The weekend went by quickly. I was still recovering from my case of pinkeye, so I stayed home and relaxed for almost the entire two days. On Saturday I caught up on personal finances and other home projects. My friend J came over on Sunday, we ordered in food and caught up with RuPaul’s Drag Race UK season 3. The weather has been mild, in upper 50s-lower 60s F, low 10s C. The days continue to get shorter, and the sunsets are still spectacular.
My neighbour Irene has decorated our end of the outdoor walkway at Sprangers Yard for Halloween, with a skeleton grim reaper right outside my bedroom window, and even some plastic bats on my door. It’s quite festive.
Today, the Irish government announced a revised COVID-19 reopening plan. Originally, almost all restrictions were going to be lifted this Friday, October 22. This Irish Times article provides a good summary: Under the plan, normal trading hours in pubs, restaurants and wider hospitality will resume, and nightclubs are set to reopen from Friday – albeit it with restrictions – for the first time since the start of the pandemic. However, given the increase in new cases over the last week and tightening of ICU hospital bed capacity, the revised plan retains public health measures until at least February 2022.
As far as University College Dublin goes, there haven’t been any new announcements about hybrid working arrangements, so for the time being I will continue to work from home. This is perfectly fine by me, as I’m not looking forward to having a commute again. The government seems to be wavering on its previous return-to-work guidelines. At a press interview today, Tánaiste Leo Varadkar said a full return to workplaces may not be possible until next spring. He also confirmed that the public health advice for people to work from home where possible will remain in place beyond Friday October 22. However, employers can bring workers back to the office on a staggered basis.
Until next time….
