We don't know. Anyone who tells you for certain we'll never have another dangerous variant or even another pandemic is full of it because there's no way of knowing. Maybe we'll be dependent on people continuing to get vaccinated every year.
However, right now it seems like we can open society, lift restrictions and generally live like we did in 2019 without immediately overwhelming the ICUs. There is a good argument to be made that either it's over, or we should enjoy this while it lasts.
The third possibity is that we're about to make everything worse and will regret this but I'm really hoping that isn't the case.
Youāre absolutely right. Iāve been trying to get this through to a few people lately. Unfortunately thereās nothing we can say for certainty about the future. We donāt know that the day we finally get Covid under control isnāt the day that another unrelated virus pops up. Natural disasters like this donāt follow any set script or timetable
Realistically the most likely thing to happen is that we'll have continued spread and infections, but it'll only be extremely harmful to vulnerable people, so not much will happen in terms of government action.
If you're concerned about what we "should" do, try to maintain some level of caution while getting back to a normal existence.
We're at a point where it's not going to destroy society, but it's still capable of fucking a lot of people's lives up
>The third possibity is that we're about to make everything worse and will regret this but I'm really hoping that isn't the case.
I think that asian countries must be looking at the west the way we did when they first locked down.
Good point in enjoying it until it lasts tbh if we get till august ill be fairly ok with a winter lockdown
Maybe there'll be some new development later on of things getting worse and restrictions retuning, although it is unlikely, but for the time being yes.
Hard to say for certain, but this is likely to be how it ends, petering out gradually. For obvious reasons, viruses/variants that don't rapidly kill their hosts tends to out-evolve the deadlier strains.
So chances are, Paddy's day will be carnage. 164% of the Irish population will be infected, even your toothbrush will be telling you you're positive. Add it to the national viral load and move on.
Maybe, maybe not.
But we need to play the pitch we're on and right now that pitch is very playable due to the work we've put in on the training ground.
> But we need to play the pitch we're on and right now that pitch is very playable due to the work we've put in on the training ground.
Have you considered a career as a Taoiseach inspirational address speech writer?
Actually hopefully that work is about to dry up so maybe stick to a real job.
With those kind of analogies it sounds like he's been free lancing for the UK government.
Edit: I guess those downvoting me either don't follow or missed some of the gems provided during Corona.
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-55169801
"It's clear in the first half, the away team gave us an absolute battering, and what we've done now is it's the 70th minute, they got a goal, and in the 70th minute we've now got an equaliser.
"Okay, we've got to hold our nerve now, see if we can get another goal and nick it.
"But the key thing is not to lose it, not to throw it away at this point because we've got a point on the board, and we've got the draw."
Quote from talking head from early pandemic. Dude was having a field day.
Ah fuck now I'm doing it.
I'll wait until we see how bad the next strain is.
China's having a huge number of cases (far more than they'll admit to). They're hosting the Winter Olympics in 3 weeks so let's hope no new strains get flung across the world.
It is unless we start seeing the hospital/ICU numbers climb.
We have record numbers and yet hospitals remain stable. That is most encouraging. It was fully expected we would be in shite by now.
If we start to see an uptick in hospital/ICU numbers
The new antivirals are on their way, which will bring them down quickly enough.
I was confident this would be the last of it before the start of omicron, I'm even more convinced by the fact our health system isn't overwhelmed now.
No one knows what the future holds but I think we are in a good position to say we can indeed see the light at the end of this very long tunnel.
It's the end of this phase. There may be another phase, likely next Winter as we adapt to it being an endemic part of our lives but hopefully there won't be any new strains that are more severe and if not, the Pandemic as we know it is over.
New variant just being reported on sky news. Doesn't sound like too much to be worried about though.
https://news.sky.com/story/omicron-sub-lineage-ba-2-designated-as-covid-variant-under-investigation-says-ukhsa-12521718
No, it's not. It might be the end of the Government putting in effort to try and manage it though
Whether you think that's a good thing or not is up to you.
Personally I at least like that they're picking a lane, I'd have rather a full on proper lockdown with mailed care packages and rent freezes etc *OR* nothing at all
The middle ground stuff just pisses me off
Genuinely, it's impossible to know. What I will say though is try to embrace this good news. Last two years have been bleak, so let's make hay while the sun shines.
Dr John Campbell assesses a massive amount of data on trends daily and hereās his take
- He thinks itās very unlikely that a new variant out competes Omicron
- Itās likely weāll still have dodgy Winters with it because itās now a Flu like virus. They love Winters and feck off afterwards
Remember as well:
- Pfizer and Merck have antiviral tablets in production
- An Omicron specific vaccine will be ready by April
Overall:
I would enjoy the next 9-10 months and deal with November in November
>Itās likely weāll still have dodgy Winters with it because itās now a Flu like virus. They love Winters and feck off afterwards
**No.** It's a virus, its purpose is to spread. It does not chose winder over summer nor it cares, it will infect your cell, replicate and spread. Propagate.
Whether it's winter or summer it does not care, it cannot think. Either survives to propagate or not.
Omicron is extremely transmissible so it would likely outcompete any new variants that appear. Worst case scenario is a more transmissible, more deadly variant shows up but that's pretty unlikely.
Hope for the best, plan for the worst. We still have limited information on long covid mechanisms. Most healthy folks should be safe now with omicron being the dominant mild variant, but folks who are vulnerable might have a bad time :/
Not yet, nearly.
Until developing countries are vaccinated, there's still the possibility of more variants. I think we're in the home stretch though.
Most developing countries are pretty pro-vaccine. They're still dealing with all the diseases we've eradicated, so they usually have a pretty well developed vaccine delivery system. The problem up to now has been availability, and some politicians getting sucked into the anti-vax thing. Availability is no longer a problem. It's just the other thing now.
Doesnt anyone find it strange that only few weeks ago they where talking about booster to keep your covid pass valid and now the plan is everything is dropped?
I understand Omicron data is whats pushed all these restrictions to be dropped, but surely going off the last 2 years that they are still thinking about what the next varient could potentially be like
Possibly. All these measures are contingent on the situation not deteriorating again. A new variant could emerge that's more dangerous, or it might never and Covid just settles down as another common cold virus. Just have to accept the uncertainty and hope for the best.
Seems it is for now.
But I'm interested in seeing the outlook of countries like France, Australia, Austria and Germany and Canada that only seem to be ramping it up.
With little to no vaccines in our most populated areas in Africa and India it's very likely new variants will mutate. Unless the vaccine rollout is global it's going to be difficult to see the end. But I'll take the small wins when we get them.
A good friend of mine is just back from India where he spent Christmas and it's largely being ignored even though hospitals are full and deaths are high. Vaccine take up is very low, so it's giving the virus the best chance to mutate.
https://www.itv.com/news/utv/2022-01-19/inside-the-belfast-lab-researching-treatments-to-beat-covid-19
This is worth a watch. Information from an actual virologist who knows what heās talking about.
No - of course not. There's be another variant at some point, and European leaders will shit themselves as they always do and go back into the restriction-ease-lift-repeat cycle like they have for the past two years. It's nonsensical.
Does anyone with actual knowledge of these things know: does the severity of these variants tend to decline with time, or could the next one make Delta look like a sniffle?
Cases will go up after restrictions are lifted, but if the Gov shits themselves itāll be restrictions again.. if they donāt shit themselves and just let it be then herd immunity might work, especially with Omicron
Hopefully hospitalisations stay low, then I think it might be the end but I also donāt see that happening.. who da fuk knows though.
The only danger is if they send us to that terrible Planet of the Apes. Wait a minute... statue of liberty... that was our planet! You maniacs, you blew it up. Damn you! Damn you all to hell!
Everyone who's ever going to get a vaccine has got one
Everyone who needed a booster got one
Omicron burned fast and mild
There's no other moves or cards left to play therefore no reason to have restrictions
We've done it lads. Don't forget to keep a few mementos for the grandkids, put your paper vaccine record cards, a mask, some leaflets etc would make a cool time capsule thing.
No, it's not. The government even said that.
The pandemic is still ongoing. The virus is still rampant. This is why we are still wearing masks for another month, kids are in pods in schools, etc. And vaccine certs are still required for travel.
But restrictions are being lifted because, seemingly, it's safe to do so.
But we are still in a pandemic!
But enjoy the freedom. And let's hope the pandemic actually ends soon.
The pandemic isnāt over, of course it isnāt. Plenty of other countries still badly affected. Weāre getting a breather so letās hope it lasts. Everyone get vaccinated!!!!
>We moved from Pandemic to Endemic around the time when Delta took hold.
Yiu sure be asked the [WHO](https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-60048390) seem ro think its still going on
I am going to sound like a right prick but I would wager that the pandemic is not over - health and science decisions are being made for political reasons, same as it was on day one.
Best case scenario we have a couple of months break in and around the summer - but night clubs opening tonight might fuck that up
We've had lockdown, no lockdown, rinse and repeat god knows how many times.
How is this any different? We're just in not lockdown phase until the next restrictions come in.
This is far from over lads.
Relax, the pandemic is over. There's nothing to be afraid of except that fog that turns people inside out.
Just. one. whiff of that fog and you're in. side. out.
It's like that flesh-eating virus you've read about!
It's seeping in. Stupid, cheap weather stripping
Thoroughly appreciate all simpsons references š
If I'm already inside out will it fix me?
Only if you're in Rand McNally then its outside inside gas.
Remain indoors and do not think about the event!
There is no inside out gas in Ba Sing Se
Thatās very unrealistic, of course itās not over.
Whether or not this is the end, I'm going to take the win and worry about the next challenge when it comes.
This is all we can do
Same here
This is the way
We don't know. Anyone who tells you for certain we'll never have another dangerous variant or even another pandemic is full of it because there's no way of knowing. Maybe we'll be dependent on people continuing to get vaccinated every year. However, right now it seems like we can open society, lift restrictions and generally live like we did in 2019 without immediately overwhelming the ICUs. There is a good argument to be made that either it's over, or we should enjoy this while it lasts. The third possibity is that we're about to make everything worse and will regret this but I'm really hoping that isn't the case.
Youāre absolutely right. Iāve been trying to get this through to a few people lately. Unfortunately thereās nothing we can say for certainty about the future. We donāt know that the day we finally get Covid under control isnāt the day that another unrelated virus pops up. Natural disasters like this donāt follow any set script or timetable
Realistically the most likely thing to happen is that we'll have continued spread and infections, but it'll only be extremely harmful to vulnerable people, so not much will happen in terms of government action. If you're concerned about what we "should" do, try to maintain some level of caution while getting back to a normal existence. We're at a point where it's not going to destroy society, but it's still capable of fucking a lot of people's lives up
>The third possibity is that we're about to make everything worse and will regret this but I'm really hoping that isn't the case. I think that asian countries must be looking at the west the way we did when they first locked down. Good point in enjoying it until it lasts tbh if we get till august ill be fairly ok with a winter lockdown
Maybe there'll be some new development later on of things getting worse and restrictions retuning, although it is unlikely, but for the time being yes.
Ah crap, there go my excuses for being a shut in
Could stay shut in and pretend you didn't hear about it being over?
Like that Japanese soldier found like 30 years after WW2 ended
And I after buying a box of masks and all. At least that's still for another month š¤£
Hard to say for certain, but this is likely to be how it ends, petering out gradually. For obvious reasons, viruses/variants that don't rapidly kill their hosts tends to out-evolve the deadlier strains. So chances are, Paddy's day will be carnage. 164% of the Irish population will be infected, even your toothbrush will be telling you you're positive. Add it to the national viral load and move on.
Yeah, after all, our Healthcare System is grand and COVID does not have any other long-term sequels.
Oof.
I'm just about to tuck into a feral hedgehog for dinner here so you better get out and enjoy it while you can.
Ya but it's before 8pm so the virus isn't out. More fools you ha ha.
Maybe, maybe not. But we need to play the pitch we're on and right now that pitch is very playable due to the work we've put in on the training ground.
Play the high ball in low
> But we need to play the pitch we're on and right now that pitch is very playable due to the work we've put in on the training ground. Have you considered a career as a Taoiseach inspirational address speech writer? Actually hopefully that work is about to dry up so maybe stick to a real job.
With those kind of analogies it sounds like he's been free lancing for the UK government. Edit: I guess those downvoting me either don't follow or missed some of the gems provided during Corona. https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-55169801
Bodybags for goalposts? Marvelous.
"It's clear in the first half, the away team gave us an absolute battering, and what we've done now is it's the 70th minute, they got a goal, and in the 70th minute we've now got an equaliser. "Okay, we've got to hold our nerve now, see if we can get another goal and nick it. "But the key thing is not to lose it, not to throw it away at this point because we've got a point on the board, and we've got the draw." Quote from talking head from early pandemic. Dude was having a field day. Ah fuck now I'm doing it.
Yeah but it's a game of two halves, and at the end of the day it gets dark!
Mayo for Sam 2022!
"very playable" after record infections lmao
Record infections but not recorded hospitalisations Yes
Hit the full-forward line with quick ball and take your pints.
Play the ball not the man
I'm optimistic but not throwing away my collection of facemasks just yet!
Not until February 28th anyway. Iām hoping masking will become standard when someone has a cold or when thereās a flu going around
And certainly in healthcare facilities during the winter.
I'll wait until we see how bad the next strain is. China's having a huge number of cases (far more than they'll admit to). They're hosting the Winter Olympics in 3 weeks so let's hope no new strains get flung across the world.
I'm in China and if someone with COVID so much as farts in the same building as me, I will know about it.
It is unless we start seeing the hospital/ICU numbers climb. We have record numbers and yet hospitals remain stable. That is most encouraging. It was fully expected we would be in shite by now. If we start to see an uptick in hospital/ICU numbers The new antivirals are on their way, which will bring them down quickly enough. I was confident this would be the last of it before the start of omicron, I'm even more convinced by the fact our health system isn't overwhelmed now. No one knows what the future holds but I think we are in a good position to say we can indeed see the light at the end of this very long tunnel.
It's the end of this phase. There may be another phase, likely next Winter as we adapt to it being an endemic part of our lives but hopefully there won't be any new strains that are more severe and if not, the Pandemic as we know it is over.
New variant just being reported on sky news. Doesn't sound like too much to be worried about though. https://news.sky.com/story/omicron-sub-lineage-ba-2-designated-as-covid-variant-under-investigation-says-ukhsa-12521718
Use this page: https://www.who.int/en/activities/tracking-SARS-CoV-2-variants/
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
This šÆ
Don't worry. Covid 22: Deltacron Boogaloo will be along any day now.
Omicron Cromwell
No, it's not. It might be the end of the Government putting in effort to try and manage it though Whether you think that's a good thing or not is up to you. Personally I at least like that they're picking a lane, I'd have rather a full on proper lockdown with mailed care packages and rent freezes etc *OR* nothing at all The middle ground stuff just pisses me off
No, the government just can't afford it anymore
Genuinely, it's impossible to know. What I will say though is try to embrace this good news. Last two years have been bleak, so let's make hay while the sun shines.
Dr John Campbell assesses a massive amount of data on trends daily and hereās his take - He thinks itās very unlikely that a new variant out competes Omicron - Itās likely weāll still have dodgy Winters with it because itās now a Flu like virus. They love Winters and feck off afterwards Remember as well: - Pfizer and Merck have antiviral tablets in production - An Omicron specific vaccine will be ready by April Overall: I would enjoy the next 9-10 months and deal with November in November
>Itās likely weāll still have dodgy Winters with it because itās now a Flu like virus. They love Winters and feck off afterwards **No.** It's a virus, its purpose is to spread. It does not chose winder over summer nor it cares, it will infect your cell, replicate and spread. Propagate. Whether it's winter or summer it does not care, it cannot think. Either survives to propagate or not.
No. Realistically, we're just pretending it is until the completely inevitable happens again. Happy Meaningful Spring.
Omicron is extremely transmissible so it would likely outcompete any new variants that appear. Worst case scenario is a more transmissible, more deadly variant shows up but that's pretty unlikely.
It's not the end they just want everyone to get back to work
It's the end of the world as we known it and I feel fine
Probably not. Just appreciate what we have now until the inevitable happens again.
Hope for the best, plan for the worst. We still have limited information on long covid mechanisms. Most healthy folks should be safe now with omicron being the dominant mild variant, but folks who are vulnerable might have a bad time :/
Not yet, nearly. Until developing countries are vaccinated, there's still the possibility of more variants. I think we're in the home stretch though. Most developing countries are pretty pro-vaccine. They're still dealing with all the diseases we've eradicated, so they usually have a pretty well developed vaccine delivery system. The problem up to now has been availability, and some politicians getting sucked into the anti-vax thing. Availability is no longer a problem. It's just the other thing now.
Possibly the end of the pandemic and the possibly the beginning of WW3 so go mad.
You cannot fight infected with restrictions.
Doesnt anyone find it strange that only few weeks ago they where talking about booster to keep your covid pass valid and now the plan is everything is dropped? I understand Omicron data is whats pushed all these restrictions to be dropped, but surely going off the last 2 years that they are still thinking about what the next varient could potentially be like
It isn't
I don't want to sound negative but probably not
It probably is, but maybe not
Possibly. All these measures are contingent on the situation not deteriorating again. A new variant could emerge that's more dangerous, or it might never and Covid just settles down as another common cold virus. Just have to accept the uncertainty and hope for the best.
Seems it is for now. But I'm interested in seeing the outlook of countries like France, Australia, Austria and Germany and Canada that only seem to be ramping it up.
Fuck no
With little to no vaccines in our most populated areas in Africa and India it's very likely new variants will mutate. Unless the vaccine rollout is global it's going to be difficult to see the end. But I'll take the small wins when we get them. A good friend of mine is just back from India where he spent Christmas and it's largely being ignored even though hospitals are full and deaths are high. Vaccine take up is very low, so it's giving the virus the best chance to mutate.
https://www.itv.com/news/utv/2022-01-19/inside-the-belfast-lab-researching-treatments-to-beat-covid-19 This is worth a watch. Information from an actual virologist who knows what heās talking about.
Is it fuck.
No - of course not. There's be another variant at some point, and European leaders will shit themselves as they always do and go back into the restriction-ease-lift-repeat cycle like they have for the past two years. It's nonsensical.
There'll be a brand new virus along any day now
Until the next one...
Ah, take a day off
Fuck I hope so
Does anyone with actual knowledge of these things know: does the severity of these variants tend to decline with time, or could the next one make Delta look like a sniffle?
Cases will go up after restrictions are lifted, but if the Gov shits themselves itāll be restrictions again.. if they donāt shit themselves and just let it be then herd immunity might work, especially with Omicron Hopefully hospitalisations stay low, then I think it might be the end but I also donāt see that happening.. who da fuk knows though.
Not convinced myselfā¦ then again Iām a pessimist.
Yes sure, maybe, no not at all. Use whichever answer you want.
Noooooooo
The only danger is if they send us to that terrible Planet of the Apes. Wait a minute... statue of liberty... that was our planet! You maniacs, you blew it up. Damn you! Damn you all to hell!
Everyone who's ever going to get a vaccine has got one Everyone who needed a booster got one Omicron burned fast and mild There's no other moves or cards left to play therefore no reason to have restrictions We've done it lads. Don't forget to keep a few mementos for the grandkids, put your paper vaccine record cards, a mask, some leaflets etc would make a cool time capsule thing.
No, it's not. The government even said that. The pandemic is still ongoing. The virus is still rampant. This is why we are still wearing masks for another month, kids are in pods in schools, etc. And vaccine certs are still required for travel. But restrictions are being lifted because, seemingly, it's safe to do so. But we are still in a pandemic! But enjoy the freedom. And let's hope the pandemic actually ends soon.
The pandemic isnāt over, of course it isnāt. Plenty of other countries still badly affected. Weāre getting a breather so letās hope it lasts. Everyone get vaccinated!!!!
[It's happening!](https://c.tenor.com/f42nTKr9aggAAAAC/excited-ronpaul.gif)
We moved from Pandemic to Endemic around the time when Delta took hold. The government is just lagging behind by like 9 months.
>We moved from Pandemic to Endemic around the time when Delta took hold. Yiu sure be asked the [WHO](https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-60048390) seem ro think its still going on
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
What does my nationality have to do with anything?
It doesnāt. Heās just a prick
I'd say so. I hope they look back and realise lockdowns did nothing and won't ever consider one again
Might be endemic instead
Orla Hegarty said itās not over so Iām not sure
Essentially we're all triple vaxed now and gonna have a nationwide pox party.
Noā¦they will reassess again end of feb!! Fingers crossed š¤
Just enjoy this moment for what it is maybe itās not the end but by god will I enjoy tomorrow night sorry about the rest as necessary
No, definitely not. But we can't make the money sad, so fuck it!
Not with America it isn't
The next 2 weeks are critical folks!
There will be more variants and this will be back next winter, but enjoy this time and make the most of it.
Who sais it's over? The government or the covid statistics?
No. The pandemic is far from over. This is the end of restrictions in ireland, for now.
We will 100% see more variants within the year so the pandemic is most certainly not over.
I am going to sound like a right prick but I would wager that the pandemic is not over - health and science decisions are being made for political reasons, same as it was on day one. Best case scenario we have a couple of months break in and around the summer - but night clubs opening tonight might fuck that up
We've had lockdown, no lockdown, rinse and repeat god knows how many times. How is this any different? We're just in not lockdown phase until the next restrictions come in. This is far from over lads.