Galway COVID-19, local news and discussion

Yyhhuuu

Happyilylost wrote: »

GUH does have patients in ICU. 2 patients. Another ward St. Joseph's ward has been converted into a covid ward. Expected to be full in the next 24 hours.

St. Joseph's was once oncology. I think it then became cardiothoracic. (If required I would prefer to attend the Cardiothoracic centre in dublin where a relative of mine established). Is St Patrick's still called St Patrick's at UHG?

Once St Patrick's was the full expanse of the 5th floor. No medical students were permitted.It was a private floor ( referred to as the penthouse) with only private rooms when that hospital was originally opened in 1956.

shenanagans

8248 cases today. 20 deaths. Galway 220 today.

_Whimsical_

Yyhhuuu wrote: »

St. Joseph's was once oncology. I think it then became cardiothoracic. (If required I would prefer to attend the Cardiothoracic centre in dublin where a relative of mine established). Is St Patrick's still called St Patrick's at UHG?

Once St Patrick's was the full expanse of the 5th floor. No medical students were permitted.It was a private floor ( referred to as the penthouse) with only private rooms when that hospital was originally opened in 1956.

Heard from someone working in there that they now have 5 wards for Covid and were struggling with capacity.

_Whimsical_

207 today.

zell12

Galway is the third most populous county in Ireland, how is it we have such a low incidence rate?
https://twitter.com/gavreilly/status/1347954849573462016?s=20

JCX BXC

An incidence rate of almost 700 per 100,000 is very high, likely the highest Galway has ever had.

It's just, alot of rest of the country are doing significantly worse. I'm not sure why Galway isn't performing as poorly, but the situation is still not good.

Mrs OBumble

zell12 wrote: »

Galway is the third most populous county in Ireland, how is it we have such a low incidence rate?

At a guess, low population density (population per square Km), and employers with pretty high cleanliness requirements as part of their business (medical devices), or closed ( hospitality) or easy to WFH (IT).

frank8211

Mrs OBumble wrote: »

At a guess, low population density (population per square Km), and employers with pretty high cleanliness requirements as part of their business (medical devices), or closed ( hospitality) or easy to WFH (IT).

Well. a medical devices place in Waterford is rumoured to have a significant problem

Yyhhuuu

Mrs OBumble wrote: »

At a guess, low population density (population per square Km), and employers with pretty high cleanliness requirements as part of their business (medical devices), or closed ( hospitality) or easy to WFH (IT).

I think the importance of social distancing, particularly in view of the high viral load of variants, shouldn't be underestimated. Sadly up to now there was very little social distancing being observed. Even yesterday I observed groups of teenagers sitting together. I'm so glad I checked them.

beardybrewer

I'm not impressed at what I saw in town and along the prom yesterday. During the week there was even a big group of kids playing together in my estate. Things are at their worst but it seems it's just too much effort for some.

That said now that the backlog is cleared hopefully we'll see a strong downward trend. With or without everyone pitching in the lockdown is bound to make a big difference soon.

ben.schlomo

beardybrewer wrote: »

I'm not impressed at what I saw in town and along the prom yesterday. During the week there was even a big group of kids playing together in my estate. Things are at their worst but it seems it's just too much effort for some.

That said now that the backlog is cleared hopefully we'll see a strong downward trend. With or without everyone pitching in the lockdown is bound to make a big difference soon.

What didn't impress you in town?

beardybrewer

beardybrewer wrote: »

During the week there was even a big group of kids playing together in my estate. Things are at their worst but it seems it's just too much effort for some.

Same here, maybe we're neighbours! Partially defeats the purpose of schools closing. Groups of 10-15 kids hanging out together for hours.

We went for a walk through the estate since the footpaths here are too narrow and busy and we can't get to our socially distanced beach walks with the 5k limit! The other day we were coming down a quiet narrow path and about 15 excited kids came running through, pushing past.

At earlier times it's groups of parents chatting together as the younger kids all play together.

gordongekko

For god sake if they are outdoors they are at a way reduced risk. If people can't see the difference of being indoors all day in class with 30 kids or 10 kids spending a while together outdoors then its going to be impossible to explain why they don't carry anywhere near the same risk.

gordongekko

gordongekko wrote: »

For god sake if they are outdoors they are at a way reduced risk. If people can't see the difference of being indoors all day in class with 30 kids or 10 kids spending a while together outdoors then its going to be impossible to explain why they don't carry anywhere near the same risk.

Was wondering how long it'd take for that response! Who said there was no difference?

We're in the latest peak of this, don't need people hanging off each other for hours, even if it's outside.

8 deaths and 6888 new cases today, drop to 140 in Galway.

mjp

gordongekko wrote: »

For god sake if they are outdoors they are at a way reduced risk. If people can't see the difference of being indoors all day in class with 30 kids or 10 kids spending a while together outdoors then its going to be impossible to explain why they don't carry anywhere near the same risk.

What part of limiting your contacts do you not understand. There is a reason why schools are closed and everyone is told to keep away from others if not in your household. This is the attitude that has got us in the position were in where our healthcare system is at breaking point.

gordongekko

mjp wrote: »

What part of limiting your contacts do you not understand. There is a reason why schools are closed and everyone is told to keep away from others if not in your household. This is the attitude that has got us in the position were in where our healthcare system is at breaking point.

Those children have literally more than halved their contacts and have reduced their potential exposure by even more than that as they are meeting outdoors.

Yyhhuuu

The advice is to social distance indoors or OUTSIDE. Do people not realise that the South African variant is 70% more infectious. Five wards have been taken over at UHG. Why cant people cop on. These children should not be mixing indoors or outdoors with other households. Cop on. I have observed so much lack of adherence to the guidelines. Are people stupid or so selfish that they just dont care unless a relative dies. 125 patients presently in ITU IN ROI.

I have first hand information from contact tracers that there were many cases of people in 20s and 30s etc who tested positive for covid in rented flats in the city and then decide foolishly to go home to the country via public transport thereby infecting other travellers and their parents at home.

I have been told of other instances of close contacts who received negative test results but told to quarantine ( as false negatives are common in early disease process). They ignored this advice went in to work, developed symptoms, and infected their co-workers.

There was also cases of large groups congregating at Christmas among family members thereby widespread infections.

Why are so many not adhering the guidelines as evidenced by the exponential growth in infectious. Are people totally ignorant,selfish or reckless or a combination of all the foregoing.

Mrs OBumble

Yyhhuuu wrote: »

Are people totally ignorant,selfish or reckless or a combination of all the foregoing.

Various combinations.
I have one colleague who was cautious - until his grandchild got it at creche and very few other family members got it, despite some very close contact (sharing a bedroom, sharing food). Colleague has been a lot less cautious since.

Others, I blame masks: people were keeping their distance, but now we're all wearing masks, it's not so important to maintain distance, ventilate the room throughout the meeting etc. I have had these words said to me by people who definitely should know better.

There are also a growing number who are sceptical: how is it that influenza has practically disappeared (presumably due to distance and hand washing and masks), but Covid-19 hasn't. Isn't it convenient that there's a fear-inducing wave just as the vaccine becomes available, etc, etc etc, When the sceptics were very small in number, they weren't such an issue. But their number, and so influence on disease incidence, is growing.

John_Rambo

You're waisting your time. People will suit themselves, act irresponsibly but point the finger at everyone else. It's the travellers, it's the foreigners, it's the tourists, it's the holiday homers.... In August I said that household transmission will be the downfall on this very thread and was told that I was talking rubbish by good old noxie who's since gone underground for some reason. Most likely embarrassment.

Now, we're at this level through household mixing over the xmas.

ben.schlomo

Yyhhuuu wrote: »

The advice is to social distance indoors or OUTSIDE. Do people not realise that the South African variant is 70% more infectious. Five wards have been taken over at UHG. Why cant people cop on. These children should not be mixing indoors or outdoors with other households. Cop on. I have observed so much lack of adherence to the guidelines. Are people stupid or so selfish that they just dont care unless a relative dies. 125 patients presently in ITU IN ROI.

I have first hand information from contact tracers that there were many cases of people in 20s and 30s etc who tested positive for covid in rented flats in the city and then decide foolishly to go home to the country via public transport thereby infecting other travellers and their parents at home.

I have been told of other instances of close contacts who received negative test results but told to quarantine ( as false negatives are common in early disease process). They ignored this advice went in to work, developed symptoms, and infected their co-workers.

There was also cases of large groups congregating at Christmas among family members thereby widespread infections.

Why are so many not adhering the guidelines as evidenced by the exponential growth in infectious. Are people totally ignorant,selfish or reckless or a combination of all the foregoing.

Some don't care, yes. Some are sick of the lockdowns, the mixed messaging etc. You're never going to get 100% compliance.

inisboffin

Yyhhuuu wrote: »

I have first hand information from contact tracers that there were many cases of people in 20s and 30s etc who tested positive for covid in rented flats in the city and then decide foolishly to go home to the country via public transport thereby infecting other travellers and their parents at home.

This part is a bit misleading. What is the specific evidence that public transport is comparable to unsafe practices within households?
I’ve had necessity for take public transport all year for essential purposes and for the most part it’s been very safe and operating at a capacity that allows for social distance and maintains it (unlike in a private house)
Your post implies the contact tracers have specific evidence that public transport was a traceable source.

John_Rambo

inisboffin wrote: »

This part is a bit misleading. What is the specific evidence that public transport is comparable to unsafe practices within households?
I’ve had necessity for take public transport all year for essential purposes and for the most part it’s been very safe and operating at a capacity that allows for social distance and maintains it (unlike in a private house)
Your post implies the contact tracers have specific evidence that public transport was a traceable source.

Agreed. The method of transport people took to infect households is irrelevant, they could have walked up the road, driven in a car or taken a spaceship to warm, insulated, (understandably during winter) badly aired households to effect everyone.

_Whimsical_

Deleted User wrote: »

Was wondering how long it'd take for that response! Who said there was no difference?

We're in the latest peak of this, don't need people hanging off each other for hours, even if it's outside.

Just watching the Nephet press conference and they did say that ideally people would wear masks even outdoor and distance. They said there's so much disease out there now that you do need to be careful even passing someone while out for a walk in a park.

This really jumped out in the news today...

"Ireland now has the highest daily number of new confirmed Covid-19 cases in the world for every million people, according to figures published by the Our World in Data organisation."

225 new Galway cases today.

Mrs OBumble

_Whimsical_ wrote: »

Just watching the Nephet press conference and they did say that ideally people would wear masks even outdoor and distance. They said there's so much disease out there now that you do need to be careful even passing someone while out for a walk in a park.

Surely the air inside our houses is just the same as the air inside our houses? There's no magic barrier which stops viruses getting in to or out of buildings just 'cos we happen to live there. if we need to wear masks everywhere outside, surely we need to wear them everywhere inside as well.

_Whimsical_

From the advertiser fb.

COVID-19 infection rates continue to soar in HSE West. The current 14 day incidence is 815/100,000 in Galway, 1303/100,000 in Mayo and in 815/100,000 in Roscommon. The 7 day incidence rate continues to demonstrate continual growth of case numbers.

Yyhhuuu

ben.schlomo wrote: »

Some don't care, yes. Some are sick of the lockdowns, the mixed messaging etc. You're never going to get 100% compliance.

There is widespread non-compliance with 2m social distancing. I see it first hand on the ground. This is because people are not afraid. Ireland had become a selfish society. For a great number it's only when it affects them or a loved one that they eventually realize their error by which time it's too late.

Yyhhuuu

Mrs OBumble wrote: »

Surely the air inside our houses is just the same as the air inside our houses? There's no magic barrier which stops viruses getting in to or out of buildings just 'cos we happen to live there. if we need to wear masks everywhere outside, surely we need to wear them everywhere inside as well.

I think it's ok not to wear a mask outside so long as you keep a distance, and not in a congested setting,perhaps greater than 2m with the SA variant due to heightened viral load. I am sick to death ( pardon the pun) of covidiots constantly not socially distancing on the roads. Joggers are quite dangerous and reckless.