Coronavirus

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

water-man wrote: »

As somebody else asked above and I'd really like to know the answer too is, why is Donegal so bad with cases? What is different here compared to the rest of the island (It can't be all NI fault)? Really Donegal is sparsely populated.

There was an article last week talking to several doctors in Donegal and some health experts from other parts of the country. The conclusion was that basically, yes, our proximity to Derry and Strabane specifically has impacted on numbers here. More than other border counties because they don't have areas of such dense population literally a stones throw away, and add in the fact that that region had the worst transmission rates in the entire UK for a few weeks. (The example of Cavan was used for comparison. GAA activity was what was driving their numbers and as soon as it was shut down, their numbers fell)

The other point made by both the local doctors and other experts was that there are still a lot of people in Donegal just not following the guidelines. It's as simple as that. Doctors locally were seeing the links between cases and they were from wakes, funerals, parties, family gatherings etc.

At this very moment the hospital seems to be what's driving the numbers. They have 46 cases in patients and 160 staff off due to Covid. The majority of the numbers we're seeing these days are probably down to a combination of the hospital being in crisis and staff brining it home with them.

Whatever about the rest of the country, I really don't think we should be reopening anything here until the hospital is sorted. And it needs some serious help from somewhere to do that.

Heighway61

TICKLE_ME_ELMO wrote: »

There was an article last week talking to several doctors in Donegal and some health experts from other parts of the country. The conclusion was that basically, yes, our proximity to Derry and Strabane specifically has impacted on numbers here. More than other border counties because they don't have areas of such dense population literally a stones throw away, and add in the fact that that region had the worst transmission rates in the entire UK for a few weeks. (The example of Cavan was used for comparison. GAA activity was what was driving their numbers and as soon as it was shut down, their numbers fell)

The other point made by both the local doctors and other experts was that there are still a lot of people in Donegal just not following the guidelines. It's as simple as that. Doctors locally were seeing the links between cases and they were from wakes, funerals, parties, family gatherings etc.

At this very moment the hospital seems to be what's driving the numbers. They have 46 cases in patients and 160 staff off due to Covid. The majority of the numbers we're seeing these days are probably down to a combination of the hospital being in crisis and staff brining it home with them.

Whatever about the rest of the country, I really don't think we should be reopening anything here until the hospital is sorted. And it needs some serious help from somewhere to do that.

It's very bad in the hospital, worse than is being reported. In some departments every member of staff tested positive. Some have closed down. Blanket testing of staff began this morning.

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

Heighway61 wrote: »

It's very bad in the hospital, worse than is being reported. In some departments every member of staff tested positive. Some have closed down. Blanket testing of staff began this morning.

Well at least they're doing something, finally. I'd expect to see a big rise in the numbers for a few days if that's the case but hopefully it's a start to getting it under control

frank8211

Heighway61 wrote: »

It's very bad in the hospital, worse than is being reported. In some departments every member of staff tested positive. Some have closed down. Blanket testing of staff began this morning.

Not before time. Thats very unsettling to hear and annoying for ordinary people being continually barracked about reducing their contacts

JoannieG

Wakes and funerals are a huge problem. My aunt passed away recently and while I went to the removal and stood outside the church at the funeral, I didn't go into the house or shake hands/hug any of my cousins. What surprised me was the amount of people who told me that I was being silly and sheepish for not going into the house or spending time with my cousins. They really couldn't understand why I, and the rest of my siblings, stayed apart from the bereaved family. I was close to my aunt and her family but we'll be able to get together and mourn her properly when we get vaccinated.

frank8211

JoannieG wrote: »

Wakes and funerals are a huge problem. My aunt passed away recently and while I went to the removal and stood outside the church at the funeral, I didn't go into the house or shake hands/hug any of my cousins. What surprised me was the amount of people who told me that I was being silly and sheepish for not going into the house or spending time with my cousins. They really couldn't understand why I, and the rest of my siblings, stayed apart from the bereaved family. I was close to my aunt and her family but we'll be able to get together and mourn her properly when we get vaccinated.

Thats mad. You were being sensible

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

JoannieG wrote: »

Wakes and funerals are a huge problem. My aunt passed away recently and while I went to the removal and stood outside the church at the funeral, I didn't go into the house or shake hands/hug any of my cousins. What surprised me was the amount of people who told me that I was being silly and sheepish for not going into the house or spending time with my cousins. They really couldn't understand why I, and the rest of my siblings, stayed apart from the bereaved family. I was close to my aunt and her family but we'll be able to get together and mourn her properly when we get vaccinated.

It's the same with a lot of things. I was invited to a birthday party last week and when I said thanks but no thanks I got the coldest reaction and haven't heard a peep from anyone in that particular family since. I know someone else who has been debating going to another party next week despite not wanting to go. They're afraid it'll make them look rude or something if they don't make an appearance. I don't know whose worse, the people organising these things, or the people more worried about appearing rude than the possibility of getting Covid.

A friend tested positive.... Mild symptoms, he's not suffering.... Reckons its mad to have lockdown when it's not serious.

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

Augeo wrote: »

A friend tested positive.... Mild symptoms, he's not suffering.... Reckons its mad to have lockdown when it's not serious.

I can't believe we're still having conversations like this 9 months and 2000+ deaths later.

JoannieG

We're preaching to the choir here. We try to be as sensible as possible but there are more and more people in Donegal who think that they're not the problem and that the Government/Nepht/doctors/Garda/(insert your own fixer here) should do something about it. I met a man and his daughter out walking a couple of weeks ago. I was about 3k from my home but he was at least 25k from his. And he had the nerve to tell me that "they" should do something about all these people who are breaking the rules. I did offer to call the Gardai for him but he declined.:p

madalig12

Heard from a nurse the hospital is nuts. Woman landed in maternity, didnt tell them she had symptoms. A doc an 2 nurses caught it off her. They didnt temp check her on arrival. They need a full test down there of everyone in there.

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

madalig12 wrote: »

Heard from a nurse the hospital is nuts. Woman landed in maternity, didnt tell them she had symptoms. A doc an 2 nurses caught it off her. They didnt temp check her on arrival. They need a full test down there of everyone in there.

Everyone being admitted to hospital is supposed to be tested, regardless of whether they have symptoms or not. Not everyone with Covid has a temperature anyway so I don't know that that would be the most useful way of doing it.

malinheader

Augeo wrote: »

A friend tested positive.... Mild symptoms, he's not suffering.... Reckons its mad to have lockdown when it's not serious.

I have a family member who is asthmatic. Have been told if they get it there will be a good chance it will be very very serious. I myself reckon it's mad to be easing back on restrictions.

madalig12

I have a relative a nurse in LUH. Has been on a covid ward since March had their first swab today. Only after the staff went and demanded it. Management keep moving patients around too which clearly cannot help. Its rife in the hospital. Queues at the test centre this evening more than likely its hospital staff. Watch the numbers for Donegal jump in the next 2 days

echo beach

madalig12 wrote: »

Heard from a nurse the hospital is nuts. Woman landed in maternity, didnt tell them she had symptoms. A doc an 2 nurses caught it off her. They didnt temp check her on arrival. They need a full test down there of everyone in there.

From the very beginning the best advice I heard was to assume you have it and assume everyone you meet has it. If a person doesn’t have symptoms they can still pass it on.

This story is doing the rounds. It doesn’t matter if it is true or not. Hospital staff should not be discussing their patients. Full stop. A person could have mental health difficulties or an intellectual disability. Even if they are totally irresponsible they are still entitled to confidentiality.

It is the responsibility of the management, not the patients, to keep the staff safe.

feelpablo

madalig12 wrote: »

Heard from a nurse the hospital is nuts. Woman landed in maternity, didnt tell them she had symptoms. A doc an 2 nurses caught it off her. They didnt temp check her on arrival. They need a full test down there of everyone in there.

I dropped my wife to the hospital today to go into the maternity ward... I suffer hugely from anxiety at the best of times and this has elevated it so much but im trying to keep a lid on it


im extremely worried

John_Rambo

feelpablo wrote: »

I dropped my wife to the hospital today to go into the maternity ward... I suffer hugely from anxiety at the best of times and this has elevated it so much but im trying to keep a lid on it


im extremely worried

We had a baby during the pandemic as did two of our friends, your wife is in the safest place possible. She's surrounded by people that have been dealing with infections for all of their working lives and have had systems in place before any other workplace did.

You genuinely have nothing to worry about. When baby is born get them home, move in to siege mode & take the necessary precautions when you're out and about. Nothing to fear.

Best of luck.

madalig12

echo beach wrote: »

From the very beginning the best advice I heard was to assume you have it and assume everyone you meet has it. If a person doesn’t have symptoms they can still pass it on.

This story is doing the rounds. It doesn’t matter if it is true or not. Hospital staff should not be discussing their patients. Full stop. A person could have mental health difficulties or an intellectual disability. Even if they are totally irresponsible they are still entitled to confidentiality.

It is the responsibility of the management, not the patients, to keep the staff safe.

They are not discussing their patients. They said the management keep moving patients from ward to ward. Thats hardly their medical history ffs.

babybuilder

Heighway61 wrote: »

It's very bad in the hospital, worse than is being reported. In some departments every member of staff tested positive. Some have closed down. Blanket testing of staff began this morning.

The fact that most front line staff in the hospital have only been tested once since March (and again in the last couple of days) is a f***king disgrace.

whatswhat

Augeo wrote: »

A friend tested positive.... Mild symptoms, he's not suffering.... Reckons its mad to have lockdown when it's not serious.

My Brother had that attitude. He quickly changed his tune when our Mother caught the virus and ended up in Intensive Care in September.
Thank God she made it out of there and is very slowly getting better now.
I gave out to him for his selfish attitude but I needn't have done, seeing Mam so ill did that anyway.

I would move mountains to protect my Mam, as would we all, yet sadly, people with the above attitude are playing Russian Roulette and cruelly, others will suffer and not them.
Someone later on in this thread said "We are preaching to the converted" and we probably are but something needs to be done to get through the message that this is a horrible virus to those who believe that because they cannot see it, it isn't there. It so is.

fawlty682

There is no good news about this hospital for years. Misdiagnosis, mismanagement, lack of medical staff always a problem. Presume doctors and nurses are difficult to attract to an isolated part of the country, and a badly run hospital is not enticing. Even yesterday’s testing of staff caused huge traffic delays on the main roads as the queue of cars extended out of the car park onto the road,at 5 p.m. Today, flu vaccination in St Conals chapel caused more problems. It’s hard to have confidence in the HSE dispensing the vaccines efficiently.

NIMAN

whatswhat wrote: »

My Brother had that attitude. He quickly changed his tune when our Mother caught the virus and ended up in Intensive Care in September.
Thank God she made it out of there and is very slowly getting better now.
I gave out to him for his selfish attitude but I needn't have done, seeing Mam so ill did that anyway.

I would move mountains to protect my Mam, as would we all, yet sadly, people with the above attitude are playing Russian Roulette and cruelly, others will suffer and not them.
Someone later on in this thread said "We are preaching to the converted" and we probably are but something needs to be done to get through the message that this is a horrible virus to those who believe that because they cannot see it, it isn't there. It so is.

Unfortunately there is a cohort of folk who aren't taking this virus seriously at all, and I think what happened you and your family is the only thing that will convince them to change their ways.

As long as no-one close to them catches it and gets very ill, they are going to carry on regardless.

slimboyfat

fawlty682 wrote: »

There is no good news about this hospital for years. Misdiagnosis, mismanagement, lack of medical staff always a problem. Presume doctors and nurses are difficult to attract to an isolated part of the country, and a badly run hospital is not enticing. Even yesterday’s testing of staff caused huge traffic delays on the main roads as the queue of cars extended out of the car park onto the road,at 5 p.m. Today, flu vaccination in St Conals chapel caused more problems. It’s hard to have confidence in the HSE dispensing the vaccines efficiently.

As always, you will hear about all the bad news but never about all the good news.

feelpablo

well unfortnately there is an outbreak of covid in the maternity ward but its being managed very well apparently

For Forks Sake

https://twitter.com/gavreilly/status/1334621600054980609

ednwireland

For Forks Sake wrote: »

https://twitter.com/gavreilly/status/1334621600054980609

lets just add in
Glenties LEA 117.1

Donegal LEA 90.6

ednwireland

ednwireland wrote: »

lets just add in
Glenties LEA 117.1

Donegal LEA 90.6

Thanks. That's Glenties LEA down from 171.4 to 117.1, thankfully.

malinheader

Carndonagh and Buncrana on par with letterkenny is mad.
Some serious non compliance must be alot of the cause.
Before the summer we had hardly a case in inishowen.


Heard the medical officer saying on Rte this morning we could see 1200 cases a week if this relaxing of restrictions goes wrong, the way it's going in parts of Donegal I don't hold out much hope for people to change their ways.

This could be the one of the biggest mistakes in this country's history.

malinheader

malinheader wrote: »

Before the summer we had hardly a case in Inishowen.
This could be the one of the biggest mistakes in this country's history.

We had exactly one case in my area for months. Since summertime, it seems to be seeding away quietly in the background. Thankfully, numbers are coming down again, but, I remain convinced that more information re case locations and transmission routes would be a lot more effective than the constant hectoring about minimising contacts.

I don't know about anyone else, but I find it hugely irritating. I do comply with the advice offered. If 9 months of lecturing hasn't made the minority comply, maybe its time to change the record?

ednwireland

Deleted User wrote: »

We had exactly one case in my area for months. Since summertime, it seems to be seeding away quietly in the background. Thankfully, numbers are coming down again, but, I remain convinced that more information re case locations and transmission routes would be a lot more effective than the constant hectoring about minimising contacts.

I don't know about anyone else, but I find it hugely irritating. I do comply with the advice offered. If 9 months of lecturing hasn't made the minority comply, maybe its time to change the record?

totally agree i cant see why the reluctance to call out where cases are really coming form (apart form that with 2 days track and trace they probably don't really know, the ones they do manage to track appear to be outliers.

and lets be honest whose going to tell track and trace they've been at several parties etc