both.
@Gordon Larney: Yes and they wanted the vaccine and that was fine. Point is are you honestly saying that you would have David force his daughter to take the vaccine against her will? Absolutely try might and main to persuade but if that does not work then what? And surely as the father of young ladies you have been in a situation where the heels were dug in and that was that?
@Bert Carolan: children, and she is a child, don’t get a choice in some things. When she becomes an adult she can make those choices. It’s a health and safety issue. If she had a burst appendix and she didn’t want to be operated on would you tell her, ah that’s grand darling we won’t put you through it?
@David Corrigan: blah blah blah, fair enough David, stick by your original post of putting the responsibility on your child because “what can I do” and “I have to respect her decision” yet all the while continue to make other health and safety decisions in her life for her. Merry Christmas to you and yours.
@Bert Carolan: take a look back at my posts Bert, this is about a parent claiming he can’t do anything, and having to respect the decision making of a 14 year old child.Yet every responsible parent makes life decisions for their children’s health every day. Can I eat Junk food all day everyday? NO. Can I stay all day in my bed room on a screen? NO. Can I Stay outside till the wee hours of the morning? NO. Can I start smoking? NO. Can I start hanging out with the much older crowd drinking in the fields? NO. Etc etc. We take responsibility for making decisions that our kids don’t agree with everyday and we manage to make them abide by them. If anyone is happy to let their kid say no to a vaccine, fair enough, but don’t use the what can I do or respect decisions excuse, that’s just a kop out.
@GrumpyAulFella: Ah now Grumpy, a burst appendix is not the same thing and you know that only too well. If she says she does not want it you have to try to persuade as much as possible but at the end of the day you cannot drag her kicking and screaming to a vaccination center. You probably would not be let in for a start
@Gordon Larney: And you have a look at my post Gordon. If she categorically, absolutely, empirically and totally will not agree, what does he do?
Anyway sounds like she’ll be running the country in a few years so let’s wish David and his daughter well?
@David Corrigan: Look at the trouble you’ve gotten me in?
Nope. I’ll do Christmas my way thanks. I actually saw a woman sanitising a head of cabbage in Aldi yesterday. Turn off the TV folks. Stop listening to the covid fanatics. Be responsible. Respect each other. Get on with your life. Enjoy yourselves. You’ll still have a 99.9% chance of surviving. They’re good odds.
@Dingle Berry.: Yeah I get what your saying but Joe Duffy said covid is a stone cold killer. And Pat Kenny agreed, but in a much more condescending way because Pat thinks we’re all thick.
@James Daly: Pat’s probably right in fairness
@Captain CJ: speak for yourself :)
Packed night clubs, packed sporting events and not a mask to be seen. Government & public ignoring virologist & other scientists research and advice.
What did you think was going to happen, plus wearing a mask is the easiest thing you will ever do.
COP the FLIck on.
@Mick Staines: the restrictions are due to fear of the omicron variant. Didn’t you hear the announcement or read the news?
@Mick Staines: it’s people like you who do the best in these doom and gloom situations. You stay in your hole whilst the rest of us try and enjoy life. If you haven’t noticed its the packed schools and the packed nursing homes that’s causing us all the problems. Not nightclubs or satdia.
@Andrew English: Where is your research? SoMeOnE oN fAcEbOoK sAiD iT
@Ed: Hse website maybe go check it out. Numbers and where cases are occurring are there for all to see. Try it you might learn something.
Would there be many occasions where you’d have more than 3 other families in your home anyway?
@Brian Dunne: Nope, some folk just wanna hate on everything. If 25 families were allowed there’d still be the “I’m getting on with my life” whinge bags up in arms.
@Captain CJ: yes, and don’t forget the other ones: “nobody’s gonna tell me what I can do in my own home” or “you can stay under your bed”. They’re so tough and edgey!
@Brian Dunne: what about a party?. Many people have large parties at this time of year. If you invite 10 people, chances are that’s at least 6 households.
@Keith Richardson: I vaguely remember the joy of having people over for dinner. It’ll happen again, and we’ve all missed that. But I dread the thought of any more online funerals just as much as missing an indoor get-together.
@Fiona Fitzgerald: in fairness. I’ve kept the same people in the “bubble” since this started. Extends to around 60 or so. None sick yet. The biggest risk to most people at the moment, is the inconvenience of someone in the household testing positive for c19.
Seriously Mehole STOP! My head is hurting…
If the government are recommending that we limit indoor visits to three other households at a time for the next while, I have no problem with that. Anything that will help get this terrible disease under control and get life back to normal.
@Ronan Raftery: You are a pillar of our society Ronan. A rock.
@David Corrigan: Agreed, there should be more men like him.
I will be having family, visiting family and enjoying my Xmas. Government have proved they are lacking serious leadership.NPHET have proved they are just a one trick pony. Bash hospitality/ entertainment industries which have been decimated with no thought given to the thousands that work within it. The dogs in the street knew and know that the main problems are within schools. At the very least they should have brought forward the school holidays. Their modelling has been completely off kilter from the start of this pandemic, they have constantly contradicted one another over “health “advice, antigen tests, masks, schools. Time for Martin to take back control disband NPHET, take them out of the media keep experts in the background. To wrestle back some respect.
@Franny Ando: It’s amazing how your thought process has changed in the last year. From everyone should do their bit to how dare they try and control me. Fickle.
@Denis Ryan: Always done my bit Denis. Nothing to do with control mainly down to incompetence. We are almost two years on and still nothing has changed. If you are happy with this rinse /,repeat with no actual plan for living with covid so be it. If you are happy that so many are losing their jobs and their businesses so be it. But at this stage unfortunately enough is enough they have lost the room.
@Franny Ando: Lots of assumptions there Fanny, I’m very pro business, fiscally conservative and socially liberal. It is nearly two years and yet it seems that the fact that the virus passes through social interaction is being lost. From your posts it seems you are older (60′s) so at alot more risk than me (43). Take off the anti government pro SF hat and treat this extraordinary period for what it is, purely a health emergency.
@Franny Ando: negative hyperbole. Take the yellow vest off and get the booster shot. There’s nothing different happening here than in the rest of the world. Look at Austria, Germany, Italy, Bulgaria, Netherlands. Curfews, mandatory vaccines. But NPHET should be disbanded? Sounds like Gemma talk.
@Denis Ryan: I’m 68 fit and healthy no more at risk than anyone else. If you really are pro business you know we can’t carry on like this. Over 80% of the population is vaccinated its way past time to move on . We could have variant after variant we can’t keep closing the country down. What was it Martin said last time “when we open we stay open” that didn’t last long. As for S.F hat don’t make assumptions because you’d be wrong. As for anti government correct I am seriously anti this inept, incompetent government and its leader…and I use that word lightly.
@GrumpyAulFella: There you go again making assumptions. Gemma talk ha ha is that all you can come up with to counteract my comment. Yes look at them there vaccination rates are a lot lower than ours. Maybe read a bit of news this morning and I don’t mean the journal. There’s a lot of dissent within government over NPHET The rose colored glasses are falling off. Now good morning to you both I’m off for my walk then back to visit the grandkids (don’t tell Tony)
@Franny Ando: Denis Ryan has you down to a T.
@Franny Ando: it’s impossible to counteract a comment that doesn’t make sense. The modelling is always worse case scenario based on current vaccination rates, variant etc. How were NPHET to know that 10% of adults would refuse to play ball, that a Delta would surface, that further shots would be required? They can only model on the now. Gibraltar are introducing restrictions with 100% of the population vaccinated. Anyone out of a job in nightclubs for 4 weeks over Xmas will have Welfare supports with the short time benefit or PUP which generally sees nightclub workers better off anyway I believe. So apart from the fact that none of your points are very valid yes you should meet your family over Xmas and get the booster for a present.
@Franny Ando: So you don’t understand statistics Franny. ” I’m 68 fit and healthy no more at risk than anyone else” Take the number of people who were 68 worldwide and died of the virus and compare that with any age under sixty. You do not have the same risk. I’m am totally pro business and employ 10 people. During 2020 we were closed from 20/3/20 until 8/6/20 as per government rules. We were allowed stay open for all of 2021 essential business yet when the numbers got really bad in January 2022, I made the decision to close for seven weeks as I have two members of staff with health conditions and two over sixty.
I never have more than one or two households at a time anyway. I’ve always tried to avoid having anyone here, even before the pandemic.
@Ed: jaysus mate
No, I’ve had enough
Imagine if we had spent that 40-50 billion on actual healthcare.
@Ruairi Colton: and this would have prevented people from getting sick and dying with the virus how?
@GrumpyAulFella: haven’t you heard? As long as you have enough beds for all the people ending up in ICU it doesn’t matter how many people end up there!
Do these rules apply to burglars as well and is there any way of ensuring they comply? They’ve already managed to blatantly circumvent the vaccine cert rules. Hand sanitising clearly isn’t an issue for them though as they’ll likely be wearing gloves when they visit and as for social distancing well you won’t even know they’ve been there until after they’ve gone. As for masks well that’s generally been a mandatory requirement for many in the profession…
@William Tallon: i like this post
@William Tallon: this is the best comment!
It’s interesting to see that despite the very vocal comments section of people saying they’re fed up of the government/restrictions/CMO etc, the silent majority are still doing their bit and trusting the advice from the health professionals. Good to see.
The good thing about being an introvert is that none of these really effect me!
There is zero joined up thinking. I went to the a well known hotel in dublin the other night for a pint, and was asked for my covid cert, however the people in the bar that were staying in the hotel did not need a cert or even to be vaccinated . this is Bonkers!
Dont know about you guys, but my 3 bed semi aint hosting more than 2 families before things start feeling like Coppers anyways, at the best of times.
@Chris Rea: are you talking about your knob?
Once again the anti vaccinated get off scot free while the fully vaccinated have to suffer because of the ani vaccinated why didn’t they announce like they did in Germany and ban the anti vaccinated people from going to bars restaurants etc.This government are out of touch
@Mick Dunne: it’s called the vaccine cert stopping unvaxxed going into bars and restaurants and it’s been I use here long before they introduced it in Germany.
@Mick Dunne: the tiny percentage of unvaccinated adults (who aren’t allowed indoors in hospitality settings etc. anyway) are not causing this. Vaccine take up amongst adults here is so high, that their small number simply could not have the impact some seem to think they have. Vaccinated or not, covid is still transmissible (granted to a lesser degree) and unfortunately that is a simple fact. Allowing asymptomatic vaccinated close contacts go about their business with no restriction for months on end has driven this, schools are driving this (and the kids need to be there, I’m all for keeping them open). I’m fully vaccinated and flu-jabbed, so by no means anti-vax, but it is not an us and them, we should not be judging another’s personal choice or attributing blame where it doesn’t lie
@Jo H: I don’t get where the tiny percentage of unvaccinated is coming from. 1 in 4 people in the country are not vaccinated. That’s 25%, not even close to a tiny percentage. 1 in 10 adults are not vaccinated. In some counties 1 in 5 adults are not vaccinated. 20%. In ICU more than 50% of adults are not vaccinated and that’s from 10% of the population. It’s glaringly obvious what the problem is. It’s not demonising, it’s just factual.
@GrumpyAulFella: i specified adults, of course when you count children/teens the percentages change. The adult pop. stands around 90-92% (I could be corrected), a massive majority. With regards to ICU, no argument with you half the people in there un-vax’d from only approx. 10% of the pop. , which proves that vaccines do what we’ve been told they do, i.e. reduce serious illness and likelihood of death. So are they ‘causing’ the ICU pressure, perhaps. However, to go back to the point I was making – this illness is transmissable in both groups so, no i don’t think it is factual to lay blame forbthe spread/increasing infections squarely at the feet of the unvaccinated. Would you agree that it was bad policy to allow vaccinated close contacts proceed without even a small time of isolation?
@Jo H: why dismiss children from the population who are unvaccinated? We know that they are transmitting the virus furiously. They are a large source of the problem. You are 40% less likely to transmit the virus if you are vaccinated. When vaccines are ok’d for children, imagine the difference it would make if the 1 in 4 who are currently not vaccinated, were all vaccinated. It would slash the number of cases and hospitalisations.
@GrumpyAulFella: my original comment was a direct response to the OP asking why the un-vax’d were not barred entry from pubs/ restaurants. Assuming the OP was speaking about adults, as that would be the most applicable demographic, my reply dealt with adults insofar as a) un-vax’d adults cannot eat or drink indoors already, or attend a theatre, indoor concert etc. and b) there is only a very small no. of un-vax’d adults in the country. We do know kids are transmitting the virus rapidly, hence my saying so, but kids aged below 12 were not previously eligible for vaccines and indeed i don’t think the roll out to them is due to commence until late Dec, so it is a moot point for any of us to debate whether we should blame/punish/bar un-vax’d children for not having yet what was not available
All the people who warned that handing this power over to a minister for health that is in way out of his debt. They were called crazy but they were right. The govt is abusing the temporary legislation and needs to be reigned in ASAP. People are turning on each other. As for FF and FG god help them in the next election, they are gonna be destroyed. The people running the country are spineless and have no clue what it is to be a leader.
The thing is people would by and large agree if they weren’t treated like kids and decisions made on someones feeling or opinion. If there was science and data behind it. Fair enough but there isn’t.
I’ll be having no other households. Ding dong…..GO AWAY!!!!!!!!
How do you visit more than one household at a time?
Realistically restrictions are going to be brought in every winter for the foreseeable future. Covid is going nowhere. The question is are we happy as a society to do this to protect our health system. I think general support from the public is still there this winter, although at a lesser level from last year. Government are not going to invest in recruiting ICU nurses and increasing capacity if they have restrictions available as an easier and cheaper option.
Absolutely not,il see who i want when i want, i won’t be adhering to any government advice, iv had my 2 shots but wont be getting the booster, whats the point in getting vaccinated if were still be put into lockdowns,
David cullinane has it all sorted if the shinners get in all be sorted within a week
have your say