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Dublin and Limerick appear to be approaching new restrictions as the 14-day coronavirus incidence rate increases in the two counties.
Infection rates in both counties are among the highest in the country, with 70.8 cases per 100,000 inhabitants in Dublin and 66.2 cases per 100,000 in Limerick.
When Laois, Offaly, and Kildare reimposed some Covid-19 restrictions on August 7, the 14-day incidence rate per 100,000 people in each of the three counties was 69.66, 80.81 and 82, 25 respectively.
While many health experts have warned that reintroducing the lockdown is not the answer to contain the virus, government officials have said measures are being considered for Dublin and Limerick as the number of cases in the counties continues to rise at a worrying rate. .
In contrast to the general restrictions that were imposed in Laois, Offaly and Kildare, the possibility of banning home visits in the two counties is being considered.
Glasgow model
This model was adopted in Glasgow and surrounding areas last week after home visiting and parties were identified as key factors in the increase in Covid cases in Scotland.
Residents of Glasgow, East and West Dunbartonshire, East Renfrewshire and Renfrewshire cannot visit other homes, but schools, bars, restaurants and other businesses remain open.
The thought process behind the measures is that guidelines like social distancing can be enforced in public, while they cannot be monitored in private homes.
Although it is logistically difficult, the imposition of restrictions in certain areas of a county can also be considered.
In Dublin, data from the Center for Health Protection and Surveillance shows that different areas of the county have drastically different 14-day incidence rates.
The information, relating to the period between August 25 and September 7, examines the county based on the area of influence of local health offices, of which there are eight.
Dublin South had the lowest incidence rate during this period, with a rate of 39.7 reflecting the 54 confirmed cases in that area.
However, near Dublin South East, the incidence rate more than doubled to 84.9, representing an additional 105 confirmed cases in the previous two weeks.
| Local health office area | Confirmed cases from August 25 to September 7 | 14-day incidence rate on September 8 |
| South Dublin | 54 | 39.7 |
| South east dublin | 105 | 84.9 |
| Dublin South City | 115 | 76.7 |
| South west dublin | 122 | 75.8 |
| Dublin West | 117 | 75.3 |
| Dublin North West | 171 | 82.3 |
| Dublin North Central | 99 | 64.0 |
| North Dublin | 171 | 66.0 |
While no such area breakdowns are available for Limerick, data from the Covid-19 Hub shows that there are a significant number of large outbreaks, particularly in the city center and in Ballysimon, Ballycummin, and Rathkeale.
The number of cases in the county has risen sharply in recent weeks, with Limerick’s total number of confirmed cases rising from 609 on Aug. 1 to 819 on Sept. 6.
International comparison
At the government briefing this morning, Tánaiste Leo Varadkar spoke about the possibility of imposing further restrictions on Dublin and Limerick, but said that the circumstances would be compared to measures taken in other areas of Europe.
Mr Varadkar said: “If we were to take actions in Dublin or Limerick that are more extreme than other European cities or other European regions that have a higher level than us, we would need a good explanation from NPHET. [National Public Health Emergency Team] as to why it should be done. “
When the UK imposed lockdown restrictions on Leicester in late June, England’s Health Secretary Matt Hancock said the city’s incidence rate was 135 cases per 100,000 residents, three times that of the next city. highest.
More recently, restrictions were placed on residents of Bolton, near Manchester, as the city’s 14-day incidence rate rose to 99.
Following those figures, Dublin and Limerick may have time to stop the rate hike before additional measures are imposed.
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