Covid 19 Part XXXV-956,720 ROI (5,952 deaths) 452,946 NI (3,002 deaths) (08/01) Read OP

Dempo1

Arghus wrote: »

Great stuff there from Michael McNamara.

Spent thirty seconds on mute and then asked a question that had already been asked and answered.

What a dude.

Awful Clown with an even more awful hair Quiff, I watch most of this debacle live, it was just bizzare, almost like a pantomime. Politicians utterly clueless on the topic of antigen testing, NPHET 100% on the same page, just a peculiar spectle.

No doubt there's going to be some choice posts across boards celebrating (NOT) Tony Holohan picking up his freedom of Dublin award earlier

TheDoctor

TheDoctor wrote: »

And with younger persons, a possible larger portion of cases being asymptotic?

Possible. But also likely that most of those are never tested

TheDoctor

Deleted User wrote: »

Possible. But also likely that most of those are never tested

Fair enough. We'll leave it there so.

Polar101

What's the fascination with antigen testing all about? To me they seem to be something that might have been somewhat useful a few months ago, but less so now.

CruelSummer

NPHET’s contributions today only clarified what is already widely known. They are wrong on antigen testing. They are pretending we will miss ‘asymptomatic cases’ when in actual fact antigen tests are used to measure if a person is infectious at that point in time.
The worst and frankly most outrageous contribution came from a NPHET member demonstrating how to fake an at home antigen test kit.
No one in the aviation or other industries suggested using home kits. Their assertion that it would take 80 nurses to run antigen tests for a gig of 8,000 highlights the fact they know this but still went along with cuckoo internet science to back up their argument.
If I was in working in the decimated travel sector, entertainment or other affected industries this evening, I would be rightly outraged. They didn’t even read the commissioned report on antigen testing according to Dr Glynn. Jobs, our connectivity, everything is in jeopardy from this.
The Government are worse for hiding behind Dr Holohan & NPHET - instead of looking at international evidence & best practices + actually governing. NPHET are who they are, an ultra conservative group of doctors, some with a God complex. They are not evil boogey men but they showed their utter disregard for the Irish population & their intelligence with the contributions today & need to be overruled on this.

Goldengirl

FintanMcluskey wrote: »

That seems unbelievably optimistic for Ireland

Not a chance actually, after seeing that childish setup called a trial event last week

I’ll eat my hat if EP goes ahead

What sort of hat is it , Fintan ?
A Fedora ?
Or a Beanie ? :pac:

Goldengirl

AdamD wrote: »

I agree with your general point but those scenes have been happening in Dublin city for weeks (nigh on months at this point, it was jammers in early April), and continued in the weekends after his comment, to no discernable affect on numbers. Whilst it would be better if the gatherings were far more spread than a few streets, it does bring into question whether outdoors is at all risky.

The 'outrage' at times has often been weeks behind the scenes on the ground. Was the same with takeaway pints earlier in the pandemic. You've got one group of society shocked and appalled when its brought to their attention, and another group wondering how its taken them so long to notice.

While I don't disagree with your analysis, just wanted to point out that our case numbers have stayed pretty stable at around 350 ish for a good while now despite vaccination, and these cases are mainly in the 19 to 24 year olds .
So while we may not see a spike per se we are not going to see those numbers dropping until they either stop socialising or get vaccinated , which we can surmise neither may happen .
Would not affect hospitalisations or ICU cases much I hear you say and agree again .
Not going to help us if a variant of concern gets into the melting pot though .

PTH2009

CruelSummer wrote: »

NPHET’s contributions today only clarified what is already widely known. They are wrong on antigen testing. They are pretending we will miss ‘asymptomatic cases’ when in actual fact antigen tests are used to measure if a person is infectious at that point in time.
The worst and frankly most outrageous contribution came from a NPHET member demonstrating how to fake an at home antigen test kit.
No one in the aviation or other industries suggested using home kits. Their assertion that it would take 80 nurses to run antigen tests for a gig of 8,000 highlights the fact they know this but still went along with cuckoo internet science to back up their argument.
If I was in working in the decimated travel sector, entertainment or other affected industries this evening, I would be rightly outraged. They didn’t even read the commissioned report on antigen testing according to Dr Glynn. Jobs, our connectivity, everything is in jeopardy from this.
The Government are worse for hiding behind Dr Holohan & NPHET - instead of looking at international evidence & best practices + actually governing. NPHET are who they are, an ultra conservative group of doctors, some with a God complex. They are not evil boogey men but they showed their utter disregard for the Irish population & their intelligence with the contributions today & need to be overruled on this.

Very true and the EU won't step in either

Truly were in a farcical state with nobody in the Government willing to stand up to NPHET and Dr Tony. There rejecting advice that has be proven successfully all over Europe

Ficheall

Timmy O Toole wrote: »

.. with the chair of NPHET making millions every week off PCR testing

What's this?

Ficheall

Ficheall wrote: »

What's this?

A lie

thejuggler

We will ever see a daily county by county breakdown of cases again? Also how many Covid deaths have been recorded in the last month? ICU numbers down by 4 today - hopefully discharged to regular wards but sadly it’s possible that some may have lost their fight too.

Goldengirl

Timmy O Toole wrote: »

Sounds like Michael Martin is planning on getting pilots and air traffic controllers working in wind farms.

Its absolutely disgusting that he can completely ignore the question on the conflict of interest with the chair of NPHET making millions every week off PCR testing.

https://twitter.com/MlMcNamaraTD/status/1405142348309446658?s=19

Hopefully Micheal Martin can work a mike though , unlike Michael McNamara .

TheDoctor

Goldengirl wrote: »

Hopefully Micheal Martin can work a mike though , unlike Michael McNamara .

If he answers every question like he mumbled through that one there, be better if he didn't have a mic.

Klonker

Arghus wrote: »

Great stuff there from Michael McNamara.

Spent thirty seconds on mute and then asked a question that had already been asked and answered.

What a dude.

Where was your 'dude' post when one of the NPHET members showed how to fake a test?

Dempo1

Not sure if anyone watching or have seen a brilliant Documentary on BBC 2 tonight, the story behind the development of Vacinnes to fight covid. Its an Horizon special. Anyone whos missed it, really worth looking at.

The process, development, Trials etc on all the Vacinnes, including the Chinese efforts (very unfairly, not covered much in the media), excellent interviews also.

There is however a very Poignant warning towards the end by the very scientists who developed the successful Vacinnes, it won't please some, indeed it might horrify them, no spoilers but certainly worth looking at if you've access to BBC iplayer.

Goldengirl

FintanMcluskey wrote: »

In fairness to him he was the only politician to stick his head above the parapet and ask for discussion behind the decisions since March 2020

He's a politician, it is his job to raise his head and ask questions , and fair dues, Shannon is in his area so he should be representing for everyone in that region.

But turn on your bloody mike, Mike !

Leftwaffe

Sir Tony and co are afraid we will wipe butter all over our antigen tests. They must think we're neanderthals altogether.

Klonker

Very poor showing from NPHET today at that hearing, now sure what order to go in;

How come they can all sit in a room together unmasked and not social distanced and when I go to my office I'm supposed to wear a mask at all times at my desk whether there is another colleague with 10 metres of me or not? I know I'm being contrary here but can the ones not making the rules at least follow them themselves if they exxoect the rest if us too?

Why is the results of this report only being reported now? The testing was done in Jan and Feb I believe. They're on about a new report/test for colleges and aviation. We'll be lucky to get them back this year.

How is this an independent report if a number of NPHET members are involved in it who are outspoken against Antigen tests in numerous occasions?

Why was only a nasal self administered test done on asymptomatic cases when nasopharyngeal tests and professionally taken tests are known to be more accurate? Even at this, 80% of PCR tests were positive on antigen also when taking likely to be infectious (25 ct cycles).

What the hell was the fake result thing about? I dont think anyone is looking for self administered tests to be rolled out for travel or events. The only people who would use self administered tests are people who are being cautious in the first place and doing tests off their own back. If they were going to fake an optional test result they just wouldn't bother with the test in the first place.

Arghus

Klonker wrote: »

Where was your 'dude' post when one of the NPHET members showed how to fake a test?

I've questions myself at this stage about NPHET's attitude to antigen testing, they do seem remarkably reluctant to endorse it and and I thought Tony Holohan was occasionally quite arrogant sounding and brusque with some of the politicians asking questions today. The members of NPHET aren't infallible.

Nevertheless, I thought McNamara came across as a complete horse's ass.

Timmy O Toole

[Deleted User] wrote: »

A lie

Cillian de Gascun is a consultant virologist who serves as Director of the National Virus Reference Laboratory in UCD where PCR tests are processed, he is also The Chair on NPHET. Wheres the lie ?

Timmy O Toole

Timmy O Toole wrote: »

Cillian de Gascun is a consultant virologist who serves as Director of the National Virus Reference Laboratory in UCD where PCR tests are processed, he is also The Chair on NPHET. Wheres the lie ?

That he benefits financially from tests carried out in what is not a private for profit organisation.

And the NVRL only process a portion of tests

Klonker

Klonker wrote: »

How come they can all sit in a room together unmasked and not social distanced and when I go to my office I'm supposed to wear a mask at all times at my desk whether there is another colleague with 10 metres of me or not? I know I'm being contrary here but can the ones not making the rules at least follow them themselves if they exxoect the rest if us too?
.

As petty as it might seem, this also always hits a nerve with me too. Seems these lads are safe at their briefings/pressers/committees once they’re speaking. If I remember correctly as well, it was very late into 2020 when masks started appearing at briefings and the likes.

All while office workers, retail, teachers, gardai are told to wear masks at all times while working in doors. It creates the narrative that the rules don’t apply to the lads making them.

Klonker

Klonker wrote: »

How come they can all sit in a room together unmasked and not social distanced and when I go to my office I'm supposed to wear a mask at all times at my desk whether there is another colleague with 10 metres of me or not? I know I'm being contrary here but can the ones not making the rules at least follow them themselves if they exxoect the rest if us too?

That’s a rule your office has chosen to enact, not national guidelines.

Dempo1

Timmy O Toole wrote: »

Cillian de Gascun is a consultant virologist who serves as Director of the National Virus Reference Laboratory in UCD where PCR tests are processed, he is also The Chair on NPHET. Wheres the lie ?

For what it's worth, I watched the entire hearing, it was utterly shocking and descended into a he, said, she said farce.

Without exception the politicians were completely out of their depth, there wasnt an objective comment from one of them, and Michael McNamara just made a fool of himself.

NPHET too where clearly on the defensive, The CMO poking at colleague's to intervene with their thoughts. The Tonic water antigen test was like a chemistry experiment you'd see at a primary school, completely embarrassing.

NPHET ultimately B**** slapped the politicians, if it was a soccer match, the result would be 10 - Nill with quite a few red cards issued to both sides for what was quite simply a pantomime.

Rarely have I seen Ronan Glynn or Du Gascon get agitated but they along with Philip Nolan grew more and more exasperated as the hearing progressed, dealing with some quite absurd and I'll informed demands (not questions) from politicians. It was a thundering disgrace and all to blame.

Rant over

Goldengirl

Klonker wrote: »

Very poor showing from NPHET today at that hearing, now sure what order to go in;

How come they can all sit in a room together unmasked and not social distanced and when I go to my office I'm supposed to wear a mask at all times at my desk whether there is another colleague with 10 metres of me or not? I know I'm being contrary here but can the ones not making the rules at least follow them themselves if they exxoect the rest if us too?

Why is the results of this report only being reported now? The testing was done in Jan and Feb I believe. They're on about a new report/test for colleges and aviation. We'll be lucky to get them back this year.

How is this an independent report if a number of NPHET members are involved in it who are outspoken against Antigen tests in numerous occasions?

Why was only a nasal self administered test done on asymptomatic cases when nasopharyngeal tests and professionally taken tests are known to be more accurate? Even at this, 80% of PCR tests were positive on antigen also when taking likely to be infectious (25 ct cycles).

What the hell was the fake result thing about? I dont think anyone is looking for self administered tests to be rolled out for travel or events. The only people who would use self administered tests are people who are being cautious in the first place and doing tests off their own back. If they were going to fake an optional test result they just wouldn't bother with the test in the first place.

That last paragraph interests me .

Why is everyone so het up about the antigen tests when it is so easy to walk in and get a very much more accurate PCR ?

Let's be honest here ..It is cheaper to travel with antigen tests and easier to pass one while asymptomatic .

If NPHET said antigen tests all round for every gig, every match, every social event , every workplace...but not for travel because that is where we need full accuracy at the moment , people would still be giving out and running incorrect comparisons between the tests on her

It's about travel , full stop . Not the importance and usefulness of antigen testing .

While the aviation industry is on its knees it is disingenuous to say that antigen testing will save it .

What will save the industry and everything else in our economy is continuing to reduce this infection to just a cold, and one of the best ways to do that while we are vaccinating everybody we can, is by keeping this latest variant out as much as possible .
We won't do that with antigen tests.

We already have a leaky border up North , so we are literally running a race here so we don't get caught like the UK.

FintanMcluskey

Dempo1 wrote: »

Awful Clown with an even more awful hair Quiff, I watch most of this debacle live, it was just bizzare, almost like a pantomime. Politicians utterly clueless on the topic of antigen testing, NPHET 100% on the same page, just a peculiar spectle.

No doubt there's going to be some choice posts across boards celebrating (NOT) Tony Holohan picking up his freedom of Dublin award earlier

We are very lucky in Ireland to have nPHEt and all their beliefs and faith regarding antigen

Imagine using antigen tests as a tool to help catch cases that otherwise may not be detected and try to return to normal as fast as possible, like the public health teams across the rest of the globe have been doing

Do those other nations not realise antigen tests can be faked at home?

FintanMcluskey

Goldengirl wrote: »

That last paragraph interests me .

Why is everyone so het up about the antigen tests when it is so easy to walk in and get a very much more accurate PCR ?

Let's be honest here ..It is cheaper to travel with antigen tests and easier to pass one while asymptomatic .

If NPHET said antigen tests all round for every gig, every match, every social event , every workplace...but not for travel because that is where we need full accuracy at the moment , people would still be giving out and running incorrect comparisons between the tests on her

It's about travel , full stop . Not the importance and usefulness of antigen testing .

While the aviation industry is on its knees it is disingenuous to say that antigen testing will save it .

What will save the industry and everything else in our economy is continuing to reduce this infection to just a cold, and one of the best ways to do that while we are vaccinating everybody we can, is by keeping this latest variant out as much as possible .
We won't do that with antigen tests.

We already have a leaky border up North , so we are literally running a race here so we don't get caught like the UK.

I wouldn’t like queuing for a match waiting for a PCR test and result!

How was the UK caught?

Klonker

Deleted User wrote: »

That’s a rule your office has chosen to enact, not national guidelines.

National guidelines are to wear face coverings on crowded spaces. Looked a bit crowded on that video to me.

I thought it was national guidelines to wear when in offices but looks like you're right, it's just my employers policy.

Dempo1

FintanMcluskey wrote: »

We are very lucky in Ireland to have nPHEt and all their beliefs and faith regarding antigen

Imagine using antigen tests as a tool to help catch cases that otherwise may not be detected and try to return to normal as fast as possible, like the public health teams across the rest of the globe have been doing

Do those other nations not realise antigen tests can be faked at home?

I whole heartedly agree re NPHET, ive supported them from the outset , I'm still a little confused about the whole antigen testing debate. I do have to say today's hearing in the Dail was really quite bizzare, neither NPHET or Politicians crowned themselves in glory today, utterly embarrassing stuff.

Goldengirl

FintanMcluskey wrote: »

I wouldn’t like queuing for a match waiting for a PCR test and result!

How was the UK caught?

If you read my post ......:pac:

I said antigen tests not PCR !

PCR for travel .