Tag Archives: coronavirus

Naples, Italy last night

Turin, Italy last night

Barcelona, Spain last night

Last night.

Via MailOnline

In Italy, violence was reported in at least two major northern cities, Milan and Turin, as vast crowds protested freedom-limiting restrictions enforced to tackle a second surge in coronavirus cases….

…Meanwhile in Barcelona, demonstrators set rubbish bins on fire in the streets – before riot police intervened to bring the chaos to an end.

The demonstrations came just one day after Spain declared a second nationwide state of emergency covering all regions except the Canary Islands.

The new state of emergency will initially last for 15 days but the Government plans to ask parliament for a six-month extension, meaning the restrictions – which include a 11pm to 6am curfew – could be enforced until early May 2021.

Wave of anti-lockdown protests sweeps across Europe (MailONline)

Pics: EPA/Twitter

Dr Billy Ralph

Via CassandraVoices:

Billy Ralph GP writes:

I am a father, a husband, a son, a friend, a doctor, an athlete, a traveller, a student and a citizen. Although just one person, I nonetheless occupy many nodes in the complex networks that make up society. These extend into the past, traverse the present and reach towards the future.

Over the past few months I have been deprived or diminished in many of these roles. Had I been asked if I wanted to relinquish the responsibilities inherent to these roles I would have declined, but I may have wanted to increase my responsibilities in some areas.

I am just one person in a vast network of people whose lives have contracted in the past six months. This makes me consider the extent of the wastage across society.

Why? Policies were adopted by an unelected government on the erroneous advice of experts listening to other experts, who predicted an enormous death toll from Covid-19 that has not come about anywhere on the globe. These same experts are now doubling down on initial errors and inflicting incalculable harm on the delicate fabric of society.

I don’t think these experts took into account people like a patient of mine, eighty-five-year-old Joe, who was married to Mary for sixty-years. They were forced to separate, partly because of her dementia when she had to go into a care home, but then because of public health restrictions. Mary resides in a nursing home and Joe visits every day, but the last time he held her hand was on their sixtieth wedding anniversary in March.

Previously Joe would cry when recounting his visits to Mary. Then he realised that if he spoke to her about their early days he could bring her back to life; at least for an hour or two. This stanched his tears. He was happy to have a small piece of the woman he married return to him.

His last such conversation was in March. Until recently he was still visiting her and looking and waving at a woman who didn’t recognise him. If the day was bright and sunny all he’d see was his reflection in the window. Joe managed to see Mary this week; to hold her hand and speak to her, but unfortunately she was unconscious. She stayed that way until she died a few days later.

The experts never asked Joe how he and Mary would like to live out their last days, nor sought the opinion of the thousands of elderly people whose children live abroad and who had planned perhaps their last trips to a wedding, a graduation or a funeral. Instead a paternalistic decision was taken, after a shameless use of the national media for propaganda purposes, inculcating a fear of imminent death in the elderly if they did not comply with the rules. [more at link below].

The Bonds that Hold Society Together (Billy Ralph GP, CassandraVoices)

And we wish Billy the very best in his next career outside medicine probably abroad.

That’ll learn him.

Previously: It’s A Small Club

This afternoon.

The Dáil.

Further to the recall of ViraPro hand sanitiser (above), which was approved for use in many schools in Ireland…

…via RTÉ:

Sinn Féin’s Agriculture Spokesperson Matt Carthy said Minister for Agriculture Charlie McConalogue needs to explain why it took until late last night to make public a recall which had been put in place since Tuesday.

Mr Carthy said the minister needed to tell the house when the Taoiseach, Tánaiste and Minister for Health were informed about what he said was “this latest debacle coming down the track“.

Several schools all over the country closed as a result of the call.

The Department of Education said last night schools could close if they could not secure an alternative source of hand sanitiser.

The Department said funds would be made available to schools that needed to buy additional products as a result of the recall.

TDs demand Dáil response to hand sanitiser recall (RTÉ)

That’s amore

Last night.

Naples, Italy.

No idea what’s going but few are observing the Italian 3m social gesticulating distance.

This morning.

At the Convention Centre, the Minister for Justice Helen McEntee spoke during the second stage debat on the Health (Amendement) Bill 2020 and told the Dail that the intention of everyone in the Dàil is to reduce the spread of Covid-19.

She then spoke about the new Garda powers and fines that are being deployed during Level 5 lockdown, saying:

“Covid-19 remains a very real threat to all of us and, in particular, to our most vulnerable citizens. It is a critical time for our country and we have a responsibility to comply with public health guidelines and the regulations for the good of everybody.

“While the vast majority of people continue to comply with restrictions, it is very clear that too many people are acting in a manner which enables the transmission of the virus and therefore additional measures are needed. The fixed charge system being proposed will help, we hope, to change behaviour.

“This is important to note however that the Government’s objective here is not to catch people, it’s not to fine people who are adhering to guidelines or even those who make mistakes because we all make mistakes.

“The objective is to prevent the kind of behaviour that endangers others. We do not want to see large numbers of fines issued for non-compliance.

“Even with these new enforcement powers, An Garda Siochana will continue to comply with the policing policy which has earned the support of the vast majority of the public during the pandemic…

“…The new fixed penalty notices will allow for a more proportionate system of fines. The legislation before the House today will also make it an offence to organise an event in a private home such as a house party that is in breach of public health regulations. However, as we’ve outlined, An Garda Siochana will not be given any extra powers of entry into a private dwelling. It is presumed that the occupier of the home in which the event is taking place, is the organiser unless it is proven otherwise.

“An Garda Siochana will also have additional powers to give direction in relation to events in private homes. These are firstly the powers to direct someone who is intending to enter a dwelling for the purpose of attending an event organised in contravention of the public health regulations or someone who is about to enter a dwelling for that purpose, who is attempting to enter the dwelling for that purpose, they will be asked to leave the vicinity in a peaceful and orderly manner.

“If a member of An Garda Siochana suspects that an event in breach of the public health regulations is taking place in a private dwelling, he/she may direct the occupier to require and cause all those attending the event to leave the home or venue unless they are resident in the home.

“For the purpose of issuing such a direction, a member of An Garda Siochana may attend at the main entrance to the event and require the occupier to provide their name. A person who fails to comply with a direction from a member of An Garda Siochana commits the offence and is liable on summary conviction of a fine not exceeding €1,000 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding one month. They may appeal the conviction against the sentence to the circuit court.

“….Operation Fanacht is focused on supporting public compliance with these public health measures, the Garda Commissioner has announced that there will be continued high-visibility patrolling by Garda members across the country. Again the focus here is not to try and catch people out, to penalise them, it’s to encourage people to adhere to the public health measures.

“Gardai will continue checkpoints on main routes. In recent weeks that has involved 132 large-scale checkpoints a day on main arterial routes around the country. In addition, thousands of mobile checkpoints a week on secondary routes and towns and villages and they will continue to be high visibility.”

Earlier: For Your Own Safety

RollingNews

From top: Sinn Féin’s Pearse Doherty and Independent Roscommon–Galway TD Michael Fitzmaurice this afternoon

By 10pm on Tuesday night, when the results for all tests came back, 25 out of 27 residents were found to be Covid-19 positive.

The virus has also severely impacted on staff at the facility, with in the region of ten care staff and seven nurses infected.

All have gone into isolation to reduce the further spread of the virus.

As a result, the nursing home is operating with a massively reduced number of staff today.

At present, just one nurse and one health care worker are on duty, along with some ancillary staff at the premises.

Majority of residents and most staff at Galway nursing home have Covid (RTÉ)

Previously: Left To Die: Nursing Home Timeline

From top: Bryan Dobson; HSE Specialist in Public Health Medicine Dr Sarah Doyle 

This lunchtime.

On RTÉ Radio One’s News At One.

Dr Sarah Doyle, Specialist in Public Health Medicine, spoke to Bryan Dobson about the contact-tracing controversy.

Thousands of people, who have tested positive for Covid-19 have recieved texts today telling them to carry out their own contact-tracing.

From their conversation:

Bryan Dobson: “Is it inevitable that infections will be missed as a result?”

Dr Sarah Doyle: “Well, I think that, and you’ve just mentioned Bryan, that people who may receive potentially shocking news and I would acknowledge that this will come as a shock to some people and then some people may take it somewhat in their stride, and it might be more difficult for others. And what I would say is to people to draw a breath, sit down, maybe have a chat with a friend and just reflect on what we’re asking people to do in this, is to identify their close contacts.

“Obviously, if they’re unwell, they would still need to phone their GP and make contact with them. And I guess what this is about and what contact tracing is about, and it’s a part of a number of different public health measures, to manage this pandemic. What it is about is identifying as many people at risk of spreading infection as possible and ensuring that they do…”

Dobson: “Yes…”

Doyle: “…what is needed to prevent the spread of infection. So…”

Dobson: “But do you…”

Doyle: “…those people who have had positive test results they now get a text message as soon as we have that result, they get that result…”

Dobson: “Yeah…but can you…”

Doyle: “… and from that point they should be self-isolating….”

Dobson: “OK…”

Doyle: “….and cutting down claims of transmission…”

Dobson: “Are you….”

Doyle: “…and…identifying close contacts. Acknowledging that obviously it is not…”

Dobson: “Doctor Doyle, it’s a straightforward question. Do you accept that infections will be missed as a result of this?”

Silence.

Dobson: “And I think we seem to have lost our link to Dr Sarah Doyle, of the HSE. No, she’s gone? Ok, well we’ll continue on this….”

Earlier: Trace The Blame

RollingNews

From top: Social Democrats co-leader Catherine Murphy; Taoiseach Micheál Martin this afternoon

This afternoon,

Further to the contact-tracing brouhaha…

Taoiseach Micheál Martin told Social Democrats co-founder Catherine Murphy in the Dail:

“I’ve been in touch with the people directly responsible and overseeing the whole testing and community testing within the HSE and this is…what I’m imparting here to you is I’ve been informed by the HSE in terms of this.

“There is no issue with resources, in terms of the government side, in terms of funding all of this because it has to happen.”

Ms Murphy responded:

“Taoiseach, we know that the public will play their part but the State has to play its part. We need absolute assurance that we’re going to have a system that’s going to be in place after this lockdown that we can feel confident about.

“Have you confidence in this recruitment company because I certainly have my doubts. Have you confidence that you’re being briefed in the way you need to be briefed in terms of when there’s a failure.

Two weeks ago, we heard a senior public health person having to take to the airwaves, saying just how under pressure they were. It was no surprise that what happened at the weekend happened.

“It was predicted by virtue of the fact that they were saying that they were nearing collapse. We can’t have a scenario then where we find out something, and you did find out when somebody texted you an article in The Irish Times, I would have thought that you be fully informed by the people who need to inform you of something that is going to be, that is a big problem.

That people are being asked to DIY contact tracing. Two thousand people are being asked, that’s not good enough, Taoiseach.

“Surely you don’t think that’s good enough….”

Meanwhile…

HSE National Lead for Testing and Tracing Niamh O’Beirne

This morning.

Niamh O’Beirne, National Lead for Testing and Tracing, told RTÉ, that more contact tracers are being hired but admitted:

“Over the summer, we had released back the staff from contact-tracing to frontline and very important frontline work and university work where people had been working or supporting our tracing….”

Ms O’Beirne added:

“Over the weekend we did not have enough staff to deal with demand and that’s what created the backlog of cases which we’re now trying to deal with.”

Listen back in full here.

From top: People with Covid positive tests will be notified by text today and asked to trace recent contacts; At the launch of the Department of Health and HSE COVID Tracker App is Stephen Donnelly Minister for Health (right), and Paul Reid, Chief Executive Officer, HSE, outside the Department of Health, Dublin last July

Ask them to sit down first.

Via Irish Times and RTÉ:

Between last Friday and Sunday, more than 3,000 Covid-19 cases were confirmed and people with a positive test result over the three days were notified by text.

Instead of the usual contact tracing involving phone calls, they will today receive a second text.

It will ask them to send on a message to their own close contacts – people they have spent more than 15 minutes with – alerting them to restrict their movements and to immediately contact their GP to arrange a test.

Meanwhile…

Via The Irish Examiner:

The Government have been accused of “dropping the ball” in not employing enough staff which has led to a “collapse” in the contact tracing system.

Serious delays in employing up to 1,500 qualified people who signed up to the ‘Be on Call for Ireland initiative’ have been blamed, with both GPs and opposition members hitting out at the breakdown in contact tracing in recent days.

Covid-19: Backlog forces HSE to skip calls to thousands of close contacts (Irish Times)

HSE asks people who tested positive at weekend to alert close contacts (RTÉ)

Government under fire over contact tracing ‘collapse’ (irish Examiner)

Getty/RollingNews