As we limp, battle-weary and bruised, towards the next milestone, take nothing for granted

INDOOR hospitality is coming back but for how long will depend on the vaccine race. Many young people remain unjabbed, and while it is hard to see any other way in which reopening can be managed, there is anger in some quarters at the creation of a two-tier society.

The relaxation of rules for restaurants and pubs comes after deliberations, delays, lobbying and confusion over the appropriate regulations for those wishing to be served a meal indoors. It also sees the Government, not for the first time, ignore at least one element of NPHET’s guidance by allowing all children to join parents for indoor meals.

The Attorney General was in discussions on the matter as late as Friday. After the rows over ‘when is a child a child’ and whether bar staff would be responsible for policing vaccination status, we have limped over the line of reopening, though confusion in many areas remains.

We are a few weeks behind our neighbours in Britain in terms of both opening up and vaccination rates, which at least gives us some advantage in modelling what we can expect, and that is not the prettiest of pictures.

The vaccination programme appears to be a resounding success, with clear communication from HSE chief Paul Reid, high uptake rates, and efficiently run vaccination centres. Vaccine hesitancy does not appear to have gained much traction, and immunisation rates in the over-50s are among the highest in the world.

The EU Digital Covid Certificate programme appears to be less well managed, with the helpline overwhelmed, and there has been a failure to fully manage certs for PCR tests, as can be done digitally in other EU countries.

As things open up, let us hope those with their certs don’t take their status for granted, and that those awaiting their certs don’t take risks borne of frustration.

There are many things we all want to do – meet up with family and friends, have relatives visit from overseas, and travel to sunshine destinations ourselves. We have waited long for such freedoms and another few weeks will not do us any harm. It is estimated that to achieve herd immunity against the

Delta variant, we will need as much as 90% of the population vaccinated, or having developed natural antibodies after contracting the disease.

With strong will and matching determination, we can and will get there, but in the meantime, we must also remain vigilant and keep performing the rituals we have become used to – washing our hands, keeping our distance, covering our noses and mouths.

There is mounting evidence that even those fully vaccinated can still catch the virus, albeit with much reduced negative consequences. Even this is assured only in the short term, and it underestimates the effects of long Covid on those who are still experiencing the likes of fatigue and organ damage months after recovering from the virus’s initial onslaught. The weather over the past week and a half has brought us joy, but also a touch of complacency. Life is not normal yet, but we are on the path to normality, and that is a good thing.

One last push is needed. Let us enjoy what we can while remaining resolute in battle to win the ultimate peace.