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FACILITATING COVID-19 RESTRICTIONS in the coming weeks so that people can spend Christmas with their families presents Ireland with “genuine dilemmas,” said Dr. Mike Ryan of the World Health Organization (WHO).
“There is a genuine desire to offer people the hope of a Christmas celebration and to ensure that people have the opportunity to celebrate it as much as possible with the family, but acknowledging movements and large gatherings can boost transmission,” said the Executive Director of Health of the WHO Emergency Program, said.
Speaking to Irish journalists at an online press conference hosted by the Irish Bar Association, Ryan said that “there are a number of genuine trade-offs and dilemmas, for which there are no correct scientific answers” in terms of easing restrictions during Christmas.
“I do not envy the government of Ireland,” he added, adding that “there are no easy answers.”
The cabinet subcommittee on Covid-19 will consider advice from the National Public Health Emergencies Team (NPHET) on reducing Level 5 restrictions ahead of tomorrow’s government announcement.
NPHET met yesterday and finalized its advice to the government that the subcommittee will consider today before a full cabinet meeting tomorrow.
Ryan said that meetings, large and small, can drive the transmission of Covid-19. He said that people may need to consider wearing masks at home, especially if a family member is vulnerable, and limiting the number of people in a room at one time.
“We know that domestic transmission is an important factor. Because once you deal with community transmission in terms of separating people, then you have a situation where most of your infections are coming from homes. “
Ryan said infections from interactions in the home “are highly dependent on the number of people in that home, the time they spend there, and the level of physical contact between them.”
He said people need to keep this in mind when visiting other homes during Christmas, as well as mitigating risks through practices like hand hygiene and the use of masks.
Ryan said that people are “designed to manage risk like human beings” and he is confident that most will do so once they have clear information and guidelines to follow.
“How do we take the risk out of small meetings, small family situations? How can everyone be careful? How do people find a way to reduce risk to themselves and others? And that boils down to very clear advice from the government on how it can be done. “
He noted that when societies ease restrictions or open after a lockdown, there is often a jump in Covid-19 cases. “The question then is, how good is it to try contact tracing and quarantine for contacts? Have the other systems been maintained? “
First question at Irish Bar press conference with WHO’s Dr Mike Ryan: “Are you a Mayo man or a Sligo man?” Through Ocean FM (every story is local).
Ryan says he has loyalties to both counties, notes that he played soccer in Sligo.
– Órla Ryan (@orlaryan) November 26, 2020
Ryan praised efforts to “crush” Covid-19 in Ireland.
“The people of Ireland have crushed this curve (twice), with the support of the government and others.”
He added that Ireland “was the first country in Europe that I know of to round this curve this time,” referring to the second wave of the virus.
Vaccine
In recent weeks there have been positive developments on a number of Covid-19 vaccines that could be rolled out globally in the coming months.
The strategy to distribute the vaccine in Ireland will be presented to the government by December 11.
Ryan said today that the vaccines by themselves “do not equal zero Covid” and that “continued vigilance over physical distancing and the use of masks is also needed.”
“Coming back to life as we know it, you can imagine how much I want that for professional and personal reasons so I can see my family,” he said.
Ryan told reports that vaccines should be added to “our existing toolkit.”
“We have to be very careful here not to believe that ‘Oh, we have vaccines on the way, so we will wait for them and finish this.’ Vaccines by themselves do not equal zero Covid.
“I think what can equal zero Covid is if we add vaccines to our ongoing vigilance on physical distancing and wearing masks and other things.”
Ryan said this kind of vileness, along with a vaccine, could eradicate the need for closures.
“The locks are essentially a failure of control. Vaccines are a huge control tool. If we add vaccines to our ongoing surveillance as a society, then I think we can achieve control that does not involve highly disruptive blocks. “
Ryan said that the lockdowns are “what really affects people” as they cause people to not have access to education, health care and their social networks, adding that this “trauma” can have a great impact on Mental health.
Ryan noted that frontline workers and vulnerable people will be the first groups to be vaccinated. He said “it will take time for the vaccine to spread to the general population, and therefore, continued surveillance will be required.”
Disinformation
Ryan also spoke about the increase in the spread of false information in recent months. He told reporters that “misinformation and misinformation have been a major feature of this pandemic” and “it has been very difficult to handle.”
He said the false information creates “useless and unnecessary binary discussions and, frankly, useless, polemic discussions,” something the WHO and individual governments have tried to combat.
“We have fought hard for open societies where everyone has their voice, whether you want to hear what they are saying or not is something else.
“And we must be very careful not to target the messengers, or necessarily target the message they are giving.”
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Ryan stated, “The best vaccine against misinformation and misinformation is good information, fast information, credible information, information you can act on.”
He added that governments must communicate “quickly, effectively and credibly” with citizens.
Human Rights Award
Ryan, who was born in Sligo and raised in May, will be honored today with the annual Human Rights Award from the Irish Bar Association in a virtual ceremony.
Speaking about the award, Maura McNally SC, President of the Irish Bar Association, said: “The quick and expert guide provided by the World Health Organization since the arrival of the Covid-19 pandemic has provided great security and assistance to people and countries over the world.
“The fact that your response is led by an Irishman has been a source of pride and special comfort to the people of this country. Hearing one of our own give such authoritative advice at press conferences at the height of the pandemic was particularly comforting. “
McNally added that Ryan has had “an exceptional career working to combat the threats of emerging and epidemic diseases.”
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