Tonight.

At the Department of Health’s latest press conference on the coronavirus.

A female journalist asked about the Irish Association of Funeral Directors announcing this morning that funeral services for people who die due to the coronavirus should be postponed and that the deceased should be immediately cremated or buried…

Dr John Cuddihy, director of the HSE’s Health Protection Surveillance Centre, answered the question by saying guidelines will be on the HSE website tomorrow.

However the department’s chief medical officer Tony Holohon, who was sitting beside Dr Cuddihy, was caught on his microphone telling Dr Cuddihy to tell the journalist that he didn’t agree with the IAFD’s recommendation.

This was the exchange:

Journalist: “I’m conscious that this is an uncomfortable question to ask but I think it’s an important one. The Irish Association of Funeral Directors advised its members that victims of the coronavirus, should we be unfortunate enough to have one, should be immediately cremated and funerals held at a later date, is that really a necessary measure?”

Tony Holohon: “John.”

Dr John Cuddihy: “Just to say that the Health Protection Surveillance Centre have general guidance for these measures and we’re updating them currently for the Covid-19 and we will have those on our website tomorrow. We’ve also made contact with the Irish Funeral Directors’ Association [sic] to let them know that they will be available.

“So we will liaise with them and make sure that the guidance are proportionate.”

Holohan [whispers]: “Tell them you don’t agree.”

Cuddihy: “Well, I would think that the measures that you’ve described are not necessary…”

Holohan: “Not necessary.”

Cuddihy: “…and when we produce the guidelines tomorrow, that that will be evident.”

EARLIER:

This evening.

The Department of Health has announced that ten new cases of Covid-19 have been confirmed bringing the total in the Republic of Ireland to 34.

RTÉ reports:

Five of these new cases are associated with travel from an affected area. Three of those are males in the south of the country.

One male and one female in the east of the country also associated with travel from an affected area.

Three of those 10 new cases are associated with close contact with a confirmed case – a male and female in the west and a female in the south of the country.

Two of the new cases are healthcare workers – one male in the south associated with hospital transmission and one female in the east, possibly due to hospital transmission.

With 16 cases also in Northern Ireland, there are now 50 cases on the island of Ireland.

10 new cases of Covid-19 confirmed in Republic (RTÉ)

You may have seen this one coming.

This evening.

Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael released a joint statement saying the two parties have held “constructive discussions” and now they’ll begin “in-depth, detailed talks” particularly with “the onset of Covid-19′.

More as we get it.

.Via Fianna Fáil

Rollingnews

This afternoon.

Channel 4 News writez:

Connor Reed, a British man who works at a school in Wuhan, explains how it felt to have the Covid-19 coronavirus, discusses what life is like after 40 days in lockdown and how he thinks people in the UK would cope in similar circumstances.

Channel 4 News

Last night: ‘Paul’ Has The Coronavirus

What about rents, anyone?

EARLIER:

Coronavirus: Italy suspends mortgage payments amid lockdown (Independent.co.uk)

Meanwhile…

Getty

Earlier: Locking Everything Down

EU social distancing.

This afternoon.

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar takes part in a video conference with the heads of other EU member states to discuss the coronavirus situation.

I can hear you, can you hear me?

Feck.

You’ve frozen again.

Earlier: Locking Everything Down

Via Leo Varadkar

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar with Luke O’Donnell and chief executive of the Irish Cancer Society Averil Power at the launch of Daffodil Day last year

This afternoon.

The Irish Cancer Society announced:

“The Irish Cancer Society has taken the decision today to cancel all Daffodil Day street collections and events that were scheduled for March 27th,” Averil Power, CEO has said today.

“We have made this decision to protect the health and wellbeing of our patients, volunteers and supporters.

“We also want to focus all our energies on providing cancer patients and their families with the information, advice and support they need at this time” Ms Power concluded.

Irish Cancer Society cancels Daffodil Day street collections and events (Irish Cancer Society)

Rollingnews

Afraid of intimacy? Beset by anxiety? Searching for some kind of meaning? Self-isolate no more – the School Of Life knows how you feel. To wit:

“We are, a lot of us, a great deal sadder, more anxious, more incomplete and more restless than we really need to be because of something very large that is missing from our lives. What’s worse, we don’t even know what this thing is and how much we crave it, because we don’t have the right concepts, experience or encouragement to help us locate it. What we long for and are slowly dying without is: community.

Tough times ahead, so.

Previously: No One Cares

curiousbrain

This morning/afternoon.

Detroit, Michigan, USA.

Detroit auto worker: “You are actively trying to diminish our Second Amendment right and take away our guns.”

Joe Biden: “You’re full of shit.”

Biden staffer: “Alright, thank you guys–”

Biden: “No, shush! Shush!”

Good times.

‘You’re Full of Sh*t!’ Joe Biden Argues With Voter Who Accused Him of Trying to Take Away Guns (mediaite)


This morning.

Cork’s 96FM Opinion Line with PJ Coogan.

Deirdre O’Shaughnessy writes:

Fermoy in North Cork is to cancel its twinning arrangement with the town of Nowa Deba after it declared itself an “LGBT free zone”.

[Fine Gael] Cllr Noel McCarthy (top left) from Fermoy told PJ Coogan on this morning’s Opinion Line that the move does not align with Irish values…

96FM

Broadsheet.ie