Quote from: Fear Bun Na Sceilpe on November 29, 2021, 12:50:29 PMQuote from: sligoman on November 29, 2021, 12:28:22 PMQuote from: general_lee on November 29, 2021, 12:10:23 PMQuote from: sligoman on November 29, 2021, 10:40:54 AMI don't think this is the case at all, maybe in the 26 they've been telling the public things will be back to normal once everyone is vaccinated but it hasn't really been the case in the north. The message I've got is to continue on with mask-wearing, sanitising etc.
Vaccination has been sold to people as a way to get back to normal & that's why it hasn't worked, it doesn't stop transmission & infection. If you behave as you did pre Covid then you're going to get it & pass it on whether you're vaccinated or not. I've learned that personally, I'm fully vaccinated & attended a wedding a number of weeks back where our table had a break out with all of us bar 1 getting it, all of us were fully vaccinated.
I think this focus on the unvaccinated is a way to deflect from failings from politicians & health officials.
Too many people have disregarded this, as an anecdotal example I was in Edinburgh last weekend and in all the bars, shops etc there was mask wearing, track and trace, sanitising on every bar/restaurant table. Same with Glasgow when I was last over, the Scots just get on with it. Out in Belfast over the weekend and it was like night and day. People either not wearing a mask or wearing it round their chin, women reluctant to wear it incase it wrecks their make up, men just being ignorant. My favourite was two glammed up girls with the exemption lanyards on but no actual ID attached! Then you have those clampets stood outside city hall, including that glipe gym owner from Newry front and centre calling people Nazis... not a virologist nor a medical degree among them but I bet they'd not say no to a hospital bed should they or one of their loved ones take bad with COVID...
Not sure if you're aware of how things are down south but things are still heavily restricted. Covid passports everywhere, limits on indoor gatherings, social distancing in place, table service, mass uptake of vaccination, compliance with masks very high etc & Covid is still rampant. I guess my position now is that it's going to be rampant as long as things are opened up somewhat, where people are mixing it will spread no matter what precautions you take. You make the comparison between the north & Scotland & how the attitude & approaches are different but from my reading the results in terms of case numbers, hospital numbers, deaths etc are remarkably similar so what has the different attitude in Scotland actually achieved? Whatever approach you take the virus seems to spread. I'm just worried that those in power have no long term strategy here & actually have no idea what they are at.
And yous added in extra ICU capacity-Stormont menawhile..........
Did we?
They borrowed some from the private hospitals at the start (at enormous expense) but I don't think they added any permanent ICU beds.