To Mask or not to two - Mask Megathread cont.

Fair enough. No wonder that the INMO are getting frustrated when the HSE are ignoring them. I’m afraid they will just have to stick out the next few weeks with little help.

It matters little what way you put it.

As you know the INMO represents nurses and midwives and has no management function in the health service.

Well yes they do have a right to call for any measures that might reduce their stress at work. But why not other calls - a ban on alcohol, ban on smoking, ban on junk food, mandate on exercise, mandate on regular health check-ups, calls for more screening, calls for the government to sort out GP mess, calls for better filtration, ban on media articles inducing health anxieties needlessly for seasonal illnesses, calls for more beds (although 1,000 acute beds have apparently been added since pre-Covid), better working conditions and pay to attract and retain staff.

Why the focus on masks which would barely put a dent in numbers attending hospitals, unless used in all settings including schools, and combined with distancing measures - because evidence to date for mask wearing is in conjunction with other measures or voluntary changes in behaviour.

What is the figure for reduction in hospital virus numbers with a mask mandate on public transport and health settings? What is it in all settings with no other measures utilised? Is it 10% - that could be a useful reduction, or is it .0001%? No one knows apart from what they believe to be intuitive - there is no evidence for the outcome of these half measures, especially if all areas of life continue as normal outside of these settings.

Maksing has contributed to the problem, let’s not exacerbate it by reintroducing it. Who’s job is it to relieve pressure on the health system in the most effective way? Masking may be a ‘simple measure’ but if it would make no difference what’s the point of asking for a mandate that will remind people of hardship suffered over two years from death of loved ones and not being able to mourn normally, of lack of contact with friends and family, of having sport and hobbies denied and having imposed restrictions on movement, and worse - signalling that masking will be normal every winter.

Masking has contributed to the problem? Statement without foundation.

You are more worried that it might remind people of past deaths. Or god forbid past hobbies they couldnt enjoy!

But show zero concern for the people who might die today.

Pull the other one.

In the immediate short term it is the lowest cost measure than can be rolled out to reduce numbers of respiratory disease infections. The other things you have listed are not infectious.

They called for other things also re the health service.

Really ?

I think you will find that those that lost loved ones would not be objecting to any measures that may reduce incidence of infection .

Very disingenuous post .

The thread is full of evidence of the benefits in terms of containing droplets, case studies and reducing case numbers eg Bangladesh study.

I said in the short term. Statement nay be valid for longer than that but in terms of this winter season masks can be rolled out in it.

Then for the cost. You can pickup masks for less than a euro a mask. So to mask up everyone who would need it is measured in millions. They have no cost in terms of economic reductions.

I would ask all those sick people with flu like symptoms and worse were they wearing a mask ?

Not had a bad bout yet touch wood as trying to keep safe.

We must never remove people's freedoms because our health service can't sort itself out. We cannot and will not accept that.

Are you running some election campaign?

Just in case you didn't notice, but we all have to live with our health service. Sometimes it seems to me, people are happy to put more unnecessary pressure to push it into deeper hole. And then complain how bad it is ..

That would be distancing I presume?

I would say that comes with a great cost..

And we back to the same spot this time next year. We got to let our immune system grow and not halt its growth.

3 weeks time it will start to calm down

Waterford has no issues so we could move some of wexford and cork patients there to ease the pressure.

So you really think we will all just start wearing masks again?

I saw first hand people in Spain not bothering. How is compliance in Germany I wonder.

I was at my dentist today and they didn't bother giving me a mask, whereas they did in December. It was the same with other patients, no masks. So even in places in Ireland where it is mandatory people don't bother.

Are you introducing masks in schools, colleges, pubs, sports stadiums etc.?

You really are deluded to think we will all just fall in line here.

So you have no idea what your social experiment will cost.

Childrens hospitals are always busy this time of year with RSV and Bronchiolitis. This is not unusual in Paediatrics.. Called 'winter spring disease "

At least they don't have Covid as well.

Also GPs, other senior doctors are all back since 28th and many working weekends and evenings.

Many healthcare workers in Limerick are in working on their days off to try to ensure nobody is left uncared for.

But you keep on with your aul.... narrative, which btw apoears to be off topic.