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UPDATED: 9.00 a.m. M.
Additional reporting by Vivienne Clarke.
The medical director warned that Ireland is now dealing with “widespread” community transmission of Covid-19, while Dr. Mary Favier, the Irish College of General Practitioners Clinical Leader on Covid, warned that the government would inevitably have to introduce more restrictions to deal with Covid-19
Dr. Tony Holohan says it has become “a whole population problem” and has called on all individuals, families and workplaces to act on public health councils.
Yesterday 811 new cases of the virus were confirmed, spread over the 26 counties. 70 percent of the registered cases corresponded to people under 45 years of age, with the median age being 30 years.
The National Public Health Emergencies Team (Nphet) will meet tomorrow to discuss whether the Level 3 restrictions have done enough to slow the spread of the virus, or if a recommendation for further action is needed.
Today, Northern Ireland is expected to announce an increase in restrictions, and the hospitality sector is likely to close. School closings for a period have also been discussed.
An island-wide approach to suppressing the virus has been called for here, but Level 3 restrictions may not be enough for the North, where rates of the virus have skyrocketed in recent weeks, with nearly 6,300 cases recorded there in the last week.
Professor Emer Shelley of the Royal College of Physicians says it’s not just a problem for border counties.
“The numbers have risen quite a bit in Cork, for example, and hospital consultants have seen an increase in admissions and an increase in ICU numbers, and that’s just one example.
“There really is a lot of transmission and it is one that we will have to watch very closely.
Speaking on RTÉ radio’s Morning Ireland, Dr Favier said more needs to be done as the virus doubles every week and there is an inevitable impact on services.
People had to change their behavior or more restrictions will be required, now there was very little time to decide that, he said.
More restrictions for three to four weeks would impact the numbers, Dr. Favier said, adding that people would accept it if they knew the end was in sight.
Dr. Favier noted that the public responded dramatically and put their shoulder behind the wheel in April, they had to do it again. Employers should allow staff to work from home whenever possible, adding that there should be no unnecessary travel and that people should meet outdoors.
GPs had been seeing an increase in number in recent weeks and this was having an impact on services. While there was some stabilization in Dublin below Level 3, it was not enough and there was increasing pressure on GPs and hospitals, he said.
“The system is under pressure because of the numbers. We need to do something different. “
The solution was in the hands of the public, it was in everyone’s behavior. There were too many people gathered, he said.
The Republic was just two to three weeks behind Northern Ireland rates, he warned.
Speaking to RTÉ’s Morning Ireland today, Tánaiste Leo Varadkar said restrictions in border counties could tighten due to levels in the north, but that the Government would wait to see what the Northern Ireland Executive announces today and what recommendations it makes. Nphet tomorrow.
Varadkar said he would rather see rates of the virus fall further in Dublin, rather than simply decline, adding that they appear to have stalled at present.
Meanwhile, the government’s plan was for schools to remain open, even if the country goes to level 5, he said. This decision was based on the best international evidence.
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