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The CHRISTMAS arrivals at the country’s airports are now in doubt, as Medical Director Dr. Tony Holohan warned that Covid-19 risks around international travel remain “very substantial” at this time.
Dr. Holohan also warned parents about the risks of children from different families getting together for Halloween parties.
When asked about the people who travel home for Christmas and the families in different countries who come together for the holiday season, he said his team has yet to give him specific consideration.
“Our advice is that the risk of non-essential travel outside of this country is simply too high at this time.”
The number of travel-related Covid-19 cases here is now very low and the Government has committed to entering an EU traffic light system for travel within Europe. But the details on how it will work here, particularly in relation to testing, remain unclear.
Asked about the Halloween parties, he said that “these things are not going to be possible this year.”
It comes as the Dublin Airport Authority will raise the issue of Christmas visits to the Oireachtas Transport Committee today.
It will require a pre-departure testing regimen that says, “We want to welcome our loved ones safely and allow those who live here and have not seen families abroad to come together.”
There were five more deaths from Covid-19 and an additional 720 cases yesterday, indicating that some control over the spread of the virus may now be returning after last week, when daily cases were above 1,000.
Dr. Holohan said, however, that it is too early to say that “we have turned a corner.”
He said: “We definitely cannot draw a conclusion that there is a trend from the fewest number of cases.”
So far this month, there have been 79 Covid-related deaths and 32 among nursing home residents. This contrasts with 35 deaths in September and five in August.
Among the new cases yesterday, 228 were in Dublin, 130 in Cork, 47 in Galway, 31 in Meath, 27 in Limerick. The remaining 257 cases are spread across 20 other counties.
As of 2:00 p.m. today, the number of hospitalized Covid-19 patients dropped slightly to 341 of which 38 are in intensive care.
There were 29 additional hospitalizations in the last 24 hours, but the pattern in the second phase of the virus appears to be better patient flow and a significant number were also discharged.
Older patients still have a higher risk of being admitted to the hospital.
The fourteen-day highest incidence was in Cavan, but it is decreasing. Meath, Sligo, Westmeath, Galway, Monaghan, Cork and Donegal follow.
Tipperary, Wicklow and Kilkenny have the lowest rates.
Dr. Holohan said the evidence was that Level 3 was stabilizing the spread of Covid-19 when it was implemented, but it was not reducing it.
This is significant because if cases rise to a high level again, once this lockdown ends, it will mean that more severe restrictions may need to be used to get it back under control.
When asked about the test and trace system at the HSE, Dr. Holohan stated that it was very robust despite the recent fiasco that led to 2,000 people with the virus having to do their own screening.
When asked about the recent survey showing that only 55 percent would take a Covid-19 vaccine if it were available, he said it would be cause for concern if a significant number of people vulnerable to the virus did not choose to be vaccinated.
When asked about plans to launch a vaccine if approved, a spokeswoman for the Health Department said a Covid-19 Immunization Strategy Group has been convened. It currently meets every 3 weeks. Currently, the Group is developing an immunization program plan against Covid-19. This includes the development of a communication campaign, which will start before the immunization program.
Irish independent
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