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Irish Emergency Medicine Association President Dr. Emily O’Connor warned of the “nightmare scenario” that could unfold in the fall when schools resume and activities that could lead to a second wave of Covid -19.
The usual winter pressures of the flu and the reduced capacity of the bed are “really worrying,” he told the Today program on RTÉ radio.
Dr. O’Connor also expressed concern that there could be another economic recession after the coronavirus, also known as Covid-19. If there were a second recession, it couldn’t be allowed to have a public health impact “like last time.”
There is a need to “re-establish” how emergency care is provided in Irish hospitals, he said. In the past, emergency departments were a safety net for system deficiencies. Emergency departments must be the safest place to receive treatment.
“We can’t go back to being overcrowded again.”
During the Covid crisis, bed capacity had increased with much better flow through emergency departments to wards. “We have not had to treat patients in cars, we cannot go back to overcrowding.”
The cancellation of elective surgeries, improved discharges, and increased reliance on services like virtual clinics had increased bed capacity. It was important that patients spend as little time as possible in a banded system, especially with a virus in the air like Covid-19, he said.
“We ask the public, the government and the HSE to ensure that this does not happen.”
Meanwhile professor Karina Butler, Pediatric Consultant and Infectious Disease Specialist, cautioned that the emerging data on children and Covid-19 was based on “very small amounts of evidence.”
While the data was encouraging, Professor Butler told RTÉ radio Morning Ireland “We are on a learning curve.”
A first look at the rate of children infected with the virus appeared to be not as prone to infection as adults, he said, but there could be more children infected without experiencing symptoms.
“We won’t know until we do the antibody test, that will give us better management.”
There could be practical reasons why children do not become infected as easily as adults, as they do not have a strong cough and contract common colds and viruses all the time, and therefore may have more immunity.
“There are many potential reasons and there is conflicting data on that.”
When asked about the possibility of schools reopening soon, Professor Butler said it all boiled down to the balance of risk. “There is no risk-free environment.”
There was stress for children who were away from friends and social interaction, so the effects would have to be balanced. “There could be different pathways for different groups.”
Any plan would have to be through a slow process “so that we can pause and evaluate,” he said.
The National Public Health Emergency Team will meet today to discuss the easing restrictions.
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