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PUBLIC HEALTH OFFICIALS confirmed a further 1,062 of Covid-19 and 10 deaths in Ireland as Chief Medical Officer Dr Tony Holohan Glynn led this evening’s press briefing of the National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET) addressing the Covid-19 crisis.
This evening’s figures mean that there have now been a total of 197,553 cases of Covid-19 in Ireland, along with 3,317 deaths.
Here’s what was discussed at this evening’s briefing:
Plateau of cases
Professor Philip Nolan said that NPHET is now concerned that the rate of infection appears to have stopped declining.
Nolan explained that there is serious concern at the “very high” rate of infection among the older, more vulnerable groups, despite infection numbers in these groups reducing.
Numbers in hospitals are steadily decreasing, so too are the number of people receiving intensive care, he added.
So, why are not seeing the case numbers reduce? Nolan thinks the reasons for this are two-fold. He said the level of people staying at home is not the same as it was during the first lockdown of March/April last year.
The reintroduction of the testing of close contacts is also another potential indicator of why we are not seeing the case numbers reduce.
However, he added there is no evidence people have started to increase their level of social contact.
“If we’re beginning to relax, it’s not the time, it’s time to keep going,” he warned.
Travel
There were a lot of questions tonight directed at NPHET in relation to an interview Ryanair boss Michael O’Leary gave to RTÉ’s Morning Ireland today.
Essentially, O’Leary accused NPHET of scaremongering and accused them of telling “scare stories” to the Irish people.
Dr Holohan said that while he has nothing but “admiration” for O’Leary, he doesn’t’ accept the criticism levelled at him and NPHET.
“We stand over our processes and our information,” Dr Holohan told the media.
He also said that those people thinking they will be jetting off somewhere nice for their summer holidays can think again.
“I don’t think we’re headed, in the summer, to any beaches other than those in our own locality.
“We are in a situation now we have to focus on getting the vulnerable vaccinated, we have to put in place measures. It’s not likely to see a summer that is characterised by flying off to Europe. I don’t think that is realistic.”
Education
It emerged this evening that special schools will reopen at 50% capacity on 11 February,
NPHET had advised the Government at the start of the year that reopening schools was a bad idea due to the high rate of infection, advice the Government took.
However, there have been calls from various sectors to reopen special schools and classes for those with additional needs.
Dr Holohan would not be drawn on questions regarding the Leaving Cert and the potential implications Covid will have on this year’s exams.
He did say that “making progress on reducing the rate of transmission is not enough” to allow NPHET to contemplate the easing of restrictions.
You can sign up to TheJournal.ie’s coronavirus newsletter below. Tomorrow’s edition will include further details from the briefing.
So what is the point in lockdowns and taking a vaccine when we are being dictated to stay put.. what is the difference with this year and every other year it all out vulnerable will be vaccinated by summer!
I for one will be vaccinated and will be going on a foreign holiday
@Linda Walsh: will you still enjoy it if you’re hit with 2 x €500 fines, per person?
@Ci: why would they be fining people in the summer? If we still have high cases in the summer then the responsibility lies with the government.
@Linda Walsh: This Selfish attitude is what has us in this mess.
@Dixieblue: troll account
@Linda Walsh: you can be vaccinated and still spread he virus I believe
@David Geraghty: So restrictions forever then, yeah?
@David Geraghty: well if that true David there is no end to lockdowns.
@David Geraghty: There is certainly no clear evidence that being vaccinated prevents transmission, so you are correct there. There is undisputable evidence however that vaccination leads to decreased virulence- i.e. the virus is in turn less harmful.
Going back to the original comment, she is perfectly correct in saying that if the vulnerable cohort of people in society are vaccinated, death rates and hospital admissions should plummet. This has been clearly demonstrated both in the clinical phase 3 trials when testing the vaccine, and in the early data coming out of nations like Israel where they are deep into their rollout.
@Linda Walsh: well done, taking one for the country and our people.
@Eugene Norman: typically Irish blame someone else, if we have high cases in the summer, we are to blame, our fault.
@Linda Walsh: who said that they’d let you in…..? Unfortunately people don’t like to here news that doesn’t suit them. Just as Dr.H said. Hopefully vaccination gets us out of this mess sooner rather than later.
@daniel roche: Why would we have high cases in the summer?
@daniel roche: typical Irish, trying to seem as self righteous and holier than thou as possible to as many people as possible while ignoring real power.
In 1947 New York vaccinated 6m people in a month. And I’m not “blaming everybody but myself” I’ve been wfh and obeying lockdowns for a year. Now it’s time for the government to actually do its job. They are admitting in that statement that they won’t have people vaccinated by summer. Time to get competent.
@mar: maybe ask the experts.
@Eugene Norman: did you actually read your reply to me.
@Dixieblue: selfish? I’ve been on the frontline since last March while keyboard heros like you are being judgemental
@David Geraghty: so is your point take the vaccine and risk the side effects but still stay locked down?
@Linda Walsh: see Linda had had the vaccine as she is a healthcare worker. She had it two weeks ago and since then has done nothing but talk about going abroad and breaking regulations. Linda has shown absolutely no consideration for those she works with or might infect as she can still carry the virus. Don’t be like linda
@Eugene Norman: Indeed. The government needs to do it’s job and have €5000 fines for anybody breaking the rules. Because it is those who break the rules that make this pandemic continue. The virus actually gets transmitted between people. Simples.
@mar: We might still have high cases in the summer because there are a minority of people with attitudes like yours still out there. Anonymous trolls playing down the seriousness of the virus, mocking the experts, anti-mask, anti- lockdown, anti-vaccine, you are part of the problem Mar.
@Cliff Burnby: I see you are still absolute mental. Still haven’t realized that covid is massively seasonal/regional? I shouldn’t really be surprised.
Health is not just the absence of disease.
Someone disagreeing with your opinion is not disinformation.
Criticising policy is not dangerous.
Civil debate is more essential than ever in times of crisis.
@ChuckE: few months ago people were clapping to our front line health workers. Today you are not happy because she wants holiday.
My wife is nurse and most of her colleagues especially Indian nurses desperate to go home to see their families.
@mar: Yeah Mar, you push every conspiracy theory going and yet I’m the one that’s mental ? Lol…
@Cliff Burnby: Yes Cliff, because anything that doesn’t agree with NPHET is a conspiracy… You are really one of the most simple-minded people I’ve ever come across. What’s your favourite humming noise? Would it be mmm-mmmmm or would it be mmmm-mm?
@artur filip: my wife is a social care worker and not even on the list for a vaccine. I’m a tech and spend my days going to hospitals fixing equipment, I’ll get no vaccine. Linda did not say she wants a holiday, she said she will go and can’t be stopped. Huge difference. I’ve not seen my parents in 9 months, how are people from other countries more important than my wife or i
@Linda Walsh: a representative from the tourist board stressed tonight on the TV the need for staycations this summer and this was all being promoted in the context of no foreign travel this summer. She said the capacity and the quality product was there. She talked about the availability being there as the expect foreign tourist numbers to be down. I took from that that we will be open to allow foreign tourists in but we are not allowed out. So, not to be starting a conspiracy theory, are our leaders trying to force us to holiday in Ireland to boost the industry as foreign visitor numbers will be miniscule?????
@Eugene Norman: government can only do it if we get the vaccines.. production appears to be the problem.
@mar: any facts to back that up. I know the answer.
@Linda Walsh: I’m on the front line too since last march, doesn’t make me right.
Remember the refrain of “it’s only one summer” last year? The vulnerable should all be vaccinated in the next couple of months and there’s clearly a seasonal aspect to covid going by the numbers last summer, so why are we actually going to be more restricted in terms of travel this summer than we were last year? How long is this going to go on and how long are we going to put up with it?
@Newto2016: Well, it was also “only 3 weeks of lockdown”
@Vanessa: if only we followed the guidelines.
@daniel roche: Yeah, if you only had.
@Vanessa: ya I have been on the front line since the start, didn’t see my son for 6 weeks at the start but ya your right, all the experts are wrong.
@daniel roche: I haven’t said that they were wrong. I haven’t seen my family since Summer 2019 and was 4 times in other people’s homes since the pandemic started.
Currently not really leaving the house much due to the lockdown
That good enough for you?
@Vanessa: no Vanessa. Daniel is the one sufffering here. Nobody else is following the guidelines.
@Newto2016: How can you base your comment on numbers on last summer? We’ve seen 2 more virulent strains since then.
@Vanessa: so the experts are right or you are
@Eugene Norman: did I say that, do you need a hug.
@daniel roche: The experts recommended either opening of the gastronomy or household visits for December. The restaurants were open and you saw yiur son 6 weeks ago.
Don’t try to sound holy if people would like to do exactly the same in half a year when far more people are vaccinated and happy enough to provide negative tests. You aren’t
He is out of his mind if he believes people will not travel.
@Pablo Rojas Coppari: keep in mind that some destinations may not accept visitors without vaccination certificate or they may have restrictions in place.
@GinandJetfuel: Sure. But travel in the EU will always be possible
I for one won’t be paying any heed to that! They can stay at home in this kip of a country as they wish!
@C: very happy to stay in this beautiful country, one of the best in the world.
@C: off you go so and don’t bother coming back with such an attitude.
@Cat Moloney: Cheers Cat! You stay locked in your wardrobe.
@C:
Ireland is far from being a kip. Go leave Ireland then and go live some where else. Plenty of foreigners would love to come here and I would welcome them with open arms
@daniel roche: it’s great. But a wee bit wet.
@daniel roche: It’s not a bad little country, but massively over priced, over hyped and crap weather.
@C: you’ll be locked down anywhere u go
@Eugene Norman: just a little
@The Firestarter: agree over priced but not over hyped, we have such a beautiful country,we have one of the beautiful countries in the world, we just under sell ourselves too much, bit like your comment.
@Just Some Guy: eh don’t want any foreigners coming here either now do we? Or am I missing something
@Brian Murphy: where did he say that, there is Irish in nearly every part of the world,we welcome everyone.
@daniel roche: covid times we’re specifically talking about on this thread
@C: Ignoring the advice is worse than drink driving.
@Brian Murphy: so you don’t want people born outside our great country.
@daniel roche: That’s what you advocating without even realising
@daniel roche: weird angle, main poster was ranting about going on holidays and guy replying to him told him off saying he’d welcome people here with open arms? all during covid which is the topic. Don’t understand tbh this isn’t an emigration/immigration thread at all
@Just Some Guy: open arms…..right….
This is something the government need to fix by upping the vaccinations. Losing two summers isn’t going to be acceptable.
@Eugene Norman: ya cause the government have vacancies growing out the back, its world wide. My god, you can’t be that slow.
When is the list of pre-approved haircuts being announced? Seems like we are living in North Korea after all.
@Brendan Moore: go live in North Korea and then come back and thank your lucky stars you were born Irish.
The journal are as bad as RTÉ for scaremongering
Where do we see this ending? In all reality, Covid is likely to remain to some extent even with the vaccines so do we get to an acceptable level of fatalities as we suffer with flu and then just get on with life?
Do we now expect to live in a mask society where people ‘naturally‘ mask up during flu season in future. If so, for how long will that last. Can’t say for sure but I presume there was some sort of mask wearing after the 1918 pandemic but that vanished at some point in the western world.
‘new normal’ is one of the most objectionable phrases to come out of this pandemic, I just wonder how long the future normal will last for.
@JedBartlett: mask wearing during flu season in urban areas has been a pretty common occurrence in a lot of parts of Asia for decades, it’s not some sort of apocalyptic scenario that it might become common in western societies too.
@Rochelle: it’s been a cultural thing for few Asian nations for a long time – it’s not part of European culture; however.
@Luke Windak: Now it is. Culture changes. 90% used to g to Mass on Sunday, now it like 20%. Get used to masks. They are part of our future in the short to medium term.
Usual depressing stuff from NPHET, making people even more miserable than they already are.
@The Firestarter: would you rather they lied.
@daniel roche: cases were low last summer. I am no lockdown sceptic but the government(a) — not just in Ireland — need to actually accelerate their vaccinations to get the economy moving. 2 years of lockdown, one a year after vaccines were produced, is not going to work.
@The Firestarter: ye thats all we need and the weather as it is. What about going to see an elderly family member in the UK?
@Eugene Norman: I don’t disagree with you one bit.
@Mary Oliver: maybe wait to see when it’s safe for you and your elderly family member.
@daniel roche: Last year wasn’t good enough, the Summer isn’t good enough…
By laws of the school of my son wouldn’t allow him to come back for 2 weeks if he would have been abroad which leaves no further dates until the next year.
@Vanessa: so what do you want, would you not rather your son safe
@daniel roche: How about the same rule other travelers had? If travel is allowed either for all with same rules or none. It doesn’t make sense that certain facilities have extra rules. (Happy to provide a negative Covid test if needed)
You really want to tell me that I shouldn’t meet my family for 2+ years just after this country invited half the world for a meaningful Christmas? Don’t buy that anymore
@daniel roche: I wouldn’t dream of going if it wasnt safe
@Vanessa: ye and where were the checkpoints when all those people were going to the canaries. I only saw my family for a short period over Christmas.
@Mary Oliver: I’m so sorry to hear that. You mentioned a couple of time to be quite alone. I hope you are still hanging in there.
@Vanessa: just trying to hang in there this lockdown is the worst and according to the government no sign of it ending any time soon
@Mary Oliver: Do you have at least regular video contact? I know it’s just not the same. Maybe even a friend you could visit. (Assuming that it’s still allowed for people living alone)
The first wave started in March. The government spent last summer telling us there was little evidence of cases from flights. At the end of January we were over the hump of a third wave and no flying this summer. They really are a disaster, at least the messaging has been clear and concise, Monty python in full swing again.
It’s interesting how the
Vaccine is here and yet we’re seeing NPHET basically present a picture of doom and gloom for the foreseeable future. I have booked in holidays and fully intend to go. The government needs to listen to other experts and not just the ones that want to keep us in perpetual lockdown.
A cruise it is then.
@John Sheahan: ..because that’s proven to be great fun when a COVID case is discovered on board!
@Sorcha Ní Shúilleabháin: Relax. I’m too old for cruises anyway.
@Sorcha Ní Shúilleabháin: cruising restarted over in Italy back in June and since then MSC have carried over 30,000 people safely and without covid.
They resumed their cruising schedule on the 24th of January after the Italian government relaxed their rules that they impose around Christmas time.
I’d step on a ship tomorrow I have every faith in their protocols that have been introduced.
Hail NPHET!
@mar: that’s the spirit
@mar: heil nphet
And another year without seeing the family…
Will mehole get fined going to America for St Patrick day I don’t think so 1 rule for them and the rest of us get fined that’s about right.
Keep calm and stay cool. History has presented many plagues. They all pass. Don’t loose the plot and just sit it out.
They say they don’t know if the plateauing of cases is because we aren’t abiding to the lockdowns as much as last year. OR it’s the resumption of close contact testing. Surely the latter is quantifiable – they should know how many were tested as close contacts and how that number affects the total. Furthermore they should tell us i.e. 1062 cases of which 200 were from close contacts so the trend is still down.
But jetting off to Washington to give a bowl of shamrock is okay?
Jetting off… ? There will be no airline to ‘jet’ off on… This is becoming more repressive than 19th century Ireland. Time to wake up!
Close the borders to all but essential traffic. Keep the virus out and life will get better. Allowing the virus to come in on every flight and ferry is not working. A two island approach solves the DUP problem. Not ideal but the endless lockdowns are pointless, unless you get a reward at the end, like Melbourne did. Oz and NZ have done it. The Isle of Man has done it.
@A Well Known Comical Stereotype: Until when?
@A Well Known Comical Stereotype: ffs. That is not possible. The border is hundreds of miles long. It goes through fields. It crosses farms. Roads go onto the north and out of the north, and back in again. It couldn’t be policed in the troubles with huge resources and political will, mostly on the British side. They literally blew up roads dividing people from their local village, sometimes dividing town lands. And that didn’t work.
In Donegal lots of people commute to Derry. And along the border counties in general there’s a to and fro of commuters and shoppers.
@Eugene Norman: That argument equates to “I wont bother following restrictions because my neighbour doesn’t.” Control what we can control. Its like personal responsibility, but on a national scale, as they love to spout at the people.
Great news for the hotel sector etc.. Watch the rack rate / top prices now coming into effect.
Or maybe you might see the hotel sector really help out with great deals for families as we’re all ‘ putting on the Green Jersey’. Yeah right?
@Muckser Maher: Are you joking? It’s terrible news for hotels and the whole hospitality industry. We get 11 million foreign tourists in a normal year so no amount of staycations can make up for the foreign market. Many businesses will go bust and many jobs will be lost
@Newto2016: Well, they say that WE shouldn’t look abroad. We could still invite tourists over.
@Vanessa: Depends on the entry requirements (testing, quarantine, self-isolation) which are being inexplicably ramped up now, 11 months in, when the vaccines are being rolled out. I hope travel in and out will be allowed by summer so that people can see their families and those in the tourist industry can make a living
@Newto2016: over seas travel may not happen from Europe . Whatever chance we have as an island, main land Europe have a much difficult / harder time in controlling the virus. Portugal is riddled with it at the moment and that’s just 1 country out of 27. Realistically the Irish Market maybe our only chance of starting back 1st.
Why
I’d like to see a medium term future where vaccinated people got vaccine passports which allowed them to shop, travel, holiday, etc and get the economy back on the road. Yes they can still transmit the virus in theory but if those that aren’t vaccinated yet can stay home until they are at least it’s a future that people can buy into. I don’t think they can buy into lockdown after lockdown.
@Sean: That can’t be done until vulnerable groups are vaccinated – otherwise you risk denying the very people at the most risk in favour of the well-resourced.
Once we’re over 50% vaccinated you’ll hear talk of this, I have no doubt
@Sean: and will workers also all be vaccinated to allow them provide the actual services you’re talking about?
If tourists are allowed in, they don’t have a leg to stand on with this. If vaccines don’t prevent spread and we don’t have a way to prevent spread other than restrictions, they may as well admit restrictions are here to stay indefinitely and stop leading us this endless cycle of hope and doom. It is destroying peoples mental health.
Vaccinations and PCR tests both ways should lessen the restrictions by then, imo. I’m, personally, optimistic for the summer.
If we stay longer in this country with no sun, well start suffering from numerous other conditions
Ah two of the four horsemen of the apocalypse. Where’s McConkey and Ryan?
Does that include St Patrick Day trips
I’m not seeing my family since August.
My kids gave up already Halloween and Xmas without their grand’s.
Mid term break ia gone, so will most likely be Easter and every long weekend ahead.
I’m going to Italy this summer, for at least two months. They’ll have to shoot me to stop me.
I have read the comments and people are naturally exhausted and breaking at the seams. I think in many respects the government have done a fairly ok job given the unprecedented circumstances. They are damned if they do and damned if they dont. Being an essential worker I have followed every rule like a lot of folks here. While I understand the cautious approach the EMA has taken, the EU has messed up big time with the vaccination rollout. The lockdown isn’t working as hoped so what is next folks?
Complete nonsense
We will be in this until 2022. The government has failed.
But EURO 2020 is going ahead as planned (12 cities), as announced last week be UEFA. The competing teams might need to use paddle boards to get to Dublin on time….
@sistermoon: You’re right, there is no chance that is happening now. Uefa would be fools not to be planning for a one-city tournament (my guess is London). Covid would literally need to disappear in the next month.
Hello everyone can i ask on this page i was meant to travel to lisbon last April but covid struck foolishly i brought it fwd to last july but then aerlingus cancelled flights to lisbon and i was one of the lucky one’s to get a full refund via voucher frm the airline my question is i paid nearly €700 for apartment for 5 days and all the accommodation company is saying is im only entitled to get back €150 for cleaning apt now lisbon at mo is one of the highest covid black spots in Portugal does anyone kno of a gov body r some place i can get help to get my full refund sorry for long txt
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