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Infectious disease consultancy Clíona Ní Cheallaigh has described the increase in the number of Covid-19 cases in Ireland as worrying.
Speaking on RTÉ’s Today with Claire Byrne, she said: “The scene is changing in hospitals and they are starting to see patients who are not doing well with Covid.”
Dr. Ní Cheallaigh said that Covid-19 is spreading more rapidly from indoors and from homes and urged people to “think that everyone they come in contact with has the virus and avoid all situations in those that can be transmitted “.
Regarding the use of face covers, Dr. Ní Cheallaigh said that even in environments where a distance of two meters can be guaranteed, such as in an office environment, “there is no downside to wearing a mask and it can provide protection for you. additional. “.
He said that people in an enclosed space, such as in a pub, are at greater risk.
“In pubs there are people in an enclosed space. They cannot wear a mask when they are having a drink, so a pub will be high risk by its very nature,” said Dr. Ní Cheallaigh.
He highlighted that there is international evidence from other European countries showing that the reopening of pubs, bars and nightclubs can lead to an increase in Covid-19 cases.
There is no zero-risk environment, said Dr. Ní Cheallaigh, “unless you stay home.”
The government must weigh the risk-reward of reopening all pubs, he added.
“It’s hard to argue that there would be no risk in the pubs. There will be shared airspace, people will use the same toilets and they will touch the door handles,” he said.
Dr. Ní Cheallaigh accepted that it is difficult for young people not to be able to celebrate special occasions such as baptisms, birthdays and communions, but said that the circulation of the virus in the community shows that it is not clear where some cases originated.
“Fast, widespread and easily accessible response time in testing for Covid-19 is vital,” he said.
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It comes as the level of hospital overcrowding has reached its highest level this month, with 232 patients waiting today, according to figures from the Irish Organization of Nurses and Midwives.
These patients are in emergency departments or wards awaiting admission to bed.
The hospitals with the highest level of overcrowding in the emergency department are Limerick University Hospital with 51 waiting patients, Midland Regional Mullingar with 21 and Cork University Hospital with 20.
The HSE puts the national figure at 186.
In Northern Ireland, the Department of Health has reported two more deaths from coronavirus, bringing the official death toll to 570.
There are 109 new confirmed cases, from tests on 3,677 people, bringing the cumulative total to 8,423.
There are currently 16 coronavirus patients in the hospital, with two in the ICU.
Meanwhile, the executive director of the Association of Licensed Vintners, Donall O’Keeffe, said that the so-called wet pubs should not “stand out” in the hospitality sector, and if restrictions are necessary in certain areas, as Ireland treats with Covid-19, then all companies in the sector “should receive the same treatment.”
Also speaking on Today with Claire Byrne, Mr. O’Keeffe called on the Government to “abide by its decision” to allow all pubs to reopen on September 21.
He said he accepts that pubs may need to close if they are seen to be sources of outbreaks in certain areas, but that all hospitality businesses in that area should also be closed.
O’Keeffe said: “When risk is in the hospitality workplace, then the entire industry should be treated equally. These businesses have been closed for 189 days; these pubs have long had the opportunity to reopen.” .
“There have been outbreaks in other sectors, such as the meat industry, and those businesses were closed, but the sector remained open.
“It is imperative that if and when there are outbreaks in pubs, they are dealt with by the authorities, but the rest of the sector has to have the opportunity to continue operating.
“If wet pubs stand out, it will be grossly unfair.”
O’Keeffe said the pubs that have closed “have not contributed to the infection rate in Dublin today.”
He said that so far there have been a low number of cases related to the hospitality sector.
When wet pubs reopen, O’Keeffe said “it won’t be business as usual,” and public health guidelines will “transform” the way businesses operate in these environments.
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