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FOR MANY, THE Easter break can be a tough time.
For those with family commitments, there can be lots of added pressure and stress. And for those missing someone at the table this year, it can be a sad or even lonely occasion.
One way to combat the stresses that come along with the expectations on us around bank holidays is trying to master a bit of mindfulness.
Mindfulness is not only a wonderful way to ease yourself back into the working week, but also to grab moments of tranquility during times of stress. Whether or not you had a difficult weekend, this means Easter Monday is the ideal time to give it a try.
According to mental health resource website yourmentalhealth.ie, at its heart mindfulness is simply:
Paying attention to whatever is happening in the present moment and experiencing without judgement and, if possible, with kindness.
Essentially, it’s all about centring yourself in order to achieve some stillness and calm in day-to-day life. The concept of practicing mindfulness originates with Eastern philosophies such as Buddhism, where it has been part of the lifestyle for thousands of years.
Paying attention to the current moment is a lot harder than it sounds. Those of us who have tried meditation know how easy it is for the mind to drift off – and how difficult it is to truly concentrate on the here and now. So what tools can help get you there?
Suicide or Survive, the Irish suicide prevention organisation, have developed an online education tool called the Wellness Workshop. These videos give you practical tools to help you maintain wellness when you’re feeling good, and improve it when times get tough.
— Suicide or Survive (@SuicideorSurviv) March 21, 2016Suicide or Survive / Twitter
Sign-up is completely free and the course is designed to help everyone, no matter their circumstances, take charge of their own mental well-being.
The Mental Health Foundation over in the UK has created a series of free audio podcasts to help you relax and improve your state of mind.
You can access the series here - with recent subjects including mindfulness in nurseries, tips for a healthy diet and resolutions around getting more active.
WorkOut is an app designed to work on problem-solving in real life, developed by Irish youth organisation Reach Out. Its exercises are based on the principles of CBT (cognitive behavioural therapy) which is a practical method aimed at moving past negative, destructive thoughts, which in turn impact our mood and perspective.
The app is based around scoring yourself in several areas and then figuring out some challenges – on things like sleeping patterns, goal setting, difficult situations, support networks, and so on. More information on WorkOut can be found here.
There are lots of apps out there to help us build mindfulness effectively into our lives. One such app is Headspace, which calls itself a “gym membership for the mind” – which ties right back into the idea that mental health is just as real as physical health.
Headspace is meditation made simple, with 10 minute daily blocks that can be done from your phone wherever you are. Initial sign-up is free for both iOS and Android users.
Every day, we experience ups and downs in our mental health. If you’ve found mindfulness to help you weather these peaks and troughs, why not spread the good word?
Pass on information about mindfulness to a pal you think it could benefit – or just let them know you’re always there for a chat. (Of course, this works both ways – if you’re not feeling OK this weekend, consider reaching out yourself.)
The #LittleThings campaign from yourmentalhealth.ie is a national effort by the HSE National Office for Suicide Prevention and scores of partner organisations and support groups to bring information, awareness, advice and support around mental health for you and your loved ones.
Helplines:
For information on what to do or where to go, please see yourmentalhealth.ie.
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How embarrassing ireland going around with a begging bowl to america and uk for vaccines.denmark and poland have broken ranks with the eu and sourced their own vaccines.this government still insist in being the good boys of europe.this present government are nothing but a disgrace to it’s country and is held accountable to nothing
@reginald: but Ireland didn’t beg for this, it’s a fleeting comment between Arlene and Boris.
@reginald: couldn’t have said it better , it’s embarrassing and ridiculous. Same with Hungary as well as the other counties , they gave the EU the middle finger and got the Russian Sputnik which is a very effective vaccine . Now they are ahead of the game in having their population vaccinated. Ireland does the opposite , begs .. the country is ran by a bunch of gombeens . I’m so fed up . These people need to go . There needs to be some serious changes
@Saz Johnson: go for it Saz. Stop whinging and go run for office.
@reginald: I don’t know about Poland but I understood Denmark hasn’t broken ranks with EU, rather they sourced their additional vaccines(moderna) from the EU by taking up some of the unwanted supply from other countries including Poland who opted not to take their full share of the expensive moderna in favour of cheaper vaccines. Which is why Denmark got an initial headstart on the eu average..
@reginald: when you’re dying, gasping for breath from covid inflaming you’re lungs, you’ll be beaming with pride in knowing that you’re government didn’t beg for a vaccine.
@reginald: well I’m pretty sure they’d be breaking rank with the EU by getting Vacs from the UK and Poland accepted the Russian Vac… Would you?
@Saz Johnson: would you take the Sputnik Vaccine?
@Thomas Byrne: 100% , I work in healthcare and I trust the data from Sputnik ten fold over AZ . AZ has been bumpy from the very start , especially with their early clinical trial data and information released to the public .
@reginald: why are Irish people ALWAYS looking for something to complain about.
Current vaccine roll out problem in Ireland is as a result of supply (which all of Europe are suffering with too).
Ireland has no bargaining power for going to large companies and buy vaccines hence why we all went as a collective negotiation with Europe.
The EU negotiated 2.6billion vaccines between 7 companies in a way to mitigate the risk. Just so happens that the AstraZeneca was weighed as the most in the negotiation and that they have contract t&cs which effect EU supply and prioritises U.K. and USA.
People have been crying that the Irish govt should go and get some vaccines away from the EU agreement. We are now getting vaccines from U.K and still you complain?
Wow.
@reginald: and why shouldn’t we beg? If your life was at risk would you not beg for a cure? They don’t even have the nerve to beg to protect the the lives of the people they represent.
@reginald: notice you didn’t suggest what they should do
@reginald: very well said
@Hang 10 Shaka Brah: Will you just bore off, please …. Due to farcical Covid restrictions, drama classes have been cancelled this year ….
@reginald: the shiners and opposition proposed this weeks ago
@reginald: it’s also embarrassing that the Journal runs a poll to discuss whether or not we should accept British leftovers which haven’t even been offered to us!
@reginald: so at the start of your post you are complaining that the government are trying to source vaccines from UK & US, then you praise other countries for sourcing vaccines outside of EU deal and then complain about the government not sourcing vaccines outside of EU deal!
Riddle me that …….
@reginald: Wow, how many inconsistencies and inaccuracies can someone fit into one comment.
1. The Irish government hasn’t asked for vaccines from the US or UK
2. You want them to purchase vaccines outside the EU program but you would consider any attempt to do so to be ‘going with the begging bowl’
3. Denmark didn’t purchase vaccines outside the EU scheme, they purchased what was unwanted by other countries within the scheme.
Could you at least make up your mind what you want before you comment.
@Saz Johnson: I Hope I dont need you to save my life then! Russia did you short that civilian airline down over Ukraine? No but but but we have you on film moving your missile launches across the border into Ukraine, No no no they were rebels but we have phone conversation between Russian commanders panicking about what they shot down No no thats western propaganda. Hey Russia did you try to bump off the Skipals? No No No but we have video of your Secret service agents with consecutively numbered passports out doing touristy things right outside their door, no no thats western propaganda then they denied trying to bump off Navalny. I wouldn’t trust Russia with a bottle of Ballygowan if I was dying in a desert!
@Saz Johnson: So you are another person who wants to purchase vaccines outside the EU scheme but without actually asking to purchase them.
@Patrick O Connell: It does not matter who proposed it, as by the time they have anything left over will won’t need them. It is propaganda and nothing else.
@Joe Thorpe: I take it that’s a no from you re Sputnik!!! What happens if that’s the only one available to you
@reginald: it’s horrifying asking a rogue state with a proven liar as it’s leader for anything
@Marc Power:
The UK have started virtually from nothing to manufacturing Covid vaccines. Do you realise how long it takes to develop manufacture and quality control. The latest to manufacture in UK is the American Novavax which has just completed trials with good results. The EU haven’t ordered any yet. What a surprise.
@Saz Johnson: how do you know sputnik is a very effective vaccine? Have you independently assessed the safety and efficacy data?
@Franny Ando: Ill go to the UK & get one if that was the case. The NHS have already written to my old address inviting me for my first jab a month ago. If we don’t get the jab here before the summer Ill go over and get done & go back for a booster later.
@Ciaran: Spot on. Plenty we could do here better but the same people complaining we are not sourcing vaccines are complaining we are looking to the UK and US for the same vaccines. Its not begging asking for extra vaccines. We would have to buy them of these countries. We are not looking for them for free.
@Marc Power: We’ve not asked Putin for anything you dope.
@Joe Thorpe: You should be ok to get it I take it you now live back in Ireland I have the AZ jab last week at King George Hospital . I brought with me my NHS letter with my NHS number on it and my Irish republic passport . I asked three nurses did they need I.D and not one of them asked for it .
@Thomas Byrne: absolutely i would. Russia has a proven track record in vaccine production going back to Soviet Times when they produced their own.
The uk making all the right strategic moves, offering Ireland vaccines so it makes it difficult for the EU to keep vilifying them. Since brexit the uk have humiliated the EU and won every battle. Now we are like the dog under the table waiting for a few scraps, can’t source our own vaccines, refused Russian offer of vaccines but will gladly accept the scraps off the uk table, what a joke of a country we are.
@Hugo Bugo:
We’re you not aware; Boris is a prize BS..er!
We’re actually being played. The Boris, Arlene Brexit-loving tag team, trying to put one up the EU.
The Brits will have surplus vaccines only after their whole population receive second jab, which is a bit away, time wise. By Christmas perhaps!
By that time, EU will have full and plenty of vaccines, as supply chains start humming again, for EU citizens patiently waiting in Q’s to be dosed in order of age and health vulnerabilities.
Don’t heed this nonsense from Boris & Arlene, who should just be told thanks very much for offer but to bu**er off now & just ensure AZ honours its existing contracts for vaccine supply to EU, in general, allowing Ireland to received its allocation under the pre arranged protocols on the subject.
@Saz Johnson: the reason it has no supply issues is that the Russians are predominantly exporting it, only 4% of supply is used within Russia. In reality it is being used as a bargaining chip to win favour for Russia with neighbouring and non-aligned countries to weaken EU influence. And this is not just a Russian approach, if the UK offer is real, it’s linked to the same geo-political considerations on the part of the UK.
@Hugo Bugo: won every battle? Trade down by billions, massive red tape, returning emmigrants from Spain… .Those battles?
@Hugo Bugo: when did Ireland refuse the Russian vaccine offer? Didn’t hear that previously!.
@Saz Johnson: whilst the sputnik seems to be an excellent vaccine, they only applied for ema approval last week and 2… Not sure I’d trust Moscow on supply capacity……..
BUDAPEST (Reuters) – Hungary will buy anti-coronavirus vaccines through the EU procurement mechanism or directly from China because Russia cannot make enough of its rival vaccine to inoculate Hungary’s 10 million population, a senior official said on Thursday.
“Russia has inadequate manufacturing capacity,” Gulyas told ATV in an interview whose transcript was published on its website.
@Hugo Bugo: you don’t have much regard for the facts . U.K. have administered 28 m vaccines so far and 20m have come from Europe.. they don’t have a surplus.. basically offering us our own vaccines
@Rory J Leonard: unfortunately Roy, it will f..ool many people
@kevin mcfadden: I’m not sure about Russia’s supply but Russia actually release the process of the vaccine manufacturing and allow countries to manufacture it themselves without any obligations . Italy is a perfect example of this . Ireland has one of the best pharmaceutical development capabilities in Europe and it’s not utilised whatsoever due to poor government decisions. This is not acceptable
@D. Memery: They haven’t made an offer, this is just she said he said! Novavax is being made in the UK so some of that might be available if the EU certify it? They were due to sign a contract to manufacture it in the EU but pulled out of the contract negotiations for some reason
@D. Memery: They haven’t made an offer, this is just she said he said! Novavax is being made in the UK so some of that might be available if the EU certify it? They were due to sign a contract to manufacture it in the EU but pulled out of the contract negotiations for some reason
@D. Memery: They haven’t made an offer, this is just she said he said! Novavax is being made in the UK so some of that might be available if the EU certify it? They were due to sign a contract to manufacture it in the EU but pulled out of the contract negotiations for some reason
@D. Memery: von Dee Leyen came out with this geopolitics BS. If the EU cannot see that the virus is the geopolitical threat and it’s own vaccine rollout failure is the real catalyst to cause the break up of the EU , then the faster it does break up the better. The hubris of unelected eurocrats in Brussels is costing and will cost lives. Voters will remember this. Sure as hell will anti EU politicians around Europe.
@Saz Johnson: Italy expected to begin manufacturing sputnik vaccine in July.. 10m doses… Great news but by July Europe and the rest of the world’s wealthy countries will be awash with vaccines.. Doesn’t really help us now.
@Rory J Leonard: really? The whole saga has demonstrated that the Brussels bureaucracy is unable to administer a policy across all the member states. And Ireland, desperate to please others as always, will be near the back of the queue.
@Hugo Bugo: Neither the UK of Russia are offering us anything other than a photo op with a crate for propaganda purposes. Also, please read the article again because you appear to thing the Irish government has asked for them. The Irish government has said they know nothing about the UKs plans in this regard.
@Rory J Leonard: dont be cutting off that nose to spite your face now
@Hugo Bugo: yes brexit very successful indeed just ask the collapsing fishing industry, the financial sector that’s seen 50% of its business disappear and the inevitable winding down of the car industry to name but a few!
@Hugo Bugo: All you need to fix all of this is adopt a more generous perspective and positive frame of interpretation. A gift from UK would be a great thing in all sorts of way, especially if we stay classy enough to say thank you.
@Justin McNulty:
This might help you get a clearer picture ….
@Justin McNulty:
Electric cars seem to be the future.
@Justin McNulty:
More news to make you weep.
@Justin McNulty:
Winding down the car industry. Makes you want to weep…
@Pat: What point are you making here? Just looks like the UK covering itself from trade blockages from EU battery suppliers so they can’t be held hostage?
There is planned vaccine shortages in the UK for the next month, so I doubt the U.K will give any away.
@Alan Byrne: UK will focus on second doses from next month so it’s likely their expansion will slow once the over 50 group completes its first dose.
Meanwhile we are due a million doses in the next four weeks with no evidence of an ability to distribute them. Still haven’t exceeded 100k in a week, target next week is 105k but based on HSE admitting to having received over 850k doses by 19 March and last week’s deliveries we have well over 200k doses on hand.
Not even achieving their claim of 95% of doses used within 7 days.
Where’s the booking portal? What’s the status of the centres, how many vaccinators are ready to go? No chance of doing a million doses in April.
Where’s our journalists and politicians…too preoccupied by populist cr@p like quarantine hotels and the Beacon Hospital.
Wow, the Brit bashers are out in force today, whether we like it or not, the UK is our closest neighbour, many Irish have family working in the UK and we are in a Common travel area with them. It is quoted in the UK press this morning that the UK are going to give us 3.7m doses of vaccine after Easter, Rather than abuse them we should just say thank you and hopefully this will be the start of opening the country up again and saving lives
@Hugh Fogerty: I’m sorry but where did you read the uk are giving ireland 3.8m vaccines after Easter?? Because it is absolute utter nonsense! If by after easter you mean around October when the full uk population have received their second dose of the vaccine then maybe… but that was just straight up BS and should be called out as such. By the way i don’t think ireland should have any claim over uk vaccines. And regarding the brit bashing, to be fair they do not help themselves at all!!
@Eoin Jackson: I said 3.7m not 3.8m… your first mistake, by Easter, I said after Easter, your second mistake, then the insults, well done your attention to detail is as good as the tripe you talk.
This is a none story.
@Andy Dillon: you mean you wish it was
@Andy Dillon:
“The plan was described by a British cabinet minister as a “poke in the eye for Brussels” because it could disrupt EU unity”
Never not at it.
@larry duff: I can make my own mind up thanks..
The horrendous vaccine rollout has done more damage to the EU than the UK leaving.
Of 150 million AZ doses promised for Q1 to EU, 19 million delivered, but UK got full quota, acquired ‘by other means’?: they signed after EU, paid 7 times the price – OAZ not doing at cost. Now we are to trust Lying Bojo, twice already broken NI protocol. It’s just PR, will come to nothing, but Fool Rees-Mogg will patronise in Commons.
@SheepleDog: The UK has got no where near full quota. Not even half. That doesn’t fit in with your narrative though does it because even though they got so few compared to what they were expecting they didn’t go about vilifying a company providing a vaccine at cost to the world. Only the progressive EU run by Merkel and Macron think that is acceptable. The world has watched and looked on in horror.
@SheepleDog:
Read and learn how Oxford and Astrazenica came together in agreement May 2020.
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/funding-and-manufacturing-boost-for-uk-vaccine-programme
@Steve:
Steve the BBC visited the Oxford AstraZenica sites. The vaccine is produced in Oxford and Keele and ‘bottled’ in Wrexham.
According to Ursula around one million doses came from Belgium the other 20 million doses sent to UK was from the contract UK entered into with Pfizer in June.
@SheepleDog:
This article gives the legal background to the 2 contracts with AstraZenica. It highlights the differences that of the EU to that of UK.
If the EU can get this so wrong what else can they mess up.
Why are we so backward, why didn’t plan better and get these vaccines booked well in advance. Going cap in hand to GB again!!!!??????
@Seán Dillon: You may be backward Sean but don’t count me in your royal we.
@Seán Dillon:
Let’s hope in future there will be a better supply for all ( whatever the need) The UK are fast tracking this development having gone from 0 to developing Oxford AstraZenica signed agreement in May 2020 and making French Valneva in Scotland and USA Novavax in Yorkshire
“One source said… the supply of vaccines from the European Union would improve significantly over the next four to six weeks, leaving Ireland with its own adequate number of vaccines.”
This One Source fella mustn’t live here. “Four to six weeks” in Ireland means 10 to 12 weeks, maybe, if the EU remembers us.
Please sir, can I have some more!
The Irish government, en masse, need to hold their collective heads in shame. We have allegedly a massive diaspora around the world and key ‘Irish’ people being leaders of some massive corporations globally. Not to mention many of the worlds largest Pharma companies ‘tax’ headquarters based here. Yet we can only muster pitiful amounts of vaccines and pathetic rollout processes. The UK has dispensed over 30m doses thus far. We are useless by all accounts.
The UK didn’t lock AstraZeneca into an exclusive contract so they could give away vaccines to people. This is a cynical attempt by Boris Johnson to position the UK as the good guy while knowing he will not need to handover so much as 1 dose as the Irish government has already purchased enough does for twice the population and they only reason they are not being delivered is because they are delivering to the UK first.
@Michael Connors: Michael according to the Commission about 1 million doses OxfordAstrazenica was sent from Belgium to the UK. It was made and ready to use before the EMA approved it for use. 20million doses of Pfizer have been sent to the UK..who signed the Pfizer contract in June.
The rest of the Astrazenica for uses in UKis being made in the UK apart from 5 million from Serum Institute India.
Here is what the lawyers say about the AZ contracts.
https://www.politico.eu/article/the-key-differences-between-the-eu-and-uk-astrazeneca-contracts/
@Michael Connors:
Sorry i was wrong the Pfizer contract with the UK was agreed in July 2020
So the UK will ‘give’ us 3.7 million doses in exchange for continued access to EU exported vaccines.
The EU exported over 20 million doses to the UK.
Typical Tory BS, having the cake and eating it.
@Gabriel Chagas: No they didn’t the EU has done nothing it is US Multinationals & Donald Trumps $18 Billion invested in operation warp speed that has delivered this miracle in record time. The EU were penny pinching squabbling with each other to make sure the French company Sanofi got the biggest investment from the EU to produce vaccine & they failed, took all the money and delivered nothing and gave up!
@Gabriel Chagas: possibly, but we wouldn’t have vaccines so we benefit massively. Win for everyone but especially us
@Gabriel Chagas: The EU are not exporting anything private companies are, the EU does not own the vaccines or make them private companies own and make them. Countries have contracts with these companies that they must honour, if the EU thinks AZ has not fulfilled their contract they would take them to court, its very telling that they have not. Private companies will move out of the EU if they start stopping exports because its not the EU who will be sued its them.
Blame the EU not the UK!
@Joe Thorpe: Pfizer Biontech was not in warp speed, Trump tried to corner the Biontech development and was told to f off by both the company and the German government. EU put 2.7b into early development and guaranteed orders including into AZ.
The primary issue is s that AZ have no history in vaccine production. They were not Oxford’s choice for partner. The UK government wanted a British company and AZ were the closest fit at half British. Their performance to date shows their lack of experience and the gratitude to the UK government.
@Gabriel Chagas:
According to the Commission the EUexported 21 million doses of vaccine to the UK.
This was actually 1 million AstraZenica from Belgium vaccine made and ready for use long before the EMA finly approved the Oxford
AZ at the end of Jan.
The other 20 million doses were Pfizer as part of the contract with Pfizer not the EU which was agreed July 2020.
@Gabriel Chagas:
Worth a look at the legal opinion of the Astrazenica contracts
https://www.politico.eu/article/the-key-differences-between-the-eu-and-uk-astrazeneca-contracts/
We should have Brexited with them, the EU is a bureaucratic nightmare.
The vaccinated process will happen eventually, but until this happens I think we should continue the lockdown until everyone is vaccinated. It will be worth the wait for normal life to return.
@Fran Proins: Am I mistaken or did you post the exact same word for word comment on a different article yesterday?
If the UK exported vaccines in the first place. We would be short of supply. Ireland is to UK centric. Listen to our own media. Much more balanced. And less of the fairy Stories for the British media with the if head in the sand.
@Andy Dillon: You will never admit that Brexit is a success.
@roscommonrebel: it isn’t, by any metric
@Andy Dillon: ‘balanced media’???
@DJ François: it is. You just can’t see what’s happening due to your own beliefs.
The the clowns in Stormont know that the R rate on both sides of the border are linked given the necessary level of cross border travel that has continued right through lockdown. It’s in their interest to try and speed up vaccination on the island of Ireland so dial down the rhetoric and try and see this as a positive
@Chris: also guess where people will be holidaying this year, north where pubs are open and not at risk on lockdowns like in the south
Boris is indeed a noble statesman helping out his poorer less educated neighbours.
Dear Borris can we ride you please ?
@Valentine Kane: you seem like such a catch
@Dan the man: if you only knew
The government is turning this Covid vaccine into a soap opera, and hoping to score some brownie points along the way, not for getting the pat on the pack.
Moan moan moan. Yet again Ireland think they should be bumped up the list! Rest of the world waiting on vaccines too
This is not a story. Nothing in UK press about it
@billy bound: Coronavirus: UK ‘set to offer 3.7m vaccines to Ireland’ amid EU exports row
Plan would enable lifting of lockdown restrictions in Northern Ireland with reduced risk of border crossings triggering third wave of infections
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/coronavirus-vaccines-uk-ireland-eu-b1823511.html
The UK could send millions of coronavirus vaccines to Ireland after Easter in a ‘poke in the eye’ to the EU, it was claimed today.
Some 3.7million doses could be handed to the Republic amid concerns that its slow rollout could prevent lockdown being eased in Northern Ireland.
Cabinet ministers are said to view the move as ‘good politics’ as well as solving a ‘genuine’ issue about the gulf in vaccination rates on the island.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9411175/UK-offer-3-7m-Covid-vaccines-Ireland-Easter.html
Baldy begging b ast ards
10$ a pop from Russia ffs. We always enjoyed there vodka
An interesting article in The Sunday world. Not the usual view but worth a read
Our weak government couldn’t even say “You owe us” even just for the genocide in the 1800′s. We could add more…
‘Beware of Greeks bearing gifts’ .
I think it advisable that any offers from the UK be channelled via the EU!
Thanks Jack bull
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