GAA Response to Coronavirus

[Smurfy123]

Break it down Ed and debate it no problem
I don't have all the answers
Just my opinion

[five points]

Weird shit fit happening in this thread today. A stream of boys not liking any critique of their entitled opinions.


If your opinion is worth a shite you should have no issue with others challenging and dissecting its merits. Then come back and defend it with solid rationale and evidence (hi, Smurfy). That's a discussion, a debate.

Don't just have a wee cry about what you think you're 'entitled' to.

Exhibit A.

I will no longer engage in debate here or anywhere with anyone who appears unnecessarily confrontational or aggressive, as talk like "If your opinion is worth a shite" and the like suggests. On the other hand, if you are willing to debate on civil terms, game on.

[sid waddell]

If you're prescribed a course of antibiotics, say for a severe sore throat, do you not bother completing the course when you start to see an improvement in your condition?

Answers please.

There are people here who are literally suggesting the very thing that spreads the virus - lack of social distancing.

Why should anybody who suggests we do the very thing that could easily enable another large wave of the virus be taken seriously?

Answers please.

That's without even mentioning the worldwide nature of this crisis.

Ireland does not exist in isolation.

[sid waddell]

Weird shit fit happening in this thread today. A stream of boys not liking any critique of their entitled opinions.


If your opinion is worth a shite you should have no issue with others challenging and dissecting its merits. Then come back and defend it with solid rationale and evidence (hi, Smurfy). That's a discussion, a debate.

Don't just have a wee cry about what you think you're 'entitled' to.

Exhibit A.

I will no longer engage in debate here or anywhere with anyone who appears unnecessarily confrontational or aggressive, as talk like "If your opinion is worth a shite" and the like suggests. On the other hand, if you are willing to debate on civil terms, game on.

Playing a fake victim is a great right-wing culture war trick.

[Smurfy123]

No i am saying keep social distance going in every normal day life things where possible
Walking Shopping Work etc
But my point is life must start moving again for example sport
The common flu can be passed on do we stop everything? The Covid virus is not as deadly as predicted. No where near in fact
Now you can close everything down and accept that or you can start moving
The outcry about the soccer starting 5 weeks ago was crazy. The bundesliga Jesus the outcry about it
You hear much about it now?
No thought so

[Taylor]

If you're prescribed a course of antibiotics, say for a severe sore throat, do you not bother completing the course when you start to see an improvement in your condition?

Answers please.

There are people here who are literally suggesting the very thing that spreads the virus - lack of social distancing.

Why should anybody who suggests we do the very thing that could easily enable another large wave of the virus be taken seriously?

Answers please.

That's without even mentioning the worldwide nature of this crisis.

Ireland does not exist in isolation.

This is exactly the point - while we all want to get back asap we should take absolutely no risks until it is medically safe to do so.

To use a professional league as an example to an amateur sport run by ourselves and friends/neighbours is laughable.

Everyone is getting tested 3 times a week in the professional game thus reducing the chances of anything happening. This wont happen in the GAA

[GetOverTheBar]

If you're prescribed a course of antibiotics, say for a severe sore throat, do you not bother completing the course when you start to see an improvement in your condition?

Answers please.

The inference being that the virus has not gone away, so we should not even think of changing any aspect of lockdown life?

What if the coronavirus never goes away, what if it is here forever.....Do we abandon any kind of life as a result? This seems to be what you are suggesting. I really hope I've taken this the wrong way because it's really disheartening to think anyone would think that is an option.

[sid waddell]

No i am saying keep social distance going in every normal day life things where possible
Walking Shopping Work etc
But my point is life must start moving again for example sport
The common flu can be passed on do we stop everything? The Covid virus is not as deadly as predicted. No where near in fact

The GAA does not exist in isolation. The GAA is part of society. Gaelic football and hurling are amateur sports. In a normal week you have many hundreds, probably thousands of matches up and down the country. If the GAA starts playing again, that means all sports start playing again. More soccer matches take place in an average week than GAA matches. Then there are rugby matches and other sports. There are all kinds of civic social gatherings - educational, organisational, creative.

Every single one is a potential virus-spreading event.

If sport takes place, that sets an example to everybody else - an example that social distancing is not to be taken seriously.

The common flu is a known quantity. We know what it does, we know how to treat it.

We are learning more about Covid-19 everyday, but it is still not a known quantity in the real sense, we still do not have reliable treatments for it. It is a disease our bodies do not recognise. That's why it kills people.

353,000 people have died worldwide from Covid-19 wwith 5.7 million cases, and these are only the recorded figures. The real death figures could well be several times more, the real case figures are likely many times more.

And that's with lockdowns and social distancing. God knows what it would be without it.

This is a deadly virus. There is no room for debate about that. It is a fact.

We do not know how this virus will behave in the future. We hope it goes away, but there's no real evidence to suggest it will. We hope we will have effective treatments, but we currently don't. We hope we will have a vaccine, but that will take a significant length of time to emerge, if it ever does. We have to presume the virus will stick around and that another wave is likely, and if there's another wave, it could well be during the winter. We have to behave in a way that will reduce the spread of it, because if we don't we likely will have a public health catastrophe.

This is about basic morality. We are inconveniencing ourselves in what we hope and expect will be a temporary manner (but for how long we do not know, though it will likely be dependent on adherence to restrictions) to try and protect millions of people. Our policy makers (in some countries some of them, shamefully, do not act in good faith even on a matter of this seriousness - but in most countries they do - in Ireland they have done) are trying to create a situation where some sort of tenuous normality can occur within a framework of reducing the virus. Amateur sport comes near the bottom of priorities in that, and rightly so.

I have had little enough time for John Horan as GAA President, but on this issue he has acted in an examplary manner. He has shown leadership and has demonstrated that the GAA does not exist in isolation from society, and cannot behave as if it does. It is part of society. It cannot operate a pissing section in a swimming pool. It cannot operate a smoking section in an aeroplane.

People arguing the contrary are saying, "ah, it'll probably be grand". Wing and a prayer stuff. There is no evidence to back their rhetoric. That's not how public policy is supposed to work, it's exactly how it is not supposed to work.

There's a chance this virus may not turn out to be as not as catastrophic as feared (though it has already been catastrophic). Of course there's a chance. What chance that that chance will turn out to be the case? Nobody knows. Who operates on chances on such a matter, or advocates we operates on chances? Chancers, that's who. I don't want chancers in charge of policy. We already have a litany of evidence worldwide from contemporary politics and policy making as to why it's a very bad idea to put chancers in charge.

[armaghniac]

The common flu is a known quantity. We know what it does, we know how to treat it.

Flu isn't as fatal and has a fairly effective vaccine, this is an enormous difference. 

[Smurfy123]

Why are we seeing little or no cases in London 18 days post lockdown
Millions have passed through the underground

[armaghniac]

Why are we seeing little or no cases in London 18 days post lockdown
Millions have passed through the underground

Those who use the underground have already had it, in many cases. Those who haven't had it avoid the underground.

[charlieTully]

No i am saying keep social distance going in every normal day life things where possible
Walking Shopping Work etc
But my point is life must start moving again for example sport
The common flu can be passed on do we stop everything? The Covid virus is not as deadly as predicted. No where near in fact

The GAA does not exist in isolation. The GAA is part of society. Gaelic football and hurling are amateur sports. In a normal week you have many hundreds, probably thousands of matches up and down the country. If the GAA starts playing again, that means all sports start playing again. More soccer matches take place in an average week than GAA matches. Then there are rugby matches and other sports. There are all kinds of civic social gatherings - educational, organisational, creative.

Every single one is a potential virus-spreading event.

If sport takes place, that sets an example to everybody else - an example that social distancing is not to be taken seriously.

The common flu is a known quantity. We know what it does, we know how to treat it.

We are learning more about Covid-19 everyday, but it is still not a known quantity in the real sense, we still do not have reliable treatments for it. It is a disease our bodies do not recognise. That's why it kills people.

353,000 people have died worldwide from Covid-19 wwith 5.7 million cases, and these are only the recorded figures. The real death figures could well be several times more, the real case figures are likely many times more.

And that's with lockdowns and social distancing. God knows what it would be without it.

This is a deadly virus. There is no room for debate about that. It is a fact.

We do not know how this virus will behave in the future. We hope it goes away, but there's no real evidence to suggest it will. We hope we will have effective treatments, but we currently don't. We hope we will have a vaccine, but that will take a significant length of time to emerge, if it ever does. We have to presume the virus will stick around and that another wave is likely, and if there's another wave, it could well be during the winter. We have to behave in a way that will reduce the spread of it, because if we don't we likely will have a public health catastrophe.

This is about basic morality. We are inconveniencing ourselves in what we hope and expect will be a temporary manner (but for how long we do not know, though it will likely be dependent on adherence to restrictions) to try and protect millions of people. Our policy makers (in some countries some of them, shamefully, do not act in good faith even on a matter of this seriousness - but in most countries they do - in Ireland they have done) are trying to create a situation where some sort of tenuous normality can occur within a framework of reducing the virus. Amateur sport comes near the bottom of priorities in that, and rightly so.

I have had little enough time for John Horan as GAA President, but on this issue he has acted in an examplary manner. He has shown leadership and has demonstrated that the GAA does not exist in isolation from society, and cannot behave as if it does. It is part of society. It cannot operate a pissing section in a swimming pool. It cannot operate a smoking section in an aeroplane.

People arguing the contrary are saying, "ah, it'll probably be grand". Wing and a prayer stuff. There is no evidence to back their rhetoric. That's not how public policy is supposed to work, it's exactly how it is not supposed to work.

There's a chance this virus may not turn out to be as not as catastrophic as feared (though it has already been catastrophic). Of course there's a chance. What chance that that chance will turn out to be the case? Nobody knows. Who operates on chances on such a matter, or advocates we operates on chances? Chancers, that's who. I don't want chancers in charge of policy. We already have a litany of evidence worldwide from contemporary politics and policy making as to why it's a very bad idea to put chancers in charge.

Excellent post.

[Taylor]

No i am saying keep social distance going in every normal day life things where possible
Walking Shopping Work etc
But my point is life must start moving again for example sport
The common flu can be passed on do we stop everything? The Covid virus is not as deadly as predicted. No where near in fact

The GAA does not exist in isolation. The GAA is part of society. Gaelic football and hurling are amateur sports. In a normal week you have many hundreds, probably thousands of matches up and down the country. If the GAA starts playing again, that means all sports start playing again. More soccer matches take place in an average week than GAA matches. Then there are rugby matches and other sports. There are all kinds of civic social gatherings - educational, organisational, creative.

Every single one is a potential virus-spreading event.

If sport takes place, that sets an example to everybody else - an example that social distancing is not to be taken seriously.

The common flu is a known quantity. We know what it does, we know how to treat it.

We are learning more about Covid-19 everyday, but it is still not a known quantity in the real sense, we still do not have reliable treatments for it. It is a disease our bodies do not recognise. That's why it kills people.

353,000 people have died worldwide from Covid-19 wwith 5.7 million cases, and these are only the recorded figures. The real death figures could well be several times more, the real case figures are likely many times more.

And that's with lockdowns and social distancing. God knows what it would be without it.

This is a deadly virus. There is no room for debate about that. It is a fact.

We do not know how this virus will behave in the future. We hope it goes away, but there's no real evidence to suggest it will. We hope we will have effective treatments, but we currently don't. We hope we will have a vaccine, but that will take a significant length of time to emerge, if it ever does. We have to presume the virus will stick around and that another wave is likely, and if there's another wave, it could well be during the winter. We have to behave in a way that will reduce the spread of it, because if we don't we likely will have a public health catastrophe.

This is about basic morality. We are inconveniencing ourselves in what we hope and expect will be a temporary manner (but for how long we do not know, though it will likely be dependent on adherence to restrictions) to try and protect millions of people. Our policy makers (in some countries some of them, shamefully, do not act in good faith even on a matter of this seriousness - but in most countries they do - in Ireland they have done) are trying to create a situation where some sort of tenuous normality can occur within a framework of reducing the virus. Amateur sport comes near the bottom of priorities in that, and rightly so.

I have had little enough time for John Horan as GAA President, but on this issue he has acted in an examplary manner. He has shown leadership and has demonstrated that the GAA does not exist in isolation from society, and cannot behave as if it does. It is part of society. It cannot operate a pissing section in a swimming pool. It cannot operate a smoking section in an aeroplane.

People arguing the contrary are saying, "ah, it'll probably be grand". Wing and a prayer stuff. There is no evidence to back their rhetoric. That's not how public policy is supposed to work, it's exactly how it is not supposed to work.

There's a chance this virus may not turn out to be as not as catastrophic as feared (though it has already been catastrophic). Of course there's a chance. What chance that that chance will turn out to be the case? Nobody knows. Who operates on chances on such a matter, or advocates we operates on chances? Chancers, that's who. I don't want chancers in charge of policy. We already have a litany of evidence worldwide from contemporary politics and policy making as to why it's a very bad idea to put chancers in charge.

Excellent post.

+1

[BennyCake]

+2

Great post Sid. Exactly my thinking as well.

[Cluborcountywhynotboth]

No i am saying keep social distance going in every normal day life things where possible
Walking Shopping Work etc
But my point is life must start moving again for example sport
The common flu can be passed on do we stop everything? The Covid virus is not as deadly as predicted. No where near in fact

The GAA does not exist in isolation. The GAA is part of society. Gaelic football and hurling are amateur sports. In a normal week you have many hundreds, probably thousands of matches up and down the country. If the GAA starts playing again, that means all sports start playing again. More soccer matches take place in an average week than GAA matches. Then there are rugby matches and other sports. There are all kinds of civic social gatherings - educational, organisational, creative.

Every single one is a potential virus-spreading event.

If sport takes place, that sets an example to everybody else - an example that social distancing is not to be taken seriously.

The common flu is a known quantity. We know what it does, we know how to treat it.

We are learning more about Covid-19 everyday, but it is still not a known quantity in the real sense, we still do not have reliable treatments for it. It is a disease our bodies do not recognise. That's why it kills people.

353,000 people have died worldwide from Covid-19 wwith 5.7 million cases, and these are only the recorded figures. The real death figures could well be several times more, the real case figures are likely many times more.

And that's with lockdowns and social distancing. God knows what it would be without it.

This is a deadly virus. There is no room for debate about that. It is a fact.

We do not know how this virus will behave in the future. We hope it goes away, but there's no real evidence to suggest it will. We hope we will have effective treatments, but we currently don't. We hope we will have a vaccine, but that will take a significant length of time to emerge, if it ever does. We have to presume the virus will stick around and that another wave is likely, and if there's another wave, it could well be during the winter. We have to behave in a way that will reduce the spread of it, because if we don't we likely will have a public health catastrophe.

This is about basic morality. We are inconveniencing ourselves in what we hope and expect will be a temporary manner (but for how long we do not know, though it will likely be dependent on adherence to restrictions) to try and protect millions of people. Our policy makers (in some countries some of them, shamefully, do not act in good faith even on a matter of this seriousness - but in most countries they do - in Ireland they have done) are trying to create a situation where some sort of tenuous normality can occur within a framework of reducing the virus. Amateur sport comes near the bottom of priorities in that, and rightly so.

I have had little enough time for John Horan as GAA President, but on this issue he has acted in an examplary manner. He has shown leadership and has demonstrated that the GAA does not exist in isolation from society, and cannot behave as if it does. It is part of society. It cannot operate a pissing section in a swimming pool. It cannot operate a smoking section in an aeroplane.

People arguing the contrary are saying, "ah, it'll probably be grand". Wing and a prayer stuff. There is no evidence to back their rhetoric. That's not how public policy is supposed to work, it's exactly how it is not supposed to work.

There's a chance this virus may not turn out to be as not as catastrophic as feared (though it has already been catastrophic). Of course there's a chance. What chance that that chance will turn out to be the case? Nobody knows. Who operates on chances on such a matter, or advocates we operates on chances? Chancers, that's who. I don't want chancers in charge of policy. We already have a litany of evidence worldwide from contemporary politics and policy making as to why it's a very bad idea to put chancers in charge.

A lot of sense talked in this post and can't disagree with a lot of the first section of the post. However I genuinely don't understand what you think should happen. You say that we don't know about this virus, whether there will be a second wave etc...etc....  (which is all right). But you then go on the somewhat hint at praise for the Irish governments response. So I am left wondering, what you actually think should happen ? Alot of your posts have been in response to people advocating the restart of our games, yet everyone I have seen is advocating it in line with the guidelines set out (with exception to the walking paths), and you call them chancers. So if the government are doing a good job (relatively) and this is all new (therefore the medical and scientific community advising the government are best placed) then surely you should be advocating that we follow the government plan?? Or What do you think should happen?
This is not a dig it's a genuine question. It's all very well to lay out googled stats and a post big long post calling other people chancers but what do you want? What parameters do you think should be laid out before we integrate into whatever the 'new normal' is going to be? What if there is never a vaccine? 
I and others have said we should follow the guidelines which at present say we start football again in July. Personally I say this because I just don't know as I am not an expert so I am following what the experts are saying. So what's your opinion? And if it differs to the experts, why?