Ireland to move to Level 5 for January

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odyssey06

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The Taoiseach Micheál Martin has confirmed that the country will move to full Level 5 restrictions in an attempt to get the latest surge in cases of Covid-19 under control.
In a televised address this evening, he said the new restrictions would remain in place for "at least" one month.

Schools are to remain closed until 11 January under the revised plans agreed by Cabinet. Primary and secondary schools had been due to reopen on Wednesday 6 January.
The decision does not apply to childcare facilities or créches.

The Level 5 restrictions include a ban on all household visits, the closure of non-essential retail and a 5km limit on travel.
Other restrictions include the closure of sports including golf and tennis, with the exception of professional or elite sports like Gaelic games and horse racing behind closed doors. Gyms will also be closed.

Weddings will be confined to 6 guests and only 10 people will be allowed to attend a funeral.

An eviction moratorium is to be reintroduced from midnight for the duration of the latest restrictions.

* Note it is unclear if Level 5 begins tomorrow December 31st or on January 1st, if someone has clearer information please bump this thread

www.rte.ie

Country moves to full Level 5 Covid-19 restrictions

The Taoiseach Micheál Martin has confirmed that the country will move to full Level 5 restrictions in an attempt to bring the latest surge in cases of Covid-19 under control.
www.rte.ie www.rte.ie
 
Unfortunately all necessary. The case figures are really bad and I fear will get worse. Its a difficult time of year too, only positive we gain a few minutes extra daylight....
 
During the last lockdown where we were required to stay 5 kms from home our local footpaths were pretty busy. Many people kept their distance when out and about, but many did not. We have all seen the unaware selfish person walking down the middle of the footpath, leaving others to get out of their way. Does anyone know if the new Covid variant is capable of being transmitted any quicker/easier outdoors?
 
The word "lockdown" is being bandied about like it means we were all confined to home and no outside activity other than walking on your patio/balcony. Back in March Leo Varadkar was to the forefront advising that "lockdown" meant different things in different countries and that he would be slow to use the word. According to most politicians and commercial owners (and the public) we've been through more "lockdowns" than most. Nobody in Ireland except for those infected and those awaiting results of Covid tests were asked to remain at home. And it is obvious now that many of those didn't confine themselves to home anyway.

Ireland has had opportunities since March to beat the virus and to be blunt we screwed them up spectacularly. We started well and little or no motor traffic was visible for a couple of weeks. In all the so called "lockdowns" since there has been no visible reduction of traffic on our roads. Many continued to ignore the confined distance rules; some people thought that 5kms radius allowed them to travel from Sligo to Cork to sell dogs. The commercial spokespeople informed us mortals that the "lockdown" ending in November was to be the last notwithstanding the fact that the daily infected numbers were to be between 50 to 100 people by 1st December. The infected numbers hardly went under 250 per day and still "lockdown" was lifted and despite warnings from people on this forum. Worse again the government ignored the advice of Tony Holohan and NPHET and not only that informed him and us that the government would make the decisions. Unless you think like those in the Peoples Republic of China or North Korea Mr Martin and Mr Varadkar shunned Tony Holohan and put him back in his proverbial box. The two politicians have ignored this issue since.

The virus doesn't spread itself; it needs people to spread it. We've had the opportunities with the so called circuit-breaker, but rejected them. We allowed schools to stay open during December although many school principals and teaching unions were screaming for immediate closure. Obviously, they knew a lot more than us and still the government drove on once again insuring the virus prospered. Many ran house parties, sheebeens sprung up and you could see people not keeping safe distances and refusing to wear face masks in situations where they should and couldn't even wash their hands although sanitisers were provided free of charge.

We are now at the start of January with a "lockdown" until the end of the month at least. Will we beat Covid-19 this winter? I'm nearly hearing politicians saying the Covid landscape is changing progressively with the vaccines coming and to sit tight. The commercial spokespeople will feed the fire and talk up the situation. Why do I not believe them?
 
I agree with most of that Leper , The first lockdown was so different to any others but still Cheltenham was allowed to happen and lots of Irish went. Flights were allowed for essential reasons but still "we"traveled . We went to our holiday homes despite been told not to travel. The 5km rule was a joke.
The Gov went against NEPHET but in fairness whatever way they went at that time was not going to be right . They had NEPHET in one ear and the business people in the other , both screaming. As far as I can gather teachers just want to close the schools , so they can have more time off,that might be just me thinking that, of course.
Like you said some people thought that the word lockdown meant go out and party. Some so called celebs thought that anyway.
I looked at the " new year"programme last night and wondered if all those people went straight home when it was over.....
Whatever way we go the "press" will make a big thing out of it .
I heard ,or read that in England the second doses of the vaccine has to be given within three months of the first or it is no use . They do not think that it can be delivered within that timescale though. I do not know how true that is .
Let us hope that 2021 will be good for us all. We can only hope....
 
joer said:
I heard ,or read that in England the second doses of the vaccine has to be given within three months of the first or it is no use . They do not think that it can be delivered within that timescale though. I do not know how true that is .
Let us hope that 2021 will be good for us all. We can only hope....
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You heard correctly the UK are now giving the second doses of the Pfizer vaccine 12 weeks later, eventough Pfizer says that the second dose should be given in 21 days they said they have not tested the efficiency of the vaccine at 12 weeks .

This is similar to Astrazenecas vaccine but that vaccine was tested for efficiency in that time frame.

They feel that as the Pfizer vaccine gives over 50% immune response that should be enough and they will be able to vaccinate more people with one dose.

The logic seems ok , the results will take time to assess.
 
NPHET is pretty clear that they do not think the current level 5 restrictions will be enough. They really want people to stay away from each other. Are we all behaving like we did in March & April? I doubt it. But I can’t really tell because I did not go out and about during wave 1. In the last week I have gone out and about more.

I took my sister to a medical appointment and will do the same in 2 weeks time. We both wore masks in the car, hand sanitised and I opened all the windows when she was at her appointment.

I went to the leisure centre to swim several times which I did not do from the start of wave 1 until the end of wave 2. Did I feel unsafe, yeah probably, but I went at 7 am when there were max 5 others in the pool and I showered when I got home. I was still glad it closed again, at the start of this wave.

I went to the dentist and will go again in Jan, still working my way through a complex root canal. Discovered this week the dentist seems to be an antivaxer. Was pretty surprised but his practice seems very safe to me.

I will deliver groceries to my mother and sister at the weekend. I did not do this in wave 1, but I did in wave 2, I was stopped multiple times on the motorway by the Gardai but they never gave me any grief when I told them what I was doing.

So I am looking at all my out of home activities and doing my own risk assessment and modifying my behaviour to my own standards and my own understanding of the risks. There are avoidable risks there, but risks I am currently willing to take. Maybe when the numbers go higher again I won’t. Maybe the government will close dentists, reduce medical appointments, not re-open leisure centres.

What are the next steps I would take if I were the government? Close schools to all pupils aside from those of essential workers and special needs schools. Reduce attendance at schools so that all get to go in once per week. Only allow exam years to attend? Close more non essential businesses, construction? Have H&S inspectors go to workplace and decide if the accountant in the back office is essential and should be there or working from home. Maybe a bit of everything, if I were them.

A lot of restrictions are crude tools. What does 5 km mean, it really means they want people to stay local, stay home to stop the virus spreading. But does it mean if you live 6 km from a beach walk you are putting others at risk if you go, probably not. But if you meet up with your buddy from 12 km away to walk together the risks increase, but maybe he is suffering so much from loneliness you are willing to take the chance.

Some people will view the restrictions as rules to be pushed and pulled and to show how ridiculous they are to someone living outside a major urban area so they should be dumped for everyone. They fail to understand the reasons they were brought in at all.

And then you have TV and the press who seem to insist on covering high risk activities to show us stay at homers how much fun everyone else is having out and about. The funerals with hundreds of people lining the road, all the neighbours hanging about at cross roads together to pay their respects. Aunty Mary’s 100th birthday with a drive by but with 20 people in the house with Mary. The “locals” out surfing. The “family” of 10 playing sport in the park. The neighbours who got “together” to do a dance in the street. It drives others to change their behaviour, because if they can do it why can’t I. The press has a lot of responsibility to show best behaviour.
 
Leper said:
The virus doesn't spread itself; it needs people to spread it
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I notice that we are no longer allowed to meet up with anybody in our gardens. Is it possible that this new variant is more transmissible outdoors?

Certainly the outdoor social distancing seems to have gone by the wayside with the majority of people ignoring the original advice to keep your distance. Many people brushing past others on our local footpaths which will increase in numbers with the 5 km rule.
 
Bronco Lane said:
I notice that we are no longer allowed to meet up with anybody in our gardens. Is it possible that this new variant is more transmissible outdoors?
Certainly the outdoor social distancing seems to have gone by the wayside with the majority of people ignoring the original advice to keep your distance. Many people brushing past others on our local footpaths which will increase in numbers with the 5 km rule.
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The outdoor distancing has been gone since the end of first lockdown - in my experience it is now a minority observing.

The new variant may more easily attach to receptors in respiratory system... not specific to outdoors.

I think cutting outdoor visits is more about removing a reason to be interacting... plus they may suspect that a lot of the visits may turn indoors given winter weather.
 
whats the story with working, factory (manufacturing) mentioned last time didnt hear anything this time?
 
Leper said:
The infected numbers hardly went under 250 per day and still "lockdown" was lifted and despite warnings from people on this forum.
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It was clear that numbers would have go up again in December. You can't lockdown forever as one would not have then any Economy left to sustain the health system. December is very important for many businesses and people.
Also the lockdown itself kills people.
Lifting the lockdown in December was right in my opinion.

And warnings from people on a random internet forum are not really impacting here government policies in most cases.

Leper said:
Worse again the government ignored the advice of Tony Holohan and NPHET and not only that informed him and us that the government would make the decisions. Unless you think like those in the Peoples Republic of China or North Korea Mr Martin and Mr Varadkar shunned Tony Holohan and put him back in his proverbial box. The two politicians have ignored this issue since.
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I completely agree with Martin/Varadkar - Holohan doesn't make here the decision - he is an unelected advisor - and he advises - the decisions are done by elected politicians - not by unelected technocrats.
I also ignored the "advice" of Holohan and went for three weeks abroad for Holidays in August - I decline to participate in the panic here.
 
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Merowig said:
It was clear that numbers would have go up again in December. You can't lockdown forever as one would not have then any Economy left to sustain the health system. December is very important for many businesses and people.
Also the lockdown itself kills people.
Lifting the lockdown in December was right in my opinion.

And warnings from people on a random internet forum are not really impacting here government policies in most cases.


I completely agree with Martin/Varadkar - Holohan doesn't make here the decision - he is an unelected advisor - and he advises - the decisions are done by elected politicians - not by unelected technocrats.
I also ignored the "advice" of Holohan and went for three weeks abroad for Holidays in August - I decline to participate in the panic here.
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1. The "lockdown" you mentioned never happened. Motor traffic maintained its normal volume. Many ignored any restrictions. If the infected numbers were increasing what was the point in relaxing restrictions? (Remember they said the number of infections would have to between 50 and 100 daily before any relaxation). The government had a chance to put infections in check and it failed. Commercial interests were put above human life and general health. The infected numbers and covid deaths this week alone bear up my argument.

2. If Tony Holohan and NPHET were advising the government. Why did it not heed the advice? The lifting of restrictions during December is a continuing dreadful disaster. I note neither Mr Varadkar or Mr Martin have referred to the "Tony Holohan incident"since. They got it wrong. Some of us on this forum got it right - there is a lesson there somewhere for Mr Martin and Mr Varadkar.
 
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Leper said:
1. The "lockdown" you mentioned never happened. Motor traffic maintained its normal volume.
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Economically it happened.

If the infected numbers were increasing what was the point in relaxing restrictions?
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To give people and business some room to breath and in regards to businesses a bigger chance to survive

Commercial interests were put above human life and general health.
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The 2007/2008 crisis showed there is a clear connection between the economy and human life.

2. If Tony Holohan and NPHET were advising the government. Why did it not heed the advice?
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Because it is just non binding advise and politicians have to look at the bigger picture and from multiple angles on problems.
Decisions are made by elected governments here in Europe not by unelected technocrats.

1. I hope you're feeling proud of yourself for that distasteful post of ignoring restrictions.
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I did not break any law - Holohans statements are not the law. After I returned I filled out the form as required by law and that's it.

2. What panic?
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Which I saw and still see in some people and in some media.
3. I expect you'll allow the remainder of the country get vaccinated before you.
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Not decided by you and regardless of that I am in no rush in any case and not even sure if I will bother at all with the vaccine. I am in not in any of the risk groups. If I would be in a hurry I would fly to Eastern Europe and getting it there.
Ireland is really slow with the roll out...
 
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Merowig said:
Economically it happened.


To give people and business some room to breath and in regards to businesses a bigger chance to survive


The 2007/2008 crisis showed there is a clear connection between the economy and human life.


Because it is just non binding advise and politicians have to look at the bigger picture and from multiple angles on problems.
Decisions are made by elected governments here in Europe not by unelected technocrats.


I did not break any law - Holohans statements are not the law. After I returned I filled out the form as required by law and that's it.


Which I saw and still see in some people and in some media.

Not decided by you and regardless of that I am in no rush in any case and not even sure if I will bother at all with the vaccine. I am in not in any of the risk groups. If I would be in a hurry I would fly to Eastern Europe and getting it there.
Ireland is really slow with the roll out...
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Wow! That's put me back in my box alright. But, I don't mind, I'm sharing the same box as Tony Holohan where he was placed by the Magnificent Two.
 
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