‘Disaster looming’ due to North’s handling of Covid-19, says Scally

The handling of the coronavirus pandemic in Northern Ireland “is incredible,” warned a leading public health expert, as its health service is under heavy pressure due to Covid-19 admissions.

Dr Gabriel Scally of the Royal Society of Medicine said “disaster looms” with hospitals “on the brink of being overwhelmed” after up to 17 ambulances were forced to queue in front of a hospital in Co Antrim el Tuesday.

Dr Scally said on Twitter that “The handling of Covid-19 in Northern Ireland is incredible. The health service is about to be overwhelmed, but efforts to prevent growth in cases have been relaxed. Shops, cafes, restaurants and bars serving food all open. Disaster is coming. “

Another six coronavirus-related deaths and 486 confirmed cases were reported in Northern Ireland on Tuesday. The hospital network was operating at excess capacity, with 104 percent of the beds occupied, according to the Northern Health Department.

Wendy Magowan, director of operations for the Northern Health Trust, said there was no line for ambulances in front of the Antrim Area Hospital on Wednesday morning, but there were 43 patients in the emergency department waiting to be admitted to the wards.

Speaking on RTÉ radio’s Morning Ireland, he asked the public to observe all public health precautions to reduce the number of patients requiring hospitalization for Covid-19.

Magowan said that “society needs to work with us” to reduce the pressure on health services and allow people who need to go to hospital to do so.

He admitted that the sustained increase in Covid-19 cases had led to surgeries, including those for cancer patients, being “withdrawn.”

The current situation was “completely different” from April and May, when the Northern Health Trust had much more bed capacity, he said. They had been able to handle the situation better then because they were now working beyond their capacity. It was difficult to manage both the Covid and non-Covid pathways within hospitals.

The numbers during “this surge” were much higher than at the beginning of the year, he added. “We are all very concerned about what is to come.

“Society should work with us, using all the (public health) measures we can to reduce dependency on hospital admissions and allow people who need to enter the hospital to do so.”

On Tuesday, the North Korean Health Minister said he would present new proposals to the Executive aimed at limiting the spread of the coronavirus during the Christmas period.

Robin Swann told the Assembly that he would present a document Thursday with a “series of recommendations.” He declined to elaborate.

Northern Ireland emerged from a two-week “circuit breaker” lockout on Friday. From December 22-28, people from the North will be allowed to travel anywhere in the UK and “bubble up” with up to three more households from December 23-27.