What We Learned From Today’s NPHET Information Session

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The medical director has said that the coronavirus burden and the impact it is having is increasing.

Dr. Tony Holohan spoke at tonight’s National Public Health Emergency Team press conference.

Another 1,269 cases of Covid-19 were confirmed today, along with 13 more deaths.

Here’s what we learned from today’s briefing:

Mental health

The HSE said it wanted to move from online calls to home visits and consultations at community day hospitals.

Dr. Siobhán Ni Bhriain, HSE’s consultant psychiatrist and integrated care leader, said the service remained at 90% at the beginning of the pandemic and that community care is a vital part of achieving this.

He said that older people are more likely to suffer from anxiety and loneliness while younger people have
more likely to have thoughts of suicide or self-harm.

Dr Ni Bhrian said it is not being translated into actual suicide numbers, but the HSE is well aware of this and mental health services are developing responses.

School transmission

Deputy Medical Director Dr. Heather Burns said schools are not key drivers of Covid-19 transmission in the community.

She said, “The more we reduce community transmission, the more we can protect schools.”

The close contact positivity rate in the school setting is 2.8% and the current national positivity rate is approximately 7.2%.

Dr. Burns said that a lot of work has been done at the public health level in relation to schools.

Taking control of the virus

The Medical Director said that regaining control of Covid-19 “will require a great social effort” to comply with the Level 5 restrictions that the Government is introducing.

Dr. Tony Holohan said the burden and impact of the virus is increasing.

Public health system

Dr. Holohan also asked people to help slow the spread of the virus.

He said: “It is now up to each of us as individuals in society to do all that we can individually” to stop the spread of the virus.

Dr. Holohan said that when the virus is under control, the responsiveness of the public health system “will be the key to protecting us.”

Latest coronavirus stories

Meanwhile, the Oireachtas will pass legislation that allows the issuance of fines for non-compliance with the restrictions to stop the spread of Covid-19 in a few days.

It will pave the way for an on-site fine of up to € 500 for those who host house parties, travel beyond the five kilometer limit, or refuse to cover their faces.

along with penalties for people traveling beyond the five kilometer travel limit.

The Cabinet has also decided to increase the number of people who can attend a funeral during the period of Level 5 measures from 10 to 25 and agreed to ban evictions while restricting the movement of people.

And the government updated its guidance on support bubbles, which means that now anyone who lives can only form a bubble with another household.

The measure covers the following groups:

  • if you live alone with children under the age of 18
  • if you live alone
  • if you share parenting or custody arrangements
  • if you live with an adult you care for (for example, a dependent adult relative or partner with dementia)
  • if you live alone and have a supportive caregiver or caregivers, including a resident caregiver



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