Corona Virus and The Simpsons

[Otherside]

Supposed to be starting the hotel quarantine thing in a week or so here, but turns out they haven't actually got any hotel rooms to do it in. Seems a bit of an oversight really. Also haven't told Border staff how it's all supposed to work.

Saying here that the reusbale cloth masks that everyone got might not be so useful. Already need to be wearing a mask in shops, or on public transport there. So Londons now looking at saying "You need to wear better masks, can't use cloth ones anymore." The N95s or KN95s. So, the pricey ones.

[Cuchculan]

To explain the situation here. It would have been illegal for the police to surround a hotel with guns and keep people inside the hotel. It had to be written into law. Other than that it could not have been done. Not something that is voted on by politicians either. This was for the law makers. I simply can't see why guns are needed. The Irish police made the news during the week for having a dance off against other police from various stations around Ireland. That is the Irish police for you. A dance off. Not people who are used to guns.

Masks just used to make me cough a lot. Simple as that. I use a snood. Which means I use nothing as the snood can be taken down and I can walk around without the mouth covered.

[Otherside]

Oooh saw the dance off on Twitter. It is a similar stance here. Very strict gun laws here. Americans like to laugh at us for those, but eh. Just the way we are. Think I've seen the armed police once at an airport. Probably would be illegal for the police to stand around the hotel with guns as well. Imagine anyone breaking it would just be fined into oblivion instead.

Scotland is claiming it is getting less vaccines. Who knows if that is true, or Scotgov playing politics and blaming UK for having less done than the rest of the country. Could well be since they threatened to release the numbers that they were getting - and were told not to because it was a "security threat" for some reason. Rest of UK has sent the army in to help with the vaccine rollout. Thats also political. "Look the UK helped you, you'd struggle if you were a country on your own!" Scotland has an election coming up in May afterall, and it looks like the pro-independence SNP will likely win and push to hold another referendum - possibly in the middle of a pandemic. You'd think they'd possibly delay the election or postpone efforts to get a referendum, but nope. Must be done ASAP. Wish they'd all stop trying to politicize a pandemic and vaccinations to be honest.

[Cuchculan]

Lot of crap going on here about the vaccine. Not having what they assumed they would have. Then this vaccine not been allowed for over 70's. Making people ask a lot of questions about the vaccine. Is a very slow roll out. The army did offer to help, as did vets. But that was all refused. I think because they had not got what they assumed they would have by now. As in doses of the vaccine. We again had the Republic and the North stick together over the vaccine. No point in the Republic getting it and the North not getting it. The EU was offering far less to the North. As they are no longer in the EU. But our government got involved and an agreement was reached. I am sure the DUP will be happy about that one. Having to depend on the Republic. Any port on a storm.

Life will continue like this for some time to come. Let us not kid ourselves. The current vaccine is not a cure.

[CloudMaker]

Hearing a lot of bad side effects about the vaccine over here. People getting the first shot and just feeling a bit fatigued but then when they go get the second booster they have a fever so high they have delirium for several days. Who knows what that’s doing to your body in terms of long term damage. Scary stuff IMO

[Cuchculan]

There are a few different vaccines out there at this stage. Mixed reports about them all. None of them are a cure. Some work on one variant of the virus only. Are not good for the other 3 variants. The one been used in Ireland can't be taken by people over 70. Bit bloody pointless that. As it is the elderly they claim they want to protect. Way it is working out now is younger people can only get this vaccine. So after all the debates and loud talking about who should get what first. Starting at over 80's and moving down to over 70's, we end up with one they can't take. The vaccine my brother got, he was fine with it. No side effects at all. Might depend on which one they give you. I know in the UK a number of people were very sick after the original vaccine. They blamed in on allergies. Any excuse will do. That is why if it is offered me I would rather wait until something much better comes along.

[Otherside]

We're using two at the moment -The Pfizer and AstraZeneca one. Not seen them blame it on allergies here, theyve said 1 in 10 or so get side effects which last a few days, no matter which one you get. Most have decided that a few days of side effects is worth not getting covid here. Mum had it the other day and had the tiredness side effects, but got over it. They seem to work - Israel is way ahead of us with its vaccine programs and its numbers are going down very fast.

Not sure where all the "it doesnt work for old people" comes from with the Astrazeneca one. Germany seems to have decided that for some reason, and Macron is making moronic remarks in at attempt to play to Marine Le Pen's supporters before the French election. There's no evidence that it doesn't work for over 70s - the EU regulator has actually approved it for all age groups and says that it works, so don't know why these countries are deciding to ignore that and say it doesn't. Could be political, given that theres a nasty dispute going on between that vaccine maker and the EU at the moment over shortages.

Lot of second doses haven't happened yet because theres a longer, 12 week gap between the two here.

May seem that we're taking a lot of risks, but we're one of the worst hit countries in the world when it comes to deaths, case numbers and economic damage. Somehow, despite screwing up pretty much everything else when it comes to the pandemic, they've managed to not screw up the vaccination program, bizarrely, because the Minister for health decided to watch a movie about a pandemic on Netflix which showed a global scramble for vaccines.

Lot of people are looking at the mess in the EU with it and are glad we managed to avoid that - and most of us thought it was dumb not to join in back in June when we got the invite to do so.

[Cuchculan]

Just my own opinion here. The vaccine is not a cure. More like a plaster you simply put on a cut. It might make you feel safer. But it won't change one thing about the life we were all flung into last year. The same rules will still apply. Social distancing and face masks.

Is a lot of bickering going on within some countries. I seriously think they have no idea what vaccine to use. Was it France who tried to push a Russian vaccine? Probably just vodka. You know the Russians. I think they were trying one before everybody else. But the WHO said it was not tested and not safe. That is Russia for you. They would test it in prisons over there. No skin off their backs. That went away for a long period of time. Until France brought it back up and claimed it did work. Which makes you wonder was it the same one or a new one and were the French testing it in secret? But it does all boil down to what is available more quickly. That has been an issue in most countries. Lot of first jabs were given out here too. Second jabs never appeared.

Then the claim of the vaccine not been safe for elderly people. Yet a lot of people in nursing homes had already got a jab. More questions to be asked. Which jab did they get? One I would love to know is if any of these elderly people who got the jab have died. Not saying directly from the jab. It would be put down to Covid. Nobody wants to answer that question here. They keep avoiding it. Deaths went up because of Christmas and the New Year. Fact or fiction? This was the exact same time the first jabs were given out here in Ireland. That is why people are asking the question. You would imagine they would simply say ' NO '. But they refuse to comment on the issue at all. Which would make others question the vaccine. We did switch vaccine here in Ireland. Lot of questions with no answers.

[Otherside]

By the looks of it, having it means you won't get the very, very extreme version of covid which leaves you hospitalized. Pretty much the problem here at the moment - you have people getting seriously ill and ending up in hospital, which then become overwhelmed, meaning that nothing else can be treated.

Ah, Russia's Sputnik. I remember people saying it was rushed, wasn't properly tested, and Russia rushed to say it had "The first vaccine!". Last I heard Hungary had bought a load of that because of the EU Vaccine shortages. Not sure how thats worked them. I think it is a case of getting whats availibille for them, if the ones produced in the West aren't there for them.

Do wonder if it'd be trusted in France or rest of Europe. Wouldn't be here, but then we had an incident a year or so ago where we had a couple of Russians fly over and tried to use a nerve agent to try and assinate a former spy who was living here. Pretty much zero chance you'd get many people taking it here after that.

Then the claim of the vaccine not been safe for elderly people.

I think its suspicious that the vaccine suddenly doesn't work for elderly people to use the week the EU is having a spat with that supplier over the number of vaccines being delivered. Almost as though its a "well we don't have any, but thats fine! It doesn't work anyway!" Just seems odd really. The shortages dispute happens, then Germany declares it isn't safe and doesn't work, France then makes a few comments, and the EU's regulator comes out and says it does work, you should use it. All politics. Guess either way, we'll see if it works or not in a few weeks. Enough 70+'s here now that have been given it to know for sure soon.

[Cuchculan]

All we are hearing now is more nonsense. You will be sacked if you refuse to take the vaccine. I pointed out on a FB page that sacking a person who refuses the vaccine is illegal because the vaccine is not legal / in law that you have to take it. There will be challenges in courts. Unless it is made mandatory you can't lose your job. Plus we are a long way off that stage as of yet. Can't even get the vaccine as it stands. People are thinking far too far ahead of themselves. Wait until the day comes and then sit back and watch as thousands of people challenge it in courts around the world.

Amusing one here. My neighbour saying yesterday she does not believe in the pandemic. This coming from a woman who gave up her job because of the virus and even got tested assuming she had the virus. Is people like her you would like to ask what she thinks is really happening out there over the past year. Just to see how she answers it. To claim you don't believe in it and quitting your job because of it. Double standards.

I think some countries will take anything they can get their hands on. With Ireland, the first jab was given out to a lot of people. Then they changed vaccines. So no idea if a jab of the second vaccine to those who got the other vaccine is safe? Would that count as your second jab? Is that the reason why they don't want to give it to certain people. Because their first jab was another vaccine. Unsure what the two vaccines mixed together might do to the body.

Last thing we needed was the beast from the East part 2. Not as bad as a few years back. Though meant to get worse. I will say it is bloody freezing out there. That might throw another spanner in the works.

Had to share this stone age view on the vaccine.

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[Otherside]

Theres been discussion here about whether or not care workers can be fired for not taking it. Legal experts are divided over that one. That's a storm waiting to happen. For most of us though? Doubt theyd even be allowed to so much as ask what your status is.

I won't directly be fired if I dont take it, but pretty much as soon as it becomes possible, work will likely decide I need to visit the offices abroads. And if I cant cross a border or get on a plane because I'm not vaccinated, I wont be able to do my job.

Did hear about a crime ring though that was handing out forged test result documents. Sure they'll try forged vaccine ones. Booklet you can get at the moment for yellow fever or whatever isnt very secure. Literally just a yellow piece of card with handwritten details it. Could just make the thing at home.

It is bloody freezing out there.

[Ironman]

Our new Transportation Secretary wants people to have all airline passengers carry notification if they have been vaccinated. Mark of the Beast?

And, conveniently, the World Health Organization drops the investigation as to whether the virus came from the Wuhan lab.
Did they even get any records from the lab itself to see what was going on? The whole this is a bit shady considering how much they "praised" China for their work on combating the virus.

[Cuchculan]

There was a bit of a back down with China. Final line was that it got into the local market. Nobody knows why. Or nobody is saying why. It is simply been left at that. So we will never know the full truth.

A lot of people from the North trying to use Dublin airport to avoid UK restrictions. Irish government has told the North to step up and stop people crossing the border. If you are caught now you are fined. Illegal negative tests are been sold here too.

Still the biggest problem is people refusing the vaccine. Lot of nursing home staff. There is no legal grounds on which you can fire them. Plus you would have to replace them very quickly if you did fire them. That would be the hardest part. Finding fully trained staff.

[Cuchculan]

Can I add in an extra story I was just reading. Maybe somebody can fact check the story as it is from India. A health worker who died 2 days after getting the vaccine. They are not blaming it on the vaccine as of yet. Too early to know. Plus I have no idea what vaccine they are even using in India. This is the first story of this sort I have read. I am sure they will hit us with many more over the coming months. This was not even an old person. She was young enough.

[CloudMaker]

Can I add in an extra story I was just reading. Maybe somebody can fact check the story as it is from India. A health worker who died 2 days after getting the vaccine. They are not blaming it on the vaccine as of yet. Too early to know. Plus I have no idea what vaccine they are even using in India. This is the first story of this sort I have read. I am sure they will hit us with many more over the coming months. This was not even an old person. She was young enough.

The WHO reporting site has over 500 deaths related to the vaccine. It’s considered acceptable losses LOL

I’m sure many more deaths are just going to be recorded as COVID