Anyone here live in Ireland?

[muffyn]

I saw on the news ( here in the U.S.) that people in Ireland cannot travel more than 3 miles from their homes.. is that true?

Been my passion to visit Ireland, had a trip planned for this year,, now cancelled.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

I saw on the news ( here in the U.S.) that people in Ireland cannot travel more than 3 miles from their homes.. is that true?

Been my passion to visit Ireland, had a trip planned for this year,, now cancelled.

@BadPinkTink is from Ireland.

 

[theluckyrabbit]

I saw on the news ( here in the U.S.) that people in Ireland cannot travel more than 3 miles from their homes.. is that true?

Been my passion to visit Ireland, had a trip planned for this year,, now cancelled.

This ongoing thread has been keeping us up to date on the pandemic protocols in other countries, including Ireland (thank you, @BadPinkTink!): Covid And The Rest of Us.

 

[BadPinkTink]

I saw on the news ( here in the U.S.) that people in Ireland cannot travel more than 3 miles from their homes.. is that true?

Been my passion to visit Ireland, had a trip planned for this year,, now cancelled.

Yes this is correct. We are currently in Level 5 restrictions, which is lockdown. All non essential business are closed, all hotels, amenities and social actives are closed, bars and restaurants can only do delivery only, no curbside pick up. We are not allowed more than 5km from our homes for non essential reasons, this includes exercise. There are Police checkpoints on the roads and at the train stations, and people get fined. Public transport is only at 25% capacity. We are not allowed to have anyone from a different household come into our house or meet up in a back yard.

We have been like this since December 26. I have not left my neighbourhood since about 15 December.

We also have a nationwide mask mandate, which means you basically have to wear a mask on public transport, in grocery stores and in work places if they are open. Most people are working from home, if they still have a job.

The restrictions are easing on a phased basis during April but not that much. People will be allowed to travel within their county only, schools are reopening and elite sport can start retaining.

The hospitality industry is not expected to reopen until June or July and then only for outdoor dining.

Ireland has some of the strictest restrictions and the Irish Government is basically saying please don't come to Ireland as a tourist in 2021 and Irish people please don't travel.

 

[mjkacmom]

Yes this is correct. We are currently in Level 5 restrictions, which is lockdown. All non essential business are closed, all hotels, amenities and social actives are closed, bars and restaurants can only do delivery only, no curbside pick up. We are not allowed more than 5km from our homes for non essential reasons, this includes exercise. There are Police checkpoints on the roads and at the train stations, and people get fined. Public transport is only at 25% capacity. We are not allowed to have anyone from a different household come into our house or meet up in a back yard.

We have been like this since December 26. I have not left my neighbourhood since about 15 December.

We also have a nationwide mask mandate, which means you basically have to wear a mask on public transport, in grocery stores and in work places if they are open. Most people are working from home, if they still have a job.

The restrictions are easing on a phased basis during April but not that much. People will be allowed to travel within their county only, schools are reopening and elite sport can start retaining.

The hospitality industry is not expected to reopen until June or July and then only for outdoor dining.

Ireland has some of the strictest restrictions and the Irish Government is basically saying please don't come to Ireland as a tourist in 2021 and Irish people please don't travel.

What percentage are vaccinated?

 

[BadPinkTink]

What percentage are vaccinated?

I think its about 5% of the population at the moment. The groups who have been vaccinated are
Healthcare workers
Long term care homes
People over 70

On April 19 an online registration portal will be launched and people aged 65 to 69 will be eligible for a vaccine.

We have a population of approx 5 million

This is the figures listed on Ireland's Covid 19 Data Hub

Total 1st Dose Vaccines Administered = 667,182
Total 2nd Dose Vaccines Administered = 273,701
Total Vaccines Administered = 940,883

 

[izzy]

Yes this is correct. We are currently in Level 5 restrictions, which is lockdown. All non essential business are closed, all hotels, amenities and social actives are closed, bars and restaurants can only do delivery only, no curbside pick up. We are not allowed more than 5km from our homes for non essential reasons, this includes exercise. There are Police checkpoints on the roads and at the train stations, and people get fined. Public transport is only at 25% capacity. We are not allowed to have anyone from a different household come into our house or meet up in a back yard.

We have been like this since December 26. I have not left my neighbourhood since about 15 December.

We also have a nationwide mask mandate, which means you basically have to wear a mask on public transport, in grocery stores and in work places if they are open. Most people are working from home, if they still have a job.

The restrictions are easing on a phased basis during April but not that much. People will be allowed to travel within their county only, schools are reopening and elite sport can start retaining.

The hospitality industry is not expected to reopen until June or July and then only for outdoor dining.

Ireland has some of the strictest restrictions and the Irish Government is basically saying please don't come to Ireland as a tourist in 2021 and Irish people please don't travel.

I’m so sorry to hear about this. That’s a long time to live like that. I visited your country a few years ago and the people were just lovely. Our bus driver had us all in constant stitches. Our drive along the Antrim coast was one of my favorite drives ever. And Devil’s Causeway was beyond amazing.

 

[BadPinkTink]

I’m so sorry to hear about this. That’s a long time to live like that. I visited your country a few years ago and the people were just lovely. Our bus driver had us all in constant stitches. Our drive along the Antrim coast was one of my favorite drives ever. And Devil’s Causeway was beyond amazing.

Thank you. My sister and her family live in England and its been over a year now since we saw them. Travel between the two countries is unlikely before September.

One of my friends lives in California and its 2 years since she has seen her family in Ireland as she cancelled her April 2020 visit. She has no idea when she will be able to travel to Ireland to see her mom.

Most likely it will be 2022 when American tourists come back to Ireland and it will be a very different Ireland. The hotel and restaurant federation is expecting about 50% of places to not reopen and huge amounts of shops and tourist attractions will not reopen either.

 

[mjkacmom]

I think its about 5% of the population at the moment. The groups who have been vaccinated are
Healthcare workers
Long term care homes
People over 70

On April 19 an online registration portal will be launched and people aged 65 to 69 will be eligible for a vaccine.

We have a population of approx 5 million

This is the figures listed on Ireland's Covid 19 Data Hub

Total 1st Dose Vaccines Administered = 667,182
Total 2nd Dose Vaccines Administered = 273,701
Total Vaccines Administered = 940,883

I hope they speed it up, my state has over 9 million and I think they are close to 4 million doses. Very soon 16+ will be eligible.

 

[cabanafrau]

Thank you. My sister and her family live in England and its been over a year now since we saw them. Travel between the two countries is unlikely before September.

One of my friends lives in California and its 2 years since she has seen her family in Ireland as she cancelled her April 2020 visit. She has no idea when she will be able to travel to Ireland to see her mom.

Most likely it will be 2022 when American tourists come back to Ireland and it will be a very different Ireland. The hotel and restaurant federation is expecting about 50% of places to not reopen and huge amounts of shops and tourist attractions will not reopen either.

Can you say Covid fatigue? It certainly wouldn't be surprising. The separation from loved ones is heartwrenching.

I received my second vaccine dose on Saturday and am incredibly grateful, and yet this week I'm feeling for the first time really very turbulent emotionally about the whole Covid experience. I'm still home, still working from home, potentially permanently. Still haven't seen lots of family members or friends. Honestly I'm a little bit of a sulky, pouting brat about Covid this week, probably not operating much above the rationale of a three year old in attitude. I think I've just hit the wall.

I hope all the sacrifices you're all making mean greater health and survival for all those in Ireland. Best of luck.

 

[BadPinkTink]

I hope they speed it up, my state has over 9 million and I think they are close to 4 million doses. Very soon 16+ will be eligible.

We have had supply and distribution issues as well issues with training the people to give the vaccines. The majority of people are getting the vaccine at GP surgeries which is also slowing down the process. We do have mass vaccination centres which it is hoped will increase capacity from May onwards.

Can you say Covid fatigue? It certainly wouldn't be surprising. The separation from loved ones is heartwrenching.

I received my second vaccine dose on Saturday and am incredibly grateful, and yet this week I'm feeling for the first time really very turbulent emotionally about the whole Covid experience. I'm still home, still working from home, potentially permanently. Still haven't seen lots of family members or friends. Honestly I'm a little bit of a sulky, pouting brat about Covid this week, probably not operating much above the rationale of a three year old in attitude. I think I've just hit the wall.

I hope all the sacrifices you're all making mean greater health and survival for all those in Ireland. Best of luck.

Yes there is a lot of Covid fatigue in Ireland now. So many people are doing their own version of the restrictions, which is causing the reduction of case numbers to be slower than expected.

Many services such as hairdressers and beauty therapists are doing illegal housecalls, illegal bars called sheebeens are being set up in sheds and disused buildings. So many people just don't care anymore, many of my neighbours have never even stopped going into each others houses.

 

[1GoldenSun]

I really want to go to Ireland someday too. In pictures it looks absolutely beautiful. Plus I've read all the Maeve Binchy books so I feel like I know the Irish people a little, haha (that was a joke in case the tone didn't convey).

It sounds like it'll be a while before they're open to tourists, but it'll happen. I hope Ireland bounces back well and all those people who lost jobs are able to find new ones.

 

[BadPinkTink]

I really want to go to Ireland someday too. In pictures it looks absolutely beautiful. Plus I've read all the Maeve Binchy books so I feel like I know the Irish people a little, haha (that was a joke in case the tone didn't convey).

It sounds like it'll be a while before they're open to tourists, but it'll happen. I hope Ireland bounces back well and all those people who lost jobs are able to find new ones.

thanks. the Ireland I know is very different to the Maeve Binchy books, I think many American tourists would get a shock if I took them on a very different tour of Dublin and Ireland, lol.

The Irish Government have started mandatory hotel quarantine for a list of countries and there are talks of USA being added to the list. The idea of the mandatory hotel quarantine is to deter tourists from coming to Ireland and to deter Irish people from going on holidays.

 

[person]

I hope they speed it up, my state has over 9 million and I think they are close to 4 million doses. Very soon 16+ will be eligible.

Sounds like it's faster there than where we are...

 

[NotUrsula]

Thank you. My sister and her family live in England and its been over a year now since we saw them. Travel between the two countries is unlikely before September.

One of my friends lives in California and its 2 years since she has seen her family in Ireland as she cancelled her April 2020 visit. She has no idea when she will be able to travel to Ireland to see her mom.

Most likely it will be 2022 when American tourists come back to Ireland and it will be a very different Ireland. The hotel and restaurant federation is expecting about 50% of places to not reopen and huge amounts of shops and tourist attractions will not reopen either.

It's think it feels almost like the Diaspora again for a lot of families, mine included, though I doubt it will ever truly go back to that again. Please God, the days of routinely dealing with decades-long family separations are finally behind us.

 

[BadPinkTink]

It's think it feels almost like the Diaspora again for a lot of families, mine included, though I doubt it will ever truly go back to that again. Please God, the days of routinely dealing with decades-long family separations are finally behind us.

I know exactly what you mean, the American Wake days are behind us, but at the same time it does kinda feels like that.

 

[NotUrsula]

I know exactly what you mean, the American Wake days are behind us, but at the same time it does kinda feels like that.

I think it's the fear of the illness. In the old days it was knowing that you would probably never be able to afford to come back; now it's worrying that people will die before you can.

It usually takes us a couple of years to save up enough holiday leave to go visit (home is way out in the rural West; it's a 26 hour trek from here, so once I get there I want to stay for a while!) Deaths have been an issue for us anyway in recent years, as we're just that age when our parents' generation are dying off; I couldn't make it over for the funeral when I lost the last of my aunts the summer before the pandemic. Thankfully no one of my own generation has gotten seriously ill so far, knock wood.

 

[cabanafrau]

I hope they speed it up, my state has over 9 million and I think they are close to 4 million doses. Very soon 16+ will be eligible.

I would think it will be very soon. I believe MI is not quite 10 mil and 16+ came online this week. Oldest daughter had 1st dose Tuesday, youngest is receiving single dose away at school on Friday.

 

[muffyn]

Yes this is correct. We are currently in Level 5 restrictions, which is lockdown. All non essential business are closed, all hotels, amenities and social actives are closed, bars and restaurants can only do delivery only, no curbside pick up.

Thank you so much for the Info. That is just very Sad. I hope things improve for you.

I am still planning on visiting Ireland, when all this is over. Could I possibly contact you in the future for some Ideas?
Thanks!

 

[BadPinkTink]

Thank you so much for the Info. That is just very Sad. I hope things improve for you.

I am still planning on visiting Ireland, when all this is over. Could I possibly contact you in the future for some Ideas?
Thanks!

Most people in USA have no idea how different the Covid experience is in other countries. Yes sure, I would love to help you with your trip planning to Ireland.