The Independent Science Advisory Group (ISAG) said Ireland must be prepared to do what New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has done and introduce ‘more aggressive suppression measures’
This morning.
Via ‘Zero Covid’ enthusiast The Independent Scientific Advocacy Group (ISAG) in the Irish Times:
‘…as many argue that the end of this pandemic is in sight, we must stay vigilant and our fellow citizens should be warned that there may be scenarios where we have to introduce more aggressive suppression.
We must be prepared to do what New Zealand did and is still doing, if and when needed.
Vaccines and drugs, even new ones, may not be always able to match the speed of change in Covid-19, or other novel pathogenic viruses.
We need plans for this, and the capability, and resources to deliver them.
This is not misplaced zeal, it is scientific common sense.
When faced with a catastrophic pandemic we need to accept that the Darwinian evolution we have all witnessed these past two years does not know about, much less care about, our optimism and we need to be ready and willing to err on the side of keeping society safe, and by doing so, keeping it open.
Yours,
Prof. Anthony Staines; Dr. Tomás Ryan; Prof. Patricia Kearney; Prof. Helen Dolk; Prof. Gerry Killeen; Prof. Ivan Perry; Dr. Philipp Hoevel; Dr. Julien Mercille, of The Independent Scientific Advocacy Group
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