I have never been to other Hospitals in Ireland only our local one and I try not to frequent that unless I cannot help it but i went for a cup of tea and something to eat after an appointment/check-up and went down to the level where the restaurant was (does restaurant sound too posh lol - lets call it cafe then or catering) and it was absolutely wedged in their with Doctors/nurses/various hospital staff all mixing with the general public in their eating their lunch , the hospital staff all in their uniforms/scrubs whatever you call them. - now i would have thought that the staff/doctors and nurses would have their own part or area eating away from the public so they are not mixing with the general public.
why? - well, I thought about something like 'cross infection' where they could bring something (even possibly germs/bacteria?) on themselves or their uniforms into the eating area mixing with the public - or after mixing with the general public in the eating area take something back in the way of germs etc back to the wards they are working on or whatever? - its already been reported in the last couple of days that 2 wards have a Covid outbreak in these last couple of days.
It just surprises me to be honest that the hospital staff mix like this with the general public in this way , i really would have thought the staff and doctors and nurses should have their own staff canteens in the hospitals. - Apart from the germ spreading aspect i heard some doctors discussing (not using patient names though) medical issues with the others sitting around the table whilst they were eating ... again, not I think should be in earshot of the general public to be honest.