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Dr Ray Walley, Dublin GP, has said that Dublin should be at Level 4 of the Government’s Living with Covid-19 strategy.
Glasnevin’s doctor said he was particularly concerned that under Level 3 up to 25 people could gather for a function such as a wedding.
Speaking on RTÉ radio’s Today with Claire Byrne show, Dr. Walley warned that the age profile is increasing (among Covid patients) and that this will have a “downstream” impact.
Nphet will hold its weekly meeting today to discuss the latest data and evidence on the prevalence of the virus and suggest measures to stop or slow its spread.
If it finds that the infections in Dublin have not stabilized and further action is required, preparations will be made for a disembodied Cabinet meeting on Friday to give effect to its findings.
That could mean that Dublin and its population of 1.4 million would be subject to stricter regulations than the other 25 counties.
Level 4 restrictions include a ban on indoor or outdoor social or family gatherings, additional restrictions on indoor dining, as well as a ban on travel outside the county. No matches or events will be allowed and no spectators will be allowed in any of the games that take place.
Dr Walley said the concern was that the rate of infections had increased due to social gatherings, this could extend to older people who have a higher morbidity rate and require more hospitalization.
“It’s like one flood after another, it takes longer to disappear. All of this takes a long time to recover. ”
Nphet has to consider putting Dublin on Level 4, he said, and there must also be more positive messages. People should be told what they can do, not what they cannot do. They also need to know how to stay healthy while living with the virus.
Dr Gabrielle Colleran from the Irish Association of Hospital Consultants warned that there was an urgent need to double ICU beds and the number of consultants, as Ireland has half the EU average for ICU beds and the lowest level of consultants. She asked the HSE to speed up the ICU beds. If capacity were to double, doctors would help cope with the increase, he said.
Last winter was the worst winter when it came to carts, the issue needs to be addressed now, he added.
“We need to have enough staff to deal with this.”
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