Coronavirus in Ireland/N Ireland

[beanaseireann]

The first case of Coronavirus has been confirmed in Northern Ireland.
A passenger travelled from Italy to the North via Dublin.
I don't know how we will cope in the Republic if we have large numbers ill with the virus as our health service is already at breaking point.

What do people think about closing pubs and restaurants? I think it will have to happen sooner rather than later but I feel so, so sorry for all owners, so many will go out of business after this.

Realistically when will Irish schools reopen? I'm thinking May 1st at the very earliest 😟

I feel really sorry for the owners of the establishments and I know lots of them are doing their very best to create space in their establishments but I think they need to at least close pubs and nightclubs.

People are idiots and need to be treated as such.

I think if they think it's going to be 16 weeks then they are better saying that at the outset.

I feel for lots of businesses - hotels, pubs, restaurants, bars and small non food businesses.

This is going to affect society for a very very long time.

Its very quiet on the streets where i live in south dublin. Yes a lot of businesses will be hit very hard, especially restaurants, but tbh the last thing i would want to do right now is eat out.

That was a big jump today. I cant see Leo waiting til Monday to make any announcement. Why wait, if he is doing it anyway? Sunday or Monday doesn't matter.

Here in the north, Arlene has said that when schools close it will be for 16 weeks. Might as well day till September😲

@Deadringer
Could you do me a big favour and post the photo of the 2 Daily Mails ( one was the Irish edition ) you posted on this thread on to the thread : " Spain: This is what happens when you close the schools. "
It's in the Coronavirus section.

The last time I posted a photo I made a complete and utter hames of it and nearly outed myself to the whole country
My heart couldn't stand the stress again. Really.

LadyEloise done

Thank you so much* @Deadringer*

The bold on your name didn't work.
I'm f*ckin useless. Sorry

@Buckeejit do you mind saying where you are and how you know about the 5 cases? I'm in Co. Antrim.

Noone self-isolating or locking down here behaviour-wise. Swimming lessons as usual for kids this morning and youth club this evening.

We were in a Co Antrim town today. A noticeable drop in people. Even Primark was empty.
What I did notice was most of the people about were groups of teenagers outside and inside the shopping centre. This would be my concern if they closed the schools.
Lots of Drs surgeries were stopping collections of prescriptions and making patients nominate a pharmacy collection service.
DC school sent an email for plans in place for learning from home.
DH work place in Belfast is closed as from Monday with all staff wfh.

@kayaking I'm Ballymena. Just told by other parents of these cases but strangely although news usually travels fast round here, all this has been quite quiet. I'm concerned that people think there's something to be ashamed of with being ill with CV

Have spent so long on the phone trying to convince my parents in their 70s not to go to church tomorrow. My dad eventually said 'maybe we'll just stay home tomorrow' while myMum was clearly 'will we aye?! 😒' don't know if I can believe them but I'm usually very laid back & am really not about this so hope they're now taking it more seriously

All extra curricular things seem cancelled now - hockey, football, GB display etc. How can they think church is any safer?

I'm afraid stigma might become a thing buckeejit

Theres been a few jokes and comments and even on the late late they were careful to address it.
McGregor for stick for his comments.

If Arlene is saying 16 weeks that takes it from now until the end of June. So she’s closing schools from Monday? There are no more school weeks after June and I highly doubt she’s including the 9 weeks of summer in that. Also if she is saying 16 weeks then she has information the rest of us don’t.

I live in a small town in the SE of NI. Notably quieter today in town, some kids extra curriculars cancelled. Others I haven’t heard of - possibly because mine don’t attend them. Some families doing self isolation due to coughs. We are now doing the same for a cough. Report of a positive case in the outskirts of the town. Not sure if true.

@PopcornAndWine I feel sorry for the business owners too but realistically I think the pubs will have to close.
I know of one with a normal capacity of 1200 that had 400 in the other night in 4 rooms with no one allowed move between rooms. And while technically they are within the guidelines of not exceeding gatherings of 100 people, it seems really stupid to me.

I’ve been hearing rumours that one of the people critical in ICU is in their 20s. I don’t know if that’s true but until people realise that they’re not invincible they’re going to continue putting themselves in danger, our systems under pressure and our frontline staff at risk.

St patricks day is going to be a real problem. Stupid people will still go out to drink and spread left right and centre.

I reckon we're going into lock down before St. Patrick's Day.

Do you think so honey? In NI or do you mean full lock down in ROI?

In ROI, too many people are ignoring the advice.

Agree honeyrider - going by Twitter last night, if the -non- Gob thought enough people would sit in, they seriously misjudged it. The Goat was getting a LOT of coverage (true or not, who knows)

And I get why smaller businesses need to stay open to survive, but I imagine the decision will be taken from them tomorrow

*Gov, not Gob

Although it kinda works...

So I take it (NI resident here) that the current government will just stay in place now or are they still trying to form a new government?