Coronavirus Thread - Pause before - The Final Battle (Part 1)

The Times have been the only media outlet in recent times that are questioning the official line, McDowell, Ferriter, Lambert, etc. Hopefully it represents a shift in critical thinking.

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That Mark Paul chap has been OIUTF (within reason) for a long time now too.

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He’s been quite good on this for the last while. Critical but in a measured way. The very opposite of RTE’s approach

There was almost universal “buy in” back in March and April. When you saw the horrible pictures of hospitals in Italy being overwhelmed all sane people understood the gravity of the situation and were willing to put up with a lockdown and 2k/5k travel restrictions.

Now, though, the mood music has changed. 80% of people who pick this killer virus up are asymptomsyic, as per NPHET’s Colm Henry. The vast, vast majority of people who pass away from it are elderly and already have serious underlying conditions. That doesn’t mean it’s grand for those people to be killed off but death is part and parcel of life and society. Protect these people, by all means, and that should be the number one priority but as we saw in the nursing home in Galway yesterday we can’t even manage that adequately.

We’ve had 7 months to prepare for the inevitable rise in cases this winter. And the net result? A minimal increase in hospital beds and staffing levels, the complete breakdown of the tracing system.

All the while small and medium businesses are going down the swanny. Those in the public sector - myself included - are probably better off than ever as salaries are recession and bomb proof. “We’re all in this together” - we are in me bollix.

I honestly think we’ll look back on this in years to come as a huge, huge economic mistake. Bar glib statements from our leaders about “saving lives” there is no direction.

It’s not an exaggeration to say the fabric of society is breaking down. Can’t go to the gym, can’t visit family, can’t visit friends, can’t do most social activities, can’t pay your respects to the deceased and their family, can’t go to weddings, can’t go for a drink or indoor meal.

I just think it’s crazy. Perfectly reasonably people like Dr Martin Feeley are ostracised when they question this madness. Any dissent, however constructive, is shouted down.

Fair play to him, Michael McNamara has been the only public representative I’ve heard to calmly and rationally question this farce.

We’re on the road to nowhere.

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Gawk yes hello no. Scratching their assets.

When we broke up last March, we were told on a Thursday we were closing. The day before we were told everything was fine. Lots of teachers and students got caught on the hop so to speak.

‘This wouldn’t happen under Hitler’ - Mattie McGrath opposes lockdown legislation in Dail

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It’s a fact. Hitler never tried to keep people within 5km of their homes. In fact he was all about Germans getting some lebensraum

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People are seeing the light

Except on TFK, its “Let’s go the other way”

If public opinion is starting to move towards less restrictions, then we need to pivot to ultra hard lock it down forever.

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I’ve come to conclusion we should close off licences

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The Irish Times seems to be the media outlet providing the most balance in recent weeks

Edit: @Bod95 said the exact same :+1:

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The tfk conscience is clear.

Some aspect of the testing system closing for weekend - short staffed…
Same next weekend apparently. You wouldn’t know what the fuck is going on.

First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win.

Mahatma Gandhi - Twitter 2018

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It is an exaggeration.

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Give me until about half 7 this evening and then I’m on board

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You’ll enjoy cheerleading Holohan on The Late Late tonight.

+1. We can close them then till about 12 tomorrow. #inthistogether

I won’t watch it.

You’ll watch it and give yourself boils, for no other reason than to be outraged.

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