Covid 19 Part XXXV-956,720 ROI (5,952 deaths) 452,946 NI (3,002 deaths) (08/01) Read OP

Ignoring the ten a penny cranks like Staines, O'Neil and random GPs, at a more official level we have Anne O'Connor, COO of the HSE, Phil Ni Sheaghdha, gen sec of the INMO moaning about needing public restrictions as part of some new quango. They issued a letter (ultra vires it seems) on behalf of the taskforce which consists of an echo chamber of unions, officials from the Department of Health and patient advocate groups.

You say this but don't say what was in the letter or what exactly they were asking for...👏 fullmarks for stirring the pot .

Not a quango . Emergency Taskforce which includes patient advocacy groups among others .

Moaning ...🙄..seeing others here doing just that even when all restrictions gone because they are being asked to wear masks in congested settings , not a big deal really .

Others blaming the health service " for not doing more " ..what the f more can the health service do if people can't wear a mask in certain situations ?

Nobidy listening to the 'cranks'you mention . Very few would be listening to the anti mask anti vaxx anti establishment people who refuse to do anything they are advised to to protect themselves or others either .

Nothing from the others more than has been said before . Wear a mask in a crowded setting not just to protect yourself but to try to keep spread down sowe don't end up in a situation where more restrictions become necessary .

This will be an ongoing situation with surges every so often. It's annoying but not the end of the world.

There are worse scenarios out there .

@Goldengirl wrote:

Realistically a return to any restrictions will only be necessary if a new variant emerges which is more dangerous. We've now passed the peak of a wave of uncontrolled infection, and the world (and the health system) hasn't collapsed.

The discussion about bringing back masks is obsolete for a number of reasons;

1. The current wave is already subsiding
2. We now know we can "live" with covid
3. Anything less than an FFP2 face mask is literally useless against Omicron.

So bringing back face masks, even in limited circumstances like shops, would be nothing but theatre.

The issue here is one of categorisation and testing. We need to stop isolating asymptomatic cases. And we need to stop testing asymptomatic cases. Yes, even in healthcare. We don't routinely screen admissions for other infectious diseases, and covid is no different. Highly infectious, sure. But at the peak of any other wave of infection we don't test patients for that infection unless they present with symptoms of it.

Stop testing all hospital admissions (stick to symptomatic only) and our hospital numbers will collapse, and the burden on the health system instantly relieved. People wearing masks in shops will be do absolutely nothing to relieve the pressure on the health system.

In some reports it was suggested there were questions as to whether they even had the authority to send such a letter. A bit disappointed myself with this wild arm flailing by the HSE and INMO by people who I thought have done very well otherwise throughout this. It's also pleasing to see the government head off/ignore this. I wouldn't wholly blame the media here but they really are facilitating anyone with a pet worry, no matter how wrong it is.

Donnelly's soundbite, feeding a new wave of media hysteria, is very unhelpful.

Should we not be listening to those working in hospitals though?

If they are saying Covid is a problem, and hampering ability to do services should we not be pushing a message to try help this? Hospital staff don't want restrictions any more than other people, they affect them also.

Surprised government aren't at least asking to reduce social contacts at the minute, something which could actually help this

Inability to do their job is nice soundbite, but it doesn't help the front line staff in hospitals.

While covid is rampant in healthcare settings, and staff are dropping like flies(with a lot symptomatic) should we not take some steps to try and ensure we can limit those numbers?

Masks on public transport won't really hurt anyone, neither would (and it would be more affective) asking people to limit social contacts.

Good to see most people are completely awake now.

It's been a long and illogical 2 years, where Ireland suffered a great deal more than most other countries on earth.

Who is calling for restrictions?

Take your pick, it would be like shooting fish in a barrel.

If it is rife in the hospitals where masks remain madatory and HSE staff are catching it in work (reports of 5k+ staff off at the moment) then the masks aren't preventing the spread.

Why would the same masks somehow prevent the spread in other environments?