Crowded bars must be a thing of the past, says intensive care expert



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There can be no return to the crowded pubs of the past, warned intensive care consultant Catherine Motherway.

Although there was a need to return to some kind of normal and uncontrolled groups indoors, it was a concern that he told Morning Ireland on RTÉ radio.

Pubs that don’t serve food will be able to reopen on September 21. Public health experts have said restrictions will be needed to control the high infection rates in Dublin.

Dr. Motherway, former president of the Society for Intensive Care, said she would rather see people gathered in a controlled way in small groups.

The level of intensive care beds in the country remains a matter of concern, he added, and any expansion in such numbers would be welcome in the national plan to be announced Tuesday.

The increase in the number of people contracting Covid-19 in recent weeks had occurred predominantly among younger people who did not need the same levels of hospitalization, which was good, he said, but fears remained that the virus could spread in the community. the most vulnerable people.

Dr. Motherway said that while the vulnerable have improved their protection for themselves, a risk remains.

The survival rate in Ireland’s intensive care units for Covid-19 patients was good, he said, at 79 percent, which compares well internationally.

Dr. Motherway said she was confident that the HSE was committed to improving the capacity of the intensive care beds, but the lack of ICU beds was one of the reasons why there had been such a severe and prolonged blockage.

The consultancy, which is based out of Limerick University Hospital, where it has not seen a case of Covid-19 in the intensive care unit for some time, asked people to meet in controlled, uncontrolled indoor meetings. they were the problem, he said. said.

Although we needed to get back to some kind of normal life, it wasn’t going to be the same as before, there couldn’t be a return to crowded pubs, he said.

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