COVID-19 in Carlow

fits

Thought I might start a dedicated thread for this.

Cases have been creeping up in Carlow over the last week and I estimate they are around 30/100,000 now ( Laois around 90/100000). I think we are the next worst county after Laois. Hope it can be controlled but Im feeling very pessimistic about it at present

(edit just noticed there were older threads - mods feel free to merge)

fits

https://twitter.com/President_MU/status/1294219030262415361?s=20

September1

24 cases in two weeks (up to 15th August) which means roughly 100/100k which is higher infection rate than any country of Europe today with exception of Spain. I wonder if there are any meat or mushroom plants in Carlow?

mneylon

https://carlow-nationalist.ie/2020/08/18/worrying-rise-in-number-of-covid-cases-in-carlow/#.XzvU6JNKhBw

fits

September1 wrote: »

24 cases in two weeks (up to 15th August) which means roughly 100/100k which is higher infection rate than any country of Europe today with exception of Spain. I wonder if there are any meat or mushroom plants in Carlow?

The cases I have heard about seem to be unconnected to the meat factories.

September1

fits wrote: »

The cases I have heard about seem to be unconnected to the meat factories.

Those places could cause accelerate outbreaks if infection appears there.

iano.p

I know of 3 pubs in town who are all allowing you to stay and drink as long as you like. One pub told my wife "if the law comes in just order a pizza" she left after half an hour as it got busy.

I was out for a cycle the other day and came across a gaa match there was well over the 200 attending, there was no social distancing at all. It's easy to see why the government have banned attending games.

Agent Coulson

Shaws and Haddens have closed till at least Monday due to a staff member contracting Covid.

screamer

fits wrote: »

The cases I have heard about seem to be unconnected to the meat factories.

Yes I know of a cluster of cases directly linked to a meat plant in Kildare. Also heard of cases in Rathvilly similarly linked.

Laois_Man

A Carlow town primary school have just confirmed 2 cases

byhookorbycrook

Laois_Man wrote: »

A Carlow town primary school have just confirmed 2 cases

Source? The reason I ask is that a rumour went around 2 weeks ago that a particular primary had sent 3 classes home, so need to be sure it's not just speculation.

strawberrie

Have also seen this tonight. There is a screenshot of a message from a Carlow Town School on the Alerting parents of outbreaks in schools "Ireland" Facebook page. It states 2 cases and seems very legit.

Nokia6230i

byhookorbycrook wrote: »

Source? The reason I ask is that a rumour went around 2 weeks ago that a particular primary had sent 3 classes home, so need to be sure it's not just speculation.

Confirmed by Principal of the Primary School, the ETNS has had a case; they've identified close contacts who're now isolating.

There's no need in such cases, if pods/bubbles are adhered to to send whole class home much less shut the school.

Schools're only accounting for 1.9% of cases; community or in-home settings're running @ 6%.

Quare glad I'm not the Principal of any such school though; you do the right thing by HSE protocols in such an event but still Billy Big Balls thinks you & they're wrong because they got their information from Karen on Facebook whose 1st Cousin is married to a person whose friend is a vet but went out with a Nurse once....

Nokia6230i

Saw the Clinks marquee; they wven went to such lengths as to landscape the front & surrounds of it.

While the injunction order will be complied with, they have 3-4 weeks to do so by which time we will probably be back to Level 2 (hopefully!) so there'll be no need to challenge it or to breach it I guess?

They might find it becomes an opportunity for them going forward if functions become a thing again in 2021; they miss out on homecomings, Debs, Sacrament celebrations etc.

fits

Nokia6230i wrote: »

Saw the Clinks marquee; they wven went to such lengths as to landscape the front & surrounds of it.

While the injunction order will be complied with, they have 3-4 weeks to do so by which time we will probably be back to Level 2 (hopefully!) so there'll be no need to challenge it or to breach it I guess?

They might find it becomes an opportunity for them going forward if functions become a thing again in 2021; they miss out on homecomings, Debs, Sacrament celebrations etc.

It’s no different to a room in a building. I won’t be using it.

byhookorbycrook

Nokia6230i wrote: »

Confirmed by Principal of the Primary School, the ETNS has had a case; they've identified close contacts who're now isolating.

There's no need in such cases, if pods/bubbles are adhered to to send whole class home much less shut the school.

Schools're only accounting for 1.9% of cases; community or in-home settings're running @ 6%.

Quare glad I'm not the Principal of any such school though; you do the right thing by HSE protocols in such an event but still Billy Big Balls thinks you & they're wrong because they got their information from Karen on Facebook whose 1st Cousin is married to
a person whose friend is a vet but went out with a Nurse once....

Not in Carlow and not identifiable , but my friend is in a school further south . The children at the table ( lets be honest , that’s what “ pods “ are ) with child who
was positive are not deemed close contacts .Neither the SNA or class teacher . No-one is being tested . Not one .
An SEN teacher working 1 to 1 with the child for 5 30 minutes sessions last week won’t be tested either.


There is no social distancing as exists anywhere else . Up to 3rd , there is none at all . From 3rd to 6th there simply isn’t the space for children to be 1 m apart at all times , much less two .
Schools can’t do anything more than work within their constraints . 30 people in a room for 5 hours are all close contacts . The DES is wilfully ignoring the “inconvenience “ of aerosol transmission.

Laois_Man

Carlow Educate Together have confirmed a third case. This one thru the montessori that is on their premesis

Nokia6230i

Laois_Man wrote: »

Carlow Educate Together have confirmed a third case. This one thru the montessori that is on their premesis

Play Together is shut as a result for a fortnight as per the owner in a text to me just now.

The other premises remains open, continues unaffected + trades on.

fits

Anyone know whats going on in the last week or so? The numbers seem to have gotten really bad all of a sudden and we are in the top half of the league table now - worse than Dublin!.

Notmything

fits wrote: »

Anyone know whats going on in the last week or so? The numbers seem to have gotten really bad all of a sudden and we are in the top half of the league table now - worse than Dublin!.

Several large family clusters confirmed in the town I believe. One close to me with a family of 8 all positive.

September1

Carlow is now 6th most infected county in Ireland based on 14 day incidence per 100k

Notmything

Anecdotal I know, but there were a lot of family gatherings in the estate where I live over Christmas and especially New Year. A couple of them have resulted in clusters.

Carlow man

A supermarket in town had 20 cases in it most of the staff tested positive

Beauchamp Bagenal

Thats how people are catching it. Bringing it home with them and infecting their families.

47 new cases today and up to 900 cases over the past 2 weeks in Carlow.

Beauchamp Bagenal

From the Nationalist:

The number of Covid-19 cases in Carlow rose by 47 on Thursday bringing the 14 day rolling total to over 900 cases in Carlow.

The most recent local figures show that they were 319 cases in Carlow town and surrounding areas between 28 December and 11 January.

There were 220 cases in the Bagenalstown LEA.
280 cases in the Tullow LEA.
Carlow’s rate of Covid-19 is marginally above the national average.
One in 63 Carlow people has tested positive for Covid-19 in the last 14 days.

Nokia6230i

Was down in St. Dympnas today on unrelated matters; plenty of signage around the town on approach roads (the ones I use in any case) directing people to the site.

In off of the Old Dublin Rd. (Train Stn. side), down, into a hanger style or Steeltech shed, tested & back out again.

Traffic going in & out of it seemed steady enough; presume it's a 9 to 5 or an 8-6 job? Hardly 24/7 is it?

Fair impressed with how rapidly it went up; I know it's modular & involves portacabins also but still.

Because the structures're temporary, when we go back to normal in the Summer/Autumn (fingers crossed) the site can be restored back to normal.

Carlow man

Can you just go into it or have you to see your doctor first

iano.p

[quote="Nokia6230i;115922766"

Because the structures're temporary, when we go back to normal in the Summer/Autumn (fingers crossed) the site can be restored back to normal.[/quote]

That site will never be put back to the way it was. There is tons and tons of hardcore tar and tons of concrete where the shed is. Plus the gas lines and the building joining the esb network and waste system. I'm afraid that building will be standing empty in 20 years time.

Real Life

Carlow man wrote: »

Can you just go into it or have you to see your doctor first

You ring your doctor. They send your info through to the HSE and you then wait for a text from them with your time to go.

September1

It seems that Carlow is of 6 counties that still have growing infection rate and this growth is fastest in Ireland. Does it mean we are the county that is flouting restrictions most?

Beauchamp Bagenal

September1 wrote: »

It seems that Carlow is of 6 counties that still have growing infection rate and this growth is fastest in Ireland. Does it mean we are the county that is flouting restrictions most?

Yes. We've had a whole year of Covid in Carlow.
1800 confirmed cases in a year.
Averaging 50 a day now and almost 1000 cases since Christmas.
1 in 60 people have it.
70 positive tests today.

Half the Carlow Gardai and St Dymphnas staff have it according to the Nationalist/CKR.

I'm only posting a summary of the bad news.

byhookorbycrook

If the crowds up Mount Leinster were anything to go by, the 5km rule is being widely flouted. Likewise the woods at Ballinakelly, where the Gardaí sent people home. Anecdotal evidence says children are playing in groups, going into each others houses and even sleep overs.

Beauchamp Bagenal

Almost 300 cases since I last posted.
Passed 2100 mark today.
Probably much higher in reality.
#CarlowRising

natc

Beauchamp Bagenal wrote: »

Almost 300 cases since I last posted.
Passed 2100 mark today.
Probably much higher in reality.
#CarlowRising

Of course it’s higher in reality. They aren’t testing close contacts unless they are symptomatic which means far more people are likely to have it than what’s actually reported.

All we can do is hope those people restrict their movements.

I was talking to neighbour the other morning while he was getting in to his car he was going to karate classes some lad is still running in a shed out the back of his house and my neighbour said there are loads training there. He's in his late 50's and there he was heading off coughing and sputtering. I told the the rest of the family not to talk to him or his family now till this whole thing is over. Some people just don't care.

Nokia6230i

Has there been any anti mask phtlotaí rocking up to any of the businesses locally looking for an argument?

Tesco only recently have put in a big blue sign indicating masks must be worn; it's to the left hand side of the red/green LED display indicating when the store has reached capacity; I think, excluding staff, it's 140; Fairgreen've removed their crowd control barriers too.

ALDI traffic lights haven't been red in recent days when I've been there; their limit is lower, something like 40-50 tops excluding staff (all 5-6 of them ha ha!).

Have seen various anti Covid graffiti on poles & the various Covid signage around the town defaced too, damaged & even removed in some cases but most people seem compliant enough thankfully bar incidences like above.

Real Life

Nokia6230i wrote: »

Has there been any anti mask phtlotaí rocking up to any of the businesses locally looking for an argument?

Tesco only recently have put in a big blue sign indicating masks must be worn; it's to the left hand side of the red/green LED display indicating when the store has reached capacity; I think, excluding staff, it's 140; Fairgreen've removed their crowd control barriers too.

ALDI traffic lights haven't been red in recent days when I've been there; their limit is lower, something like 40-50 tops excluding staff (all 5-6 of them ha ha!).

Have seen various anti Covid graffiti on poles & the various Covid signage around the town defaced too, damaged & even removed in some cases but most people seem compliant enough thankfully bar incidences like above.

ALDI is pretty bad for having people in there without masks. Any time I'm in there I see at least 2 or 3. Doesn't seem to happen in the other shops, Ive seen people been turned away from the door at Dunnes.

iwillhtfu

Real Life wrote: »

ALDI is pretty bad for having people in there without masks. Any time I'm in there I see at least 2 or 3. Doesn't seem to happen in the other shops, Ive seen people been turned away from the door at Dunnes.

I'm not sure how to word it in a pc way but I have noticed a lot of non mask wearers are eastern european and they're pretty common customers. I'm not detracting from our own home grown kind gob****es either just something I've noticed, more so at the school when picking up the kids.

The ones who don't wear masks will be the first to blame the government for the whole mess they don't believe in taking personal responsibility at all.

denis160

Supervalu yesterday, someone in the queue at checkout, no mask & nothing about it from staff. Having said that I think Supervalu is one of the worse supermarkets in town as regards allowing numbers in, no one way system in the shop, when you walk in you can literally cut straight across to your left to those on their way out, ‘hand sanitizer station’ is disgusting, empty bottles & overflowing tissue bins.
Also, what’s the story with couples & families out walking in 2’s & 3’s abreast & staying that way when other pedestrians approach, it’s very annoying & frustrating, especially when you have it drilled into your own, ‘single file’ 🀯

September1

Carlow is now third most infected county in Ireland :-(

Beauchamp Bagenal

September1 wrote: »

Carlow is now third most infected county in Ireland :-(

All you/we can do is try to avoid crowds of people but that's hard to do within a 5km limit.
Like the previous poster said, supermarkets are super spreaders.
Not to mention the industrial estates and business parks that employ a lot of factory workers who have been deemed 'essential workers'.
Carlow numbers have been consistently high all winter, ever since that disastrous reopening of the hospitality sector back in December, coupled with the low temperatures and pissy weather lately.
Just have a read of the Wexford and Waterford covid threads, as bad as things are in Carlow, it's the same story everywhere as to why everything has turned to sh!t.

Don't despair. Have faith in your own belief that'll you survive being from Carlow!

Bog Man 1

September1 wrote: »

Carlow is now third most infected county in Ireland :-(

But it is improving rapidly .

votecounts

Real Life wrote: »

ALDI is pretty bad for having people in there without masks. Any time I'm in there I see at least 2 or 3. Doesn't seem to happen in the other shops, Ive seen people been turned away from the door at Dunnes.

I presume you mean the Aldi in town as anytime I've been to the one in Graigue, everyone has been wearing a mask as well as plenty of hand sanitizer.

Nokia6230i

votecounts wrote: »

I presume you mean the Aldi in town as anytime I've been to the one in Graigue, everyone has been wearing a mask as well as plenty of hand sanitizer.

The one in town I'm more familiar with (though I've been frequenting Graigue ove past 2-3 months too) & there seems far less compliance than Graigue alright or even in Tesco which is fully compliant from my experience.

It's down to ALDI security (1) & management/staff I guess but if they're not willing & we're all reluctant to make a scene (however politely, you just know these f'ers will live-stream/record you, start shouting & bang on about their human rights & that they'll sue etc.).

Real Life

votecounts wrote: »

I presume you mean the Aldi in town as anytime I've been to the one in Graigue, everyone has been wearing a mask as well as plenty of hand sanitizer.

No I actually meant Graigue, Im rarely in the one in town. The majority of people definitely do wear masks but there's always a few in there not. I have seen one of the staff say it to someone one day but there's probably not much else they can do.

Notmything

Real Life wrote: »

No I actually meant Graigue, Im rarely in the one in town. The majority of people definitely do wear masks but there's always a few in there not. I have seen one of the staff say it to someone one day but there's probably not much else they can do.

Only ones I ever see not wearing a mask on a regular basis in the graiguecullen Aldi are from an ethnic group, but even then it's only a small number.

More likely to see non mask wearers later in the evening in my experience, either they are choosing to shop at a later hour or they forgot/lost their mask.

BattleCorp

denis160 wrote: »

Supervalu yesterday, someone in the queue at checkout, no mask & nothing about it from staff.

Real Life wrote: »

ALDI is pretty bad for having people in there without masks. Any time I'm in there I see at least 2 or 3.

votecounts wrote: »

I presume you mean the Aldi in town as anytime I've been to the one in Graigue, everyone has been wearing a mask as well as plenty of hand sanitizer.

Nokia6230i wrote: »

The one in town I'm more familiar with (though I've been frequenting Graigue ove past 2-3 months too) & there seems far less compliance than Graigue alright or even in Tesco which is fully compliant from my experience.

I'm not saying this is the case with all non-mask wearers but there are exemptions when it comes to the legal requirement to wear masks in shops and businesses. If someone has a medical reason (physical/mental) they are not legally required to wear a mask.

My other point is that if a person walks into a shop without a mask and tells shop staff that they can't wear a mask for medical reasons, the shop staff have to take them at their word. They aren't allowed to ask what the medical reason is or ask for proof.

Chances are that the person you see not wearing the mask is either an ar5ehole or has a medical reason for not wearing it. I fear many of those who don't wear masks fall into the first category.

Nokia6230i

BattleCorp wrote: »

I'm not saying this is the case with all non-mask wearers but there are exemptions when it comes to the legal requirement to wear masks in shops and businesses. If someone has a medical reason (physical/mental) they are not legally required to wear a mask.

My other point is that if a person walks into a shop without a mask and tells shop staff that they can't wear a mask for medical reasons, the shop staff have to take them at their word. They aren't allowed to ask what the medical reason is or ask for proof.

Chances are that the person you see not wearing the mask is either an ar5ehole or has a medical reason for not wearing it. I fear many of those who don't wear masks fall into the first category.

In addition to your last point can I add ".....and you just know they want a confrontation to record/live-stream it for their 15 seconds of shame"?

Not sure has this "phenomenon" arrived in Co. Carlow yet; there are a few I'd be aware of who don't subscribe to mask wearing in the town but not naming names as it's not a thing on Boards.

iwillhtfu

BattleCorp wrote: »

I'm not saying this is the case with all non-mask wearers but there are exemptions when it comes to the legal requirement to wear masks in shops and businesses. If someone has a medical reason (physical/mental) they are not legally required to wear a mask.

To balance that argument the shop is also not legally required to allow entry to anyone that doesn't comply with a store policy. There are very very few genuine people that cannot wear a mask for medical reasons. These few people are the ones that are at a highest risk at the moment and should not be entering a store full of people, it's basically a petri dish.

BattleCorp

iwillhtfu wrote: »

To balance that argument the shop is also not legally required to allow entry to anyone that doesn't comply with a store policy. There are very very few genuine people that cannot wear a mask for medical reasons. These few people are the ones that are at a highest risk at the moment and should not be entering a store full of people, it's basically a petri dish.

Ah yeah, I know there are very few genuine people who cannot wear a mask for medical reasons but there are some who are genuine.

And if a store denied entry to someone with a valid medical reason for not wearing a mask, then the store could be facing a claim for discrimination based on (medical) disability.