Should the country go to Level 5?

[armaghniac]

There are areas where people will suffer. Cancer patients in particular.

In general yes you're right but there are areas. It's not trumpian to suggest that - it's fact. The cancer treatments have had to ramp down. Maybe you could argue that is because they are planning for reduced staffing levels due to staff getting covid but the cancer treatments have had to be ramped down. (That is the north we are talking about but I would guess the south has had that issue too).

The cancer services have had to ramp down because of the virus, not because of the lockdown, medical staff have always been allowed go to work. In some cases staff have got Covid and the more Covid there is there more will be off, since medical staff live in the community with everyone else.

Instead of shutting things down, we need to be allowing them to happen – restaurants and travel, for example – under strict rules. Controlled environments are good; uncontrolled ones are bad."

Yes, but in Ireland they refuse to control these environments, or they set lax controls, if you don't have 2m then 1m will do kind of thing.

[Milltown Row2]

Personally, I've refused to get involved with much discussion online concerning COVID-19 as there's little point listening to nearly everyone involved but I will say this - as someone who has had episodes of bad/poor mental illness for more than twenty years which have included hospital admissions, I'm seriously fucked off by the usual suspects suddenly now using mental health issues as a tool concerning lockdown measures just to help satisfy their passive aggressive selfishness, whom in "normal" times (and perhaps even now) would treat such people as lazy fruitloops whom needed nothing netter than needing pulling themselves together, maybe with a good few slaps across the face. The same kind of **** whom rails against foreign aid saying "charity begins at home" when if they saw a homeless person on the street they wouldn't piss on them if they were on fire.

Brilliant

[Angelo]

There are areas where people will suffer. Cancer patients in particular.

In general yes you're right but there are areas. It's not trumpian to suggest that - it's fact. The cancer treatments have had to ramp down. Maybe you could argue that is because they are planning for reduced staffing levels due to staff getting covid but the cancer treatments have had to be ramped down. (That is the north we are talking about but I would guess the south has had that issue too).

The cancer services have had to ramp down because of the virus, not because of the lockdown, medical staff have always been allowed go to work. In some cases staff have got Covid and the more Covid there is there more will be off, since medical staff live in the community with everyone else.

Instead of shutting things down, we need to be allowing them to happen – restaurants and travel, for example – under strict rules. Controlled environments are good; uncontrolled ones are bad."

Yes, but in Ireland they refuse to control these environments, or they set lax controls, if you don't have 2m then 1m will do kind of thing.

Very hard for restaurants are pubs etc to be viable businesses with 2m distances as opposed to 1m.

[armaghniac]

There are areas where people will suffer. Cancer patients in particular.

In general yes you're right but there are areas. It's not trumpian to suggest that - it's fact. The cancer treatments have had to ramp down. Maybe you could argue that is because they are planning for reduced staffing levels due to staff getting covid but the cancer treatments have had to be ramped down. (That is the north we are talking about but I would guess the south has had that issue too).

The cancer services have had to ramp down because of the virus, not because of the lockdown, medical staff have always been allowed go to work. In some cases staff have got Covid and the more Covid there is there more will be off, since medical staff live in the community with everyone else.

Instead of shutting things down, we need to be allowing them to happen – restaurants and travel, for example – under strict rules. Controlled environments are good; uncontrolled ones are bad."

Yes, but in Ireland they refuse to control these environments, or they set lax controls, if you don't have 2m then 1m will do kind of thing.

Very hard for restaurants are pubs etc to be viable businesses with 2m distances as opposed to 1m.

No doubt, but the easy going approach helps keep the virus going.

[Angelo]

There are areas where people will suffer. Cancer patients in particular.

In general yes you're right but there are areas. It's not trumpian to suggest that - it's fact. The cancer treatments have had to ramp down. Maybe you could argue that is because they are planning for reduced staffing levels due to staff getting covid but the cancer treatments have had to be ramped down. (That is the north we are talking about but I would guess the south has had that issue too).

The cancer services have had to ramp down because of the virus, not because of the lockdown, medical staff have always been allowed go to work. In some cases staff have got Covid and the more Covid there is there more will be off, since medical staff live in the community with everyone else.

Instead of shutting things down, we need to be allowing them to happen – restaurants and travel, for example – under strict rules. Controlled environments are good; uncontrolled ones are bad."

Yes, but in Ireland they refuse to control these environments, or they set lax controls, if you don't have 2m then 1m will do kind of thing.

Very hard for restaurants are pubs etc to be viable businesses with 2m distances as opposed to 1m.

No doubt, but the easy going approach helps keep the virus going.

The virus will keep on going anyway.

[armaghniac]

The virus will keep on going anyway.

No doubt, but if it goes on Taiwan style, or even Norway style then we'll not have to close everything.

[sid waddell]

I haven't heard the business lobby mental health bandwagoners inquire after then mental health of those who still have to work through a pandemic and put themselves at risk

Might disturb the narrative

[macdanger2]

Also the blanket ban on travel outside your own County.
Someone in Rooskey is 50 metres from Leitrim and 300 metres from Longford.
Can't go to either but can traipse off to Balkyforan 80 or 90 km away.
Also have to go to Ros Town to shop instead of the usual Carrick or Longford.

You have to draw the boundary somewhere for restrictions and a county boundary is generally well defined and understood (let's not get into the Ballagh saga  ) so it's as good as any. No matter where it's put, there'll be some anomalies. What would be a better alternative?

[Rossfan]

Up to 20 km from home in an adjoining County?

[Lar Naparka]

Up to 20 km from home in an adjoining County?

How about limiting travel to the area within, say. a 20 km radius from one's residence?

[armaghniac]

Up to 20 km from home in an adjoining County?

How about limiting travel to the area within, say. a 20 km radius from one's residence?

In May/June they had thr 15km rule, then they introduced the county thing and they stated that you could still go the 15Km if you were near the boundary. Why they haven't just restated this is a good example of the general uselessness of those involved.

[macdanger2]

Yeah, maybe a county limit or 20km would have been better

[armaghniac]

Yeah, maybe a county limit or 20km would have been better

Any reasonable formula, once it is clearly stated and publicised.

[magpie seanie]

Personally, I've refused to get involved with much discussion online concerning COVID-19 as there's little point listening to nearly everyone involved but I will say this - as someone who has had episodes of bad/poor mental illness for more than twenty years which have included hospital admissions, I'm seriously fucked off by the usual suspects suddenly now using mental health issues as a tool concerning lockdown measures just to help satisfy their passive aggressive selfishness, whom in "normal" times (and perhaps even now) would treat such people as lazy fruitloops whom needed nothing netter than needing pulling themselves together, maybe with a good few slaps across the face. The same kind of **** whom rails against foreign aid saying "charity begins at home" when if they saw a homeless person on the street they wouldn't piss on them if they were on fire.

Excellent post. 100%.

[Angelo]

Up to 20 km from home in an adjoining County?

How about limiting travel to the area within, say. a 20 km radius from one's residence?

In May/June they had thr 15km rule, then they introduced the county thing and they stated that you could still go the 15Km if you were near the boundary. Why they haven't just restated this is a good example of the general uselessness of those involved.

It's easier to lay the blame at the people rather than give clear directives

At the heart of the matter is a dysfunctional health system which is the legacy of the two governing parties and they don't want to bring that to light.