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Denmark football games seem to have large numbers at their games

One approach worth following?

www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-56812293.amp

Not against this approach at all but one possible flaw is an expiry date on the passport. Covid immunity from vaccines doesn't last forever, in fact it's unknown at this stage, as people's immunity erodes how will these passports be policed, especially as they are accepting paper passports. Sounds like a logistical nightmare to me.

Greece & Austria pushing the EU to introduce a Covid passport for travel. Seems like a no brainer for opening up national borders on some level. It would also see less people refuse to take the vaccine if they couldn't leave the country

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-56202645

One problem with the vaccine passport is the length of time that it would be valid for. It is still unknown how long immunity lasts from the vaccine and won't be know for a few months. I agree it's a no brainier but it may take some time to roll out.

"The vaccination roll-out will directly influence when our games can fully return to normal and this is not forecasted to be complete until late 2021. Our ability to generate income will remain challenged and may not return to previous levels until Summer 2022 at the earliest." A quote from GAA finance director yesterday. I just can't see the government or GAA allowing thousands of unvaccinated 18-35 year olds mix playing close contact sports anytime soon. Something that not a lot of people are talking about is that this time, we are opening up to a more contagious dominant variant in the British one.
Can honestly see only county football being allowed anytime soon with testing for players in place, not sure if that's viable?

I can see a very gradual opening from March with schools opening first with small participation outdoor sports etc following. Going into summer I can see hotels, cafes, restaurants opening with social distancing/masks etc to allow for domestic tourism. I can't see wet pubs opening for the foreseeable unless they can cater for outdoor socialising. Large indoor gatherings ie Weddings, parties etc won't be allowed until next year IMO.
With hotel quarantine due to start shortly in UK and Ireland for specific countries, I can see it being extended to all arrivals for the summer months. There is just too much risk allowing a full scale summer international travel season with variants being around. That reads very pessimistic but I am usually an optimistic person.
This will at least have a summer of some sorts, not ideal but not locked down like we are now.

Taoiseach tells Fianna Fáil Parliamentary Party that there were about 800 people at Dublin airport yesterday - of which nearly half, 397, were returning from holiday destinations. 542 of the arrivals were Irish citizens.

And there is the problem going forward. This is in the middle of winter, from Easter into summer you can only imagine what the numbers will be for people returning from holiday destinations. All it takes is one of these people to carry a vaccine resistant variant back and we are back into another full lockdown for a very long time.

Well as stated today by the nhs in the north that all over 60s will be vaccinated in February
I would feel by then most restrictions should lift with the exception of indoor settings for now
No house gatherings
No pubs
No restaurants
No concerts
No large crowds yet

I really don't see why the following can't reopen
Outdoors sports
Some supporters
Retail
Schools

Am i wrong here?

So all over 60's will be vaccinated by February? So both jabs?  Brilliant news, I haven't seen that

They announced all over 65's will be offered first dose by end of February. Atm the are holding the second dose for up to 12 weeks so all over 65's won't be full vaccinated until approx. end of May.

So....

Lockdown extended to March 05th (at best) in the North....

Who wants to take this one.

Nobody wants it but it must be necessary. We'll just have to put up with it as best we can. The furlough scheme has taken a lot of the pressure off for me.

Absolutely, doesn't bare thinking about how bad a situation we would be if it wasn't for the furlough scheme. I would expect another extension to it, beyond April, to be announced in the coming weeks.

You'd think once the over 70s are complete (sometime in March), restrictions will be eased. Heads down for a wee while yet. Wee stretch in the evenings...

Sorry, meant extension to the furlough scheme beyond April. I would hope this lockdown will be finished by/around Easter. Think we'll then move back into the tiered system of restrictions for God only knows how long.

So....

Lockdown extended to March 05th (at best) in the North....

Who wants to take this one.

Nobody wants it but it must be necessary. We'll just have to put up with it as best we can. The furlough scheme has taken a lot of the pressure off for me.

Absolutely, doesn't bare thinking about how bad a situation we would be if it wasn't for the furlough scheme. I would expect another extension to it, beyond April, to be announced in the coming weeks.

Bad news regarding the vaccine
Not as powerful as being made out
Plan B needed and needed very soon
I don't think there is a plan b after this

Where did you see this? I haven't seen any indication that's true when the vaccine is given as per Pfizer's instructions.

Also the Norwegians have confirmed they could find no link between the vaccine and the deaths of elderly people as had been suggested last week

The problem is that the government here in NI are not administering as per Pfizer instructions. They are waiting 12 weeks to give the second dose rather than the recommended 2/3 weeks.

Definitely some worrying news starting to filter through about the vaccine. An uneven spread of distribution around the world which defeats the purpose of immunisation. A delay in the Astra vaccine in Ireland until mid February at the earliest and probably worst of all is reports from Israel that they believe one dose of the Pfizer vaccine is giving just 33% efficacy. If we are in this for the long haul then surely closing borders, 14 day hotel quarantine and letting us get on with it is the only viable option.

International travel for me will be interesting in the future. Case numbers will increase as we ease restrictions, albeit there will be less people dying and needing hospital care as the vaccine works. The more people get covid, the more chance of variants evolving around the world. I don't think a Vaccine passport will cut it, as travellers although showing no symptoms may still be carrying Covid from country to country. I can see the need for a negative test before travel remaining for quite a while, will these be free or will governments see it as an opportunity to make money? Variants are very much the enemy here, lately we have seen scientists/health officials talking about them a lot more and there is obviously a reason for that. We have missed a huge opportunity at the beginning of this to follow the New Zealand model, will they stay with this model until here immunity is achieved which could be years or will they open up the country again thus allowing the virus back in? Interesting times ahead.

Is anyone optimistic about a return to any sort of normality sometime this year e.g. restaurants and pubs reopening, crowds at sporting events, theatres, concerts, reduced social distancing etc?

I was more optimistic in December than I am now given the rate of the vaccine rollout.  To me, it should be a 24x7 effort until everyone has it, but supplies seem to be preventing any sort of mass nationwide roll out.

All of 2021 will be similar to 2020. Maybe a couple of weeks here and there for cafes/pubs opening up with distancing/shields etc, only to be closed again.

I think you could be right here, the fact that the vaccine doesn't stop people carrying or spreading Covid will see restrictions continue I think. Testing, tracing, isolating, masks and social distancing could be here for a while I think, obviously if there are less people in hospitals the restrictions may not have to be as severe but I think they will continue to some degree. We then also have the potential large number of people who will refuse the vaccine getting sick and potentially needing hospital treatment. I'll be watching with interest to see how countries deal with the new variants from other countries, they seem to be worried about these new variants. It's all a guessing game at this point, I thought the vaccine would be the end game in all this, I'm not so sure now.

Great to see Logan and dooher interviewed on rte! Starting on a very positive note.

Had to be better than that amateur shit show tyrone TV put together in the changing rooms 

That was some embarrassment, echoey changing room, awful sound, scruffy interviewers, mundane questions. Of all the places they could have used in a multi million pound training centre they went to the changing rooms. Garvaghey was also referred to as 'Tyrone Centre of Excellence' a term very much refuted by Tyrone GAA. So amateur for a first official interview.

Not sure about finances but how can anyone back up Micky is the highest paid county manager?? I'd love to see the evidence to back this up. 

I don't see the need to go outside the county for management. Our clubs do this regularly paying big money and it rarely produces the results.

You'll never see the evidence of that hence it was my opinion. Who do you think would be higher paid currently?

I would imagine Harte is the highest paid inter-county coach, maybe I'm wrong? If that is the case and the county board are prepared to continue paying such wages that means that everyone is within range, financially wise. The decision will come down to whether the proposed manager wants it for other reasons. What reasons would McGuinness not take the job if approached? Would it be because its a neighbouring county? Also, why would Tyrone not put the feelers out to see if he was interested, would be criminal not to.

Of course all of this discussion is hypothetical as the county board and delegates may decide to stick with Harte. A mistake in my eyes, the county is crying out for a fresh outlook albeit no success is guaranteed. Another point, in the absense of physical county board meetings this could hold up the process at a time when we could be preparing for next year.