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

I do agree with that podge, really but there is still an immediate and pressing problem of lack of capacity that still hasn't been sorted and 5000 offsick at anytime is a crisis !

Why do you keep pretending the INMO were not pushing for a mask mandate?

Their press releases fed Claire Byrne et al's agenda and gave it momentum.

"We are not in a space in which our health service can cope with 570 patients on trolleys coupled with such high numbers of patients in our hospitals with COVID.

"The Government must now revisit their decision on mask-wearing in indoor and crowded settings.

They can find money for other things they surely have to find money or do something radical to sort the healthservice.

The maskwearing request in congested indoor settings is only for this present surge.

After that people need to remember that it was having a weak health service that got us into continuous restrictions ( along with a cautious public health and government!) in the first place .

With Stephen Donnelly at the helm I very much doubt that anything radical will be even attempted before next winter season .

I would be happy to be proven wrong ...🙄

I just want this to be over !

Its more the HSE the problem there than the healthservice , iykwim ?

Less of an issue with the old style health boards as there was a smaller and more defined path of accountability...although cronyism was more of an issue with them.

This is why Slaintecare is being pushed for by those frontline and community HCWs. More defined areas of responsibility with clearer accountability and hopefully less management ,more workers .

But this government aren't in favour and have stood in the way of its development so far despite having signed up to bringing it in.

Now why would defined areas of responsibility and clearer accountability be an issue, I wonder ?

Or a single tier health system for everyone in the country?

https://www.irishtimes.com/life-and-style/health-family/give-me-a-crash-course-in-the-sl%C3%A1intecare-debacle-1.4695104

Whats the story with restrictions? Could they be reimposed?

Which they can demand if they choose but it has all the influence of a random submission to a Dail committee, in short none. The replacement for NPHET will follow along the same lines on COVID, adopting a position of public health risk management. At this stage of COVID's evolution that is on par with flu' and it will not be influenced by a quasi-emergency committee within the HSE. The current problem is in the HSE and proposing measures that extend well into the public domain is nowhere in their remit.

They should be and vaccination programmes are something that the HSE does very well. Flu' shots will usually begin in September and you'd expect COVID vaccines to be done in tandem.

Where will you go from Friday since this forum will have no real need anymore unless it converts to a flu and covid forum?

Ireland would appear to have higher than average Covid figures since around Sept 2020 compared to the rest of Europe. I suspect at present, they are astronomically high with I suspect 50%+ of the population having been infected at this stage.

I really think figures will drop like a stone at some stage over the next month or so. There is nowhere for the virus to go at this stage

People can get reinfected, so the virus has loads of opportunity to keep going round and round.

It doesn't make masks pointless. If you're sick, wear a mask. Had people coming into work last week with mild symptoms and self diagnosis, no mask and now out with covid. More and more people are falling ill this week as well.

I wonder how many of those in hospital would not nother there hole going to hospital if there tests where negative,

Like if the doctor said its not covid just a bad flu would they just stick it out at home & is it the fact the word CoVid is used makes them think oh no i better get myself to hospital,