Have NPHET lost the attention of people?

zerosugarbuzz

Harry Palmr wrote: »

In late Feb/early March she opined it was a bit like a flu, I heard her as I was driving so nearly crashed though a hedge.

Well she had it herself and worked right through it from home. Also she is a GP, maybe she knows a thing or two about it.

Gods Gift

Plumbthedepths wrote: »

People can not watch a match from the sidelines here in Ireland, can you tell me where else watching sport outdoors is forbidden?

North Korea.

Wanderer78

suicide_circus wrote:

Denmark never closed any bars or restaurants. Think about that.

They may not be messy drunks, like many Irish are

niallo27

Ned Led Zeppo wrote: »

The UK.

They had fans back in for the rugby last week, and football down the country.

niallo27

Wanderer78 wrote: »

They may not be messy drunks, like many Irish are

You have obviously never been out with Danish people, they are cracked. Its a myth we are messy drunks. I travelled most of Europe in my last job and most countries are just as messy if not worse than us.

Harry Palmr

zerosugarbuzz wrote: »

Well she had it herself and worked right through it from home. Also she is a GP, maybe she knows a thing or two about it.

She knew something about it once she got it!

L1011

Wanderer78 wrote: »

They may not be messy drunks, like many Irish are

They drink quite a bit- at home. And its quite obvious why:

Bottle of Jameson (they do drink quite a bit of Irish whiskey) - €16 (price from Fotex, major high end store). 6 500ml cans of Royal Export (a Danish beer that isn't Carlsberg, its fine) - €4.80 (Price from Rema 1000, a discount store cause it appears Fotex doesn't sell beer!)


500ml of beer in a bar in Copenhagen - try a tenner. Often sold in smaller servings for what look like decent prices (4-5) until you realise the size of the glass!

The price differential home:pub compared to here is insane.


If you just mean how they act when drunk... just go drink with some. Its a Scandi trait that Ireland got it from.

zerosugarbuzz

Harry Palmr wrote: »

She knew something about it once she got it!

She says what she says having had it....that seems to be lost on you, most people here have not had it so in my view she knows better

Gerry Hatrick

No. I think they've done an outstanding job tbh.

zerosugarbuzz

niallo27 wrote: »

You have obviously never been out with Danish people, they are cracked. Its a myth we are messy drunks. I travelled most of Europe in my last job and most countries are just as messy if not worse than us.

Definitely, you should see them on the Canary Islands in the Winter drinking pints with Breakfast. Make the Irish look like light weights

L1011

One thing with the Danes is they can pace themselves better, because they're not treated like children when drinking. Pubs open as late as they want; you can drink on the streets - but you'll actually be arrested if uncontrollably drunk. But they'll certainly get to the same stage as most Irish people do after a session.

They even have a word for the "the first day you can drink outside". Its not uncommon to grab a beer in the train station shop on the way to work, or at lunch - just one though.

Coillte_Bhoy

L1011 wrote: »

The Government were elected - they commanded more than 50% of the vote

That's how PR-STV works.

Just because one political party in particular is upset about a voting system (that they are entirely in favour of in NI...) and spreading gibberish about "unelected Taoiseach" and so on doesn't change that.

It's quite worrying how many people come out with this nonsense about the Govt somehow not being elected, same with caretaker Govt previously, the idea that somehow they weren't legitimate

SeaFields

At the start everything was very clear. We needed to implement certain measures to ensure we wouldn't see the scenes from elsewhere - army trucks transporting bodies.

Now people are questioning some newer measures and organisations, as well as the individual, are querying things ( like the gaa and VFI). And there seems to be validity in the things being questioned...like why does my pub need to record everything I ate with my pint for 28 days for example?! What does that do to prevent the spread of Covid?!

As an old boss of mine used say 'if you're explaining you're losing'.

niallo27

Gerry Hatrick wrote: »

No. I think they've done an outstanding job tbh.

I know your a bit bonkers gerry but even you can't make up a good reason for keeping a 28 day record of what food a person had.

CalamariFritti

I think they are doing a terrible job but whats nearly worse is how the governments are hiding behind them. I will give them the benefit of the doubt at the very start. Nobody knew sh1t but after that its been terrible. They're just a bunch of admin bigwigs covering their arses it would seem and come out with permanent nonsense like any big committee of admin bigwigs would, surprise surprise. Other than that there just doing what everyone else is doing plus an added 150% of conservative.

The nonsense during lockdown not letting people go to beaches and other outdoor areas.
The 2km, 5km, 20km nonsense.
The mask nonsense. Discouraging masks when they actually might have made a difference. Now mandating them in places where we know no infections occurred. First saying they''re not going to work cos people gonna make a balls of it. Now watch while people make a balls of it.
The permanent micromanagement bollix. Like put on a mask when you to the jacks but its ok when you sit down. As if that made a fkn difference. These stupid timelimits, like under 105 minutes you're ok but after that its dangerous. Who's going to believe that sh1te?. I can play soccer where I can pull and toss 11 other people around but nobody can watch at the sideline. Weddings, funerals churches.
The meat factories. The Kildare 'lockdown'. The list goes on.
The berating, finger wagging and fear mongering.
The actual neck of them acting as if they fkn ruled the place.

Was going to add the nursing homes but I suppose while the HSe is represented at Nphet the two aren't really the same thing are they?

Edit: I could actually go on for a while....

karlitob

SeaFields wrote: »

At the start everything was very clear. We needed to implement certain measures to ensure we wouldn't see the scenes from elsewhere - army trucks transporting bodies.

Now people are questioning some newer measures and organisations, as well as the individual, are querying things ( like the gaa and VFI). And there seems to be validity in the things being questioned...like why does my pub need to record everything I ate with my pint for 28 days for example?! What does that do to prevent the spread of Covid?!

As an old boss of mine used say 'if you're explaining you're losing'.

Nphet haven’t advised any pub to record what is eaten by customers.

If you’ve a problem with it, take it up with the Pub itself.

If you don’t want to write down what you ate or your details, then don’t. It’s not a law that you must comply with.

If it’s all too much then don’t go to the pub.

But all of that has nothing to do with Nphet.

karlitob

SeaFields wrote: »

As an old boss of mine used say 'if you're explaining you're losing'.

Did your boss ever provide expert evidence based advice to government in the middle of a global pandemic the likes of which hasn’t been seen in over 100 years?

Cos if he did, I’m sure Nphet would welcome his advice on how to explain to a nation how to deal with large number of small outbreaks - and yet by explaining, to not be losing.

normanoffside

Plumbthedepths wrote: »

I follow the hygiene , cough etiquette, mask, hand hygiene the common sense advice. The rest of their nonsense along with a plethora of other numpties such as Staines, Ryan, Killeen I ignore.

I don’t even do that anymore. I stick on a dirty mask that’s Been in my back pocket all day just to go into the shop or on the bus to keep the curtain twitchers at bay. Totally pointless. I’d imagine 99% of people are the same.

karlitob

CalamariFritti wrote: »

Was going to add the nursing homes but I suppose while the HSe is represented at Nphet the two aren't really the same thing are they?..

Not sure what you mean in this sentence?


Overall, you’re correct - clearly an awful lot of this is not logical. I do think that we’re probably within the realm of behavioural psychology rather than evidence based infection control. How can Nphet get the most people To adhere to the basics in each sphere of life? What will the public tolerate In each social situation?

No one really gives a flute about mass, but everyone’s mad for a wedding or communion.

To be fair, they never profess to have the answers. It’s fairly straightforward on what should be done To get rid of the virus - lockdown. But once You’re out of lockdown, it’s really damage limitation. Trying your beat to restrict movement so that it’s easier to react when their is a cluster or outbreak. There are no rules for this. We can’t live Covid free but in lockdown and we can’t live the way we were were and not have a highly infectious disease overwhelm services, and harm and kill citizens. We’re someone in the very grey middle.

funnydoggy

karlitob wrote: »

Did your boss ever provide expert evidence based advice to government in the middle of a global pandemic the likes of which hasn’t been seen in over 100 years?

Cos if he did, I’m sure Nphet would welcome his advice on how to explain to a nation how to deal with large number of small outbreaks - and yet by explaining, to not be losing.

Do you believe NPHET to be infallible?

Happydays2020

karlitob wrote: »

Did your boss ever provide expert evidence based advice to government in the middle of a global pandemic the likes of which hasn’t been seen in over 100 years?

Cos if he did, I’m sure Nphet would welcome his advice on how to explain to a nation how to deal with large number of small outbreaks - and yet by explaining, to not be losing.

NPHET members went back to their day jobs and ignored the real and known risks. This was not March or April when they had excuses - this was July and August. The testing regime had only worked when they are under pressure to deliver - they have been reactive and not proactive. Many of the same members of NPHET have been the same people mismanaging the health service for many years.

I do think that the public health people including Glynn, de Gascun and Nolan are doing a decent enough job, have been relatively sensible and seem to at least be aware of the impact of the community.

GT89

People need to stop buying this crap it's gone ridiculous at this stage. It is time to go get on with our lives as normal without masks, social distancing, app, local lockdowns or any other nonsense. Think about it if the majority of people with covid are asymptomatic then it couldn't be that deadly if you don't even know you have it.

They could at least start by stopping their deadly briefing that would really help put an end to the fear mongering which is exactly what it is. It's to put the nonsense of 2020 behind us and get on with living.

Scuid Mhór

GT89 wrote: »

People need to stop buying this crap it's gone ridiculous at this stage. It is time to go get on with our lives as normal without masks, social distancing, app, local lockdowns or any other nonsense. Think about it if the majority of people with covid are asymptomatic then it couldn't be that deadly if you don't even know you have it.

They could at least start by stopping their deadly briefing that would really help put an end to the fear mongering which is exactly what it is. It's to put the nonsense of 2020 behind us and get on with living.

Sounding dangerously narcissistic there GT89.

dubrov

GT89 wrote:

People need to stop buying this crap it's gone ridiculous at this stage. It is time to go get on with our lives as normal without masks, social distancing, app, local lockdowns or any other nonsense. Think about it if the majority of people with covid are asymptomatic then it couldn't be that deadly if you don't even know you have it.

I agree with the sentiment but just because the majority are asymptomatic, it did not mean the virus is not deadly

freak scence

power-freaks on meds the lot of them . They are making us look worse than the USA

GT89

hmmm wrote: »

Will that include everyone who comes into contact with the "high risk" categories?

Will nurses and doctors also have to be restricted? How about nursing home workers - I'm presuming they will also have to be cut off from the rest of society "carrying on"? Will any family with someone who is immunosuppressed have to isolate themselves from society? How about someone who is in a vulnerable category and works, I presume they will have to give up their job?

How long will they have to keep this up - forever?

Simple just test anyone working with vulnerable patients as much as possible and let the rest of us get on with it. It should be up to induvidual families and those with underlying conditions to do what they feel is best for them whether that is cocooning, limiting contacts or nothing at all if they so wish it is completely up to them.

Put in place a voluntary furlough scheme for those who work with underlying conditions or facilitate WFH if possible for those induviduals.

GT89

dubrov wrote: »

I agree with the sentiment but just because the majority are asymptomatic, it did not mean the virus is not deadly

Never said it wasn't deadly. I'm am just saying that it isn't near as deadly as is being made out. Flu is also deadly

John O.Groats

freak scence wrote: »

power-freaks on meds the lot of them . They are making us look worse than the USA

Stop posting gibberish.

John O.Groats

GT89 wrote: »

People need to stop buying this crap it's gone ridiculous at this stage. It is time to go get on with our lives as normal without masks, social distancing, app, local lockdowns or any other nonsense. Think about it if the majority of people with covid are asymptomatic then it couldn't be that deadly if you don't even know you have it.

They could at least start by stopping their deadly briefing that would really help put an end to the fear mongering which is exactly what it is. It's to put the nonsense of 2020 behind us and get on with living.

This entire post is complete absolute utter bollocks. You really don`t have a clue do you? Have you done anything about getting your other issues sorted out yet?

GT89

John O.Groats wrote: »

This entire post is complete absolute utter bollocks. You really don`t have a clue do you?

I have a clue that is fear mongering bs

John O.Groats

GT89 wrote: »

I have a clue that is fear mongering bs

As you don`t give a **** about anyone other than yourself which is what you have stated several times here then you have zero credibility when talking about BS. You need to get your issues sorted out ASAP.

GT89

John O.Groats wrote: »

As you don`t give a **** about anyone other than yourself which is what you have stated several times here then you have zero credibility when talking about BS. You need to get your issues sorted out ASAP.

Explain to me how covid is as deadly as you think it is if the majority are asymptomatic. I have zero issues so I'm not sure what you are talking about.

John O.Groats

GT89 wrote: »

Explain to me how covid is as deadly as you think it is if the majority are asymptomatic. I have zero issues so I'm not sure what you are talking about.

Oh yes you do as I and several other posters have pointed out several times previously. If you can`t see that then you are delusional.

GT89

John O.Groats wrote: »

Oh yes you do as I and several other posters have pointed out several times previously. If you can`t see that then you are delusional.

I have no issues. I am fully functioning normal person you have never met me. I'm glad to see you can diagnose someones mental illness from behind a keyboard

karlitob

funnydoggy wrote: »

Do you believe NPHET to be infallible?

No but that’s not what I said. Read it again.

karlitob

Happydays2020 wrote: »

NPHET members went back to their day jobs and ignored the real and known risks. This was not March or April when they had excuses - this was July and August. The testing regime had only worked when they are under pressure to deliver - they have been reactive and not proactive. Many of the same members of NPHET have been the same people mismanaging the health service for many years.

I do think that the public health people including Glynn, de Gascun and Nolan are doing a decent enough job, have been relatively sensible and seem to at least be aware of the impact of the community.

This is their day job - on top of everything else.

It’s amazing how some people in Nphet are doing a brilliant job according to you but others aren’t. How the bad advice must be coming from the other people on Nphet and not the world experts that you mention. It almost sounds like you’re on Nphet and are privy to the conversations.

Nphet are not responsible for the delivery of a contact tracing system so I don’t know what you’re on about.

Happydays2020

karlitob wrote: »

This is their day job - on top of everything else.

It’s amazing how some people in Nphet are doing a brilliant job according to you but others aren’t. How the bad advice must be coming from the other people on Nphet and not the world experts that you mention. It almost sounds like you’re on Nphet and are privy to the conversations.

Nphet are not responsible for the delivery of a contact tracing system so I don’t know what you’re on about.

Have a look at the membership. Many of the members have executive functions in the HSE not to mention the Dept of Health heads.

Unlike others on this thread I am not taking a black and white view. NPHET and the executive roles the members have is not all good but at the same time it is not all bad. Serious mistakes have been made.

karlitob

Happydays2020 wrote: »

Have a look at the membership. Many of the members have executive functions in the HSE not to mention the Dept of Health heads.

Unlike others on this thread I am not taking a black and white view. NPHET and the executive roles the members have is not all good but at the same time it is not all bad. Serious mistakes have been made.

I know who they are. You’ve missed my point. The management of Covid is their day job. Being on Nphet is their day job. The minister directed those persons who are members of the HSE to come onto the group.

I know what you’re think you’re saying about Nphet - but that’s not their role. Their role is to give expert advice on the disease and it’s effect on the public and public services. They inform the minister - the minister brings to government.

What major mistakes did they make?

Happydays2020

karlitob wrote: »

I know who they are. You’ve missed my point. The management of Covid is their day job. Being on Nphet is their day job. The minister directed those persons who are members of the HSE to come onto the group.

I know what you’re think you’re saying about Nphet - but that’s not their role. Their role is to give expert advice on the disease and it’s effect on the public and public services. They inform the minister - the minister brings to government.

What major mistakes did they make?

I don’t believe their executive roles can be fully differentiated from their NPHET role.

- Obsession with travel while not keeping on top of the the known domestic risks with Travellers, Roma, Direct Provision, meat plants.

- the obsession with travel was a closed borders approach which was very clear was a utopian solution given our circumstances. Testing at the airport was dismissed as a recommendation. We are now three months behind other jurisdictions on this.

- mask wearing - confusing and inconsistent advice.

- testing capacity being visibly stood down which led to complacency.

road_high

Wow, saying so articulately exactly what so many of us are thinking. You can almost see Miriam and the shock on her face at a real opinion backed up by real evidence
https://twitter.com/rte_primetime/status/1301643430385385473?s=21

karlitob

Happydays2020 wrote: »

I don’t believe their executive roles can be fully differentiated from their NPHET role.

That’s what I just said. And it’s not supposed to be. They’re are on Nphet because of their executive roles. They are their to represent the HSE and advise the minister - like they do every other day on a million different things - on what the service can deliver and what affect Covid will have on the service. They are not there to say that there should be no supporters at a GaA match.
The clinical members from the HSE who are on Nphet will give their expert evidence based advice - which is requested by the minister. Nphet is a ministerial function. Not a HSE one.

- Obsession with travel while not keeping on top of the the known domestic risks with Travellers, Roma, Direct Provision, meat plants.
- you need to a better understanding of infection control. How do you know that they were ‘not keeping on top of it’. The HSE didn’t devise direct provision, the didn’t put travellers into caravans. Viruses spread in close conditions with poor hygiene and amongst those in specific groups with poorer socioeconomics and education. Covid is no different to suicide, heart disease and cancer amongst these groups - which is higher than the average population. You can’t blame Nphet for that - or can you.

- the obsession with travel was a closed borders approach which was very clear was a utopian solution given our circumstances. Testing at the airport was dismissed as a recommendation. We are now three months behind other jurisdictions on this.
- again, who’s to say it’s wrong. There is no such thing as a negative test, only a non detected. If hogans resignation shower anything is that the advice is to self isolate Coming from certain countries as you can’t be negative when tested.
- testing is incredibly expensive and time consuming. Blanket testing cannot do what you think it does.
- we clearly didn’t have a closed order approach

- mask wearing - confusing and inconsistent advice.
- I would say that the advice evolves Rather than be inconsistent. I would agree that mask wearing is ineffective and shouldn’t be used. However, that is a logical reasoned evidence based response. The national melodrama and usual faux outrage around this forced the hand of government as - I keep saying - this is all about behavioural change rather than logic. The focus was coming off other precautions and the face mask became a distraction. You have unions - bus drivers and teachers - who demanded masks. Clearly masks needed to come in to ensure the wheels keep turning.


- testing capacity being visibly stood down which led to complacency.[/quote]
- it wasn’t visible stepped down, there was no requirement for all 28 testing centres all around the country To open and be staffed during June July and August. The whole thing was ramped up within 36 hours. That is a HSE Issue and not a Nphet one. And the ceo has answered that.

kippy

ElektroToad wrote: »

The NPHET are losing credibility imho.

At the start the message was clear and easy to understand: tight restrictions were imposed on society to "flatten the curve" and buy our health sector valuable time to face the unknown challenges ahead.

Now 6 months on, the message is confusing and contradictory. They say we must learn to "live with the virus" but that doesn't make sense when you consider the huge sectors of the economy are closed / operating as a shadow of their normal selves. That doesn't sound like "living with the virus" to me. It sounds more like "lets all hunker down and hope for the best"... There's no clear goal to work toward and so people are quite rightly a bit fed up with them now.

The message is not as straightforward now because we are not in a "tight restrictions" on everyone scenario. Certains areas/sectors/groups have different sets of restrictions/guidance applied for numerous reasons. Things are not as binary in order to try return to some level of "normal" while ensuring the virus is suppressed.
There's a set numbe of goals to work towards - pity people chose not to see them:
1. Keep the schools open.
2. Keep the virus suppressed.
3. Reduce the pressure on the health system.
To achieve these goals a large number of restrictions are in place, and more available to apply regionally if needed.


Some people are losing patience as their income/mental health/lifestyle has been negatively impactated but this is not the fault of NPHET or indeed the people - this is all understandable and it is something that NPHET and those making these decisions are well aware of.

karlitob

road_high wrote: »

Wow, saying so articulately exactly what so many of us are thinking. You can almost see Miriam and the shock on her face at a real opinion backed up by real evidence
https://twitter.com/rte_primetime/status/1301643430385385473?s=21

He’s fairly brilliant!

road_high

karlitob wrote: »

He’s fairly brilliant!

He knows what he’s talking about. He’s dealing with and seeing the fallout daily. It’s rather disturbing the consequences

robbiezero

road_high wrote: »

Wow, saying so articulately exactly what so many of us are thinking. You can almost see Miriam and the shock on her face at a real opinion backed up by real evidence
https://twitter.com/rte_primetime/status/1301643430385385473?s=21

A very good piece. You can see the shock in Miriams face after he says his piece. They will need to have Gerry Killeen on the next 5 episodes to compensate.

is_that_so

kippy wrote: »

The message is not as straightforward now because we are not in a "tight restrictions" on everyone scenario. Certains areas/sectors/groups have different sets of restrictions/guidance applied for numerous reasons. Things are not as binary in order to try return to some level of "normal" while ensuring the virus is suppressed.
There's a set numbe of goals to work towards - pity people chose not to see them:
1. Keep the schools open.
2. Keep the virus suppressed.
3. Reduce the pressure on the health system.
To achieve these goals a large number of restrictions are in place, and more available to apply regionally if needed.


Some people are losing patience as their income/mental health/lifestyle has been negatively impactated but this is not the fault of NPHET or indeed the people - this is all understandable and it is something that NPHET and those making these decisions are well aware of.

Of course it's always people who are not to blame for not being able to see things properly. Great to have smarter people to put us straight. As been said elsewhere it's a communications failure. NPHET go from concerned to worried and alarmed to the half-baked government measures we've seen recently.

I like Glynn but he doesn't have that public feel that Holohan had. We don't ever hear these so-called "important things" coherently expressed and we are still in a two week rolling cycle. That is where the real problem lies and it's now both a NPHET and a government problem.

FintanMcluskey

road_high wrote: »

He knows what he’s talking about. He’s dealing with and seeing the fallout daily. It’s rather disturbing the consequences

He's very articulate.

Arent the vulnerable very brave? They lived through so much, even they want to open up, worse things than death I suppose.

Few cowards online and in the media who have been an echo chamber of zero Covid look pathectic in comparison.
Really shameful

kippy

is_that_so wrote: »

Of course it's always people who are not to blame for not being able to see things properly. Great to have smarter people to put us straight. As been said elsewhere it's a communications failure. NPHET go from concerned to worried and alarmed to the half-baked government measures we've seen recently.

I like Glynn but he doesn't have that public feel that Holohan had. We don't ever hear these so-called "important things" coherently expressed and we are still in a two week rolling cycle. That is where the real problem lies and it's now both a NPHET and a government problem.

Some people are just idiots - not everyone - but some. Some chose not to engage even. No level of communications mastery will change that.
You don't need to look too far to see idiots at all levels of Irish society.

Holohan and Glynn are not responsible for "public feel" - it should be fairly obvious to you and more than as the timeline has moved on, people patience has withered - not due to the people or the comms, but due to their own personal circumstances and/or the perception around the virus changing for one reason or another.
As I said, all of the above it totally understandable. People finances, health and lifestyle have been severly impacted and in their own bubble that is the worst thing ever.

road_high

FintanMcluskey wrote: »

He's very articulate.

Arent the vulnerable very brave? They lived through so much, even they want to open up, worse things than death I suppose.

Few cowards online and in the media who have been an echo chamber of zero Covid look pathectic in comparison.
Really shameful

There was a deep sadness in what he was saying, I was obviously onboard with what he is saying anyway but you’d have to be a stone not to be moved by it

Happydays2020

karlitob wrote: »

That’s what I just said. And it’s not supposed to be. They’re are on Nphet because of their executive roles. They are their to represent the HSE and advise the minister - like they do every other day on a million different things - on what the service can deliver and what affect Covid will have on the service. They are not there to say that there should be no supporters at a GaA match.
The clinical members from the HSE who are on Nphet will give their expert evidence based advice - which is requested by the minister. Nphet is a ministerial function. Not a HSE one.

- Obsession with travel while not keeping on top of the the known domestic risks with Travellers, Roma, Direct Provision, meat plants.
- you need to a better understanding of infection control. How do you know that they were ‘not keeping on top of it’. The HSE didn’t devise direct provision, the didn’t put travellers into caravans. Viruses spread in close conditions with poor hygiene and amongst those in specific groups with poorer socioeconomics and education. Covid is no different to suicide, heart disease and cancer amongst these groups - which is higher than the average population. You can’t blame Nphet for that - or can you.

- the obsession with travel was a closed borders approach which was very clear was a utopian solution given our circumstances. Testing at the airport was dismissed as a recommendation. We are now three months behind other jurisdictions on this.
- again, who’s to say it’s wrong. There is no such thing as a negative test, only a non detected. If hogans resignation shower anything is that the advice is to self isolate Coming from certain countries as you can’t be negative when tested.
- testing is incredibly expensive and time consuming. Blanket testing cannot do what you think it does.
- we clearly didn’t have a closed order approach

- mask wearing - confusing and inconsistent advice.
- I would say that the advice evolves Rather than be inconsistent. I would agree that mask wearing is ineffective and shouldn’t be used. However, that is a logical reasoned evidence based response. The national melodrama and usual faux outrage around this forced the hand of government as - I keep saying - this is all about behavioural change rather than logic. The focus was coming off other precautions and the face mask became a distraction. You have unions - bus drivers and teachers - who demanded masks. Clearly masks needed to come in to ensure the wheels keep turning.


- testing capacity being visibly stood down which led to complacency.

- it wasn’t visible stepped down, there was no requirement for all 28 testing centres all around the country To open and be staffed during June July and August. The whole thing was ramped up within 36 hours. That is a HSE Issue and not a Nphet one. And the ceo has answered that.[/quote]

You think they are doing a great job. I don’t. In some areas they have done a very good job and in other areas it has been mixed to say the least.

On this point:

“testing is incredibly expensive and time consuming. Blanket testing cannot do what you think it does.”

Indeed it is expensive and time consuming but the signal that the “country is closed” is going to cost a lot more. We have american nationality executives from MNEs who cannot fully participate in the country including staycations because of their accents. Do you think those people will be encouraging further investment here?

Advisors need to look around corners and see the different nuances to their recommendations (even if they may not be the perfect public health solution). They need to understand the broader environment including the political economy in considering recommendations and back in their Other day jobs they need to be walking the walk.

By the way - I am far more critical of the Minister and the current Government. What happened two weeks with the rushed Cabinet meeting was ridiculous and we have seen the broader fall out from that which will have lasting damage to our reputation.