Two And A Bit Men

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From left: Tánaiste Leo Varadkar; Minister for Health, Stephen Donnelly and Taoiseach Micheál Martin at Dublin Castle this morning

This afternoon.

Responding to the Government’s ‘Plan for Covid Resilience and National Recovery’, Róisín Shortall, TD and co-leader for the Social Democrats, told the Dail:

“The Government’s message today was confused and it’s confusing for the public. The new plan was supposed to provide clarity about the five different levels of risk, yet on the first day of the announcement this was muddied by having Dublin at ‘level two and a bit.’

“For the Dublin area, where the rates of Covid19 are growing rapidly, there was little clarity provided by the Government in respect of additional restrictions necessary and people are largely left to scramble for basic information.

This is unforgiveable at a time when people are seriously worried and need strong political leadership in respect of the steps they should now take to reduce the risk in the Dublin area.

“There is some detail provided about restrictions at different risk levels, but this is all subject to change within those levels by NPHET.

“No criteria have been set down for categorising counties by risk level and for moving between risk levels. How can the public anticipate restrictions and modify their behaviour in the absence of any information?

Earlier:  What’s Your Risk-Rate?

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10 thoughts on “Two And A Bit Men

  1. John Smith

    I apologise to those who will have seen this response on another page but it is even more relevant to this page, as it deals with some of the points raised above:

    Have now visited gov dot ie and read through the FAQ and ‘Resilience and Recovery 2020-2021: Plan for Living with COVID-19’ and, also, some (not all – there’s loads of it) of the additional guidance for particular venues, etc – still not sure whether all this is guidance or enforceable regulations. All very complicated and lengthy, to the point where I can imagine even some seriously-committed people giving up on trying to follow it. Also, quite a number of the measures are unenforceable in ordinary circumstances.

    In addition to the five levels, which can be applied everywhere or just in selected areas, there are extra measures possible. Thus, at the moment, the country is stated to be at level 2 but with additional measures (not a higher level) in Dublin, such as a limit of one other household visiting, instead of the three allowed elsewhere.

    One confusing area is wet pubs.

    The FAQs state:
    ‘Because of the highly contagious nature of COVID-19 and the fact that it spreads where people are close together and maybe letting their guard down accidentally, you can only buy or serve alcohol along with a substantial meal at present.’

    However, Level 2 (everywhere except Dublin at present, as shown above) states that wet pubs can open, subject to various provisos.

    An additional measure for Dublin is that the pubs and bars not serving food should remain closed beyond 21 September.

    So can wet pubs now open across the country, except Dublin, or not?

    Incidentally, the description for the plan is ‘The Framework for Restrictive Measures will help us to go about our daily lives as much as possible, while managing the behaviour of the virus’. I think not! Managing the behaviour of people, maybe – though, left to their own devices, they would be better able to go about their daily lives. The virus, however, manages, its own behaviour.

  2. Just Sayin

    Rather pathetic response from Shorthall.
    Basically she’s going along with government policy as to do otherwise would result in unbelievable flac.
    (as the public are brainwashed by project fear)

    So instead she criticises them for being confusing rather than plain wrong.

    Rising cases are simply rubbish PCR tests with too many cycles.
    Masks and restrictions don’t work against a virus.
    Community Immunity and Seasonality are the only relevant factors.

  3. Dr.Fart

    You’d hope that FF wouldn’t want preventable blood on their hands after the last economic crash, yet here we are ..

  4. Micko

    This is getting hilarious now.

    The five levels from Micheal
    The four ‘W’s from Leo
    The two Ronnies

    I’m starting to think that they are pulling a Putin and just trying to keep us confused.

  5. Fred

    It’s embarrassing
    We really need leadership

    Never in our history have we been under such a threat and it’s not the virus

  6. Symptomagicsogography

    Might be just me but it seems that the case numbers of covid have really ballooned since the schools were fully opened back up!. Who would have thunk it!.
    Joke government,full of empty headed clowns who would’nt see a bull charging em I reckon!.
    Things are about to get very serious for covid infection rates, especially in Dublin.
    But since the schools are safe and fully open at least we can have a general election as a sort of new years gift to the nation!. And the schools are staying fully open. We’ll all do well to vote this lot into the history books pronto. At least whats left of the population after this lot is finished culling.

  7. Eoin

    They’re trying to decide whether to continue pushing the collapsing narrative on covid19 or abandon ship and face the music. Their own data, and the global data as an expansion, is showing that deaths and hospitalizations are dwindling to zero and that lockdown has only caused more damage. They can either push this until they are dragged out of government or they can admit they got it all wrong and face the electorate. I would not want to be in government right now.

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