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HSE HAS warned today that if people take risks by meeting other people over the next week, they should stay away from elderly or vulnerable relatives at Christmas.
Professor Martin Cormican, a national leader in healthcare-associated infections and antimicrobial resistance, told a news conference today that if you meet people inside, they should only be people you “trust your life with.”
He said, “Be honest with yourself about the risk you are taking … If you are going to be worried and upset about that risk for 14 days afterwards, is it really worth it?”
Professor Cormican spoke as the HSE said today that what happens during the Christmas period will be a determining factor in what happens in our hospitals in January.
These are the surest ways to avoid catching Covid-19, says Professor Cormican. pic.twitter.com/EsRhYGGJuF
– Michelle Hennessy (@michellehtweet) December 17, 2020
With restrictions on inter-county travel and home visiting to be lifted tomorrow, HSE CEO Paul Reid said he expects people to be “at the highest level of vigilance.”
He said the situation in the north, where many hospitals are now beyond capacity, “clearly reminds us” of how quickly a situation can deteriorate. In particular, he pointed to the delay effect in terms of a higher number of cases resulting in hospitalizations.
Although restrictions on home visits and travel are being relaxed, public health figures have urged the public to be sensible and keep their contacts to a minimum to limit the spread of Covid-19 during Christmas.
The HSE today launched an online contact calculator so that people can keep track of the number of contacts they have over Christmas.
Following HSE’s advice, Professor Cormican said the surest ways to avoid getting Covid-19 were “not knowing anyone, not knowing anyone outside your home, not finding anyone outside your home indoors” .
He said this was “the stark reality” of the matter.
If not, the advice was also “meet the fewest people indoors” and “meet only people you trust with your life indoors.”
If you have people in your home, the advice is “the less, the safer.” In addition, the advice is also to check that all the people who plan to come do not present symptoms on the day and in the days before the visit.
When they arrive, they must be greeted with hand sanitizer or soap and water. Other tips include keeping your distance, wearing masks, and opening windows.
Cormican added that the larger the inner bubble, the greater the risk of developing Covid-19.
“The virus does not know that it is Christmas,” he added. “If we give him a break, he will take it.”
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With reporting by Michelle Hennessy
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