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HEALTH OFFICIALS HAVE this evening confirmed 611 more cases of Covid-19 in Ireland.
There have also been five further deaths associated with the disease.
This brings to 39,584 the total number of confirmed coronavirus cases and 1,816 deaths in Ireland.
Of the cases notified today
The Chief Medical Officer Dr Tony Holohan, who returned to the role this week, is currently leading a press conference at the Department of Health to discuss the current situation with Covid-19 in Ireland.
Holohan said “it’s good to be back” in the position and added that he is “deeply indebted” to the deputy CMO Dr Ronan Glynn for his work over the past few months.
The CMO said in a statement: “All key indicators of the disease have deteriorated further in the three days since the last meeting of NPHET on Sunday 4th October.
“COVID-19 is spreading in our community in a very worrying manner. We have to break these chains of transmission,” he said.
Professor Philip Nolan, chair of the NPHET Irish Epidemiological Modelling Advisory Group, said that case numbers and hospitalisations are “growing exponentially”.
“The reproductive number is now estimated at 1.2. If we fail to reduce viral transmission nationwide immediately, we could see 1,100 – 1,500 cases per day and 300-450 people in hospital by November 7th,” he said.
Nolan said Ireland is currently in a “very precarious” position.
The current five-day average case number is 509 cases each day.
He said that although the average daily case numbers in Dublin have been reducing over the past few days, it is too soon to say whether the transmission rate is lower in Dublin than in other counties.
The case numbers outside Dublin have “quite clearly” doubled over the course of a week, Nolan said.
Dr Ronan Glynn said this evening that there have been at least six new Covid-19 outbreaks declared in nursing homes so far in October.
With reporting by Cónal Thomas at the Department of Health.
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Here we go. Level 5 incoming
@Kyle: Has to happen now.
@Kyle: country can’t afford to pay half a million people PUP
@Michael Carolan: no it doesn’t. These 611 cases will come as soon as level 5 is lifted. Stop putting today’s work off until tomorrow.
@Gerrard: Of course we can, the rainy day fund isn’t empty and we can borrow at historically low rates.
@Kyle: When the money for the free handouts and pensions run out it might soften your cough.
@Rochelle: did you ever stop to wonder if having a miserable society living off welfare indefinitely is a bad thing ?
@Rochelle: Yes we can borrow at low rates. But what happens when those rates increase as they will at some stage? And we are borrowing money that we need for other purposes like housing. We are literally mortgaging our future, robbing Peter to pay Paul and this after all the draconian work to get our debt to GDP ratio down. This approach is not sustainable.
@Michael Maher: Then we can make the rich freeloaders pay their fair share and stop sponging off the Exchequer with their subsidies, tax breaks and the official blind eye to their ‘investments’.
@Luke: you sound like a Tory, is that a direct quote from Margaret Thatcher?
@Michael Maher: I ain’t no fan of lockdown or PUP Michael. It just doesn’t take a genius to realise the only way to actually stop this virus is lockdown and suppress or a vaccine. Its common sense
@Luke: No. You’re right. We should all be flying it and showing off our enterprising spirit. Did you ever stop and wonder if you knew justvas little about the economy as everyone else. FFS.
@Rochelle: I totally agree with you. Every country in the IMF is innthe same situation.. it will be a long debt to pay but a Global Recession is inevitable, your critics have their heads in the sand.. probably the same people that have been ordering the tray of shots with every round of drinks… these people never learn they are all little Trumps and Bojos.
@Kyle: the last lockdown didnt stop it so why will a new lockdown be any different?
@Derek Lyster: it’s not a zero sum game. The last lockdown brought both metrics down to single digits. Only a medical breakthrough will stop it.
@Michael Carolan: of course it doesn’t .. we do have a choice how to manage a virus for which we may never have a vaccine for .
@Derek Lyster: It stopped hundreds of people dying and our hospitals being overwhelmed.
@Gerrard: Is nothing better and at 3 , just make more distorter
@Derek Lyster: exactly .. but the biggest problem we actually have is for people to face up to the reality that there is no out .. there is no vaccine coming and stop acting like if we do something for a few months the virus will kindly go away . It won’t .. it’s a brutal reality to accept but either way we will be forced to confront that at some stage .. the earlier the better for us all.
@Derek Lyster: it’s not going to Derek. It just gets it back to near controllable levels. Its got a firm foothold now and is out of control. Like it or lump it theres a shutdown coming
@Michael Waldron: the building sites have gone slack on the rules also
@Kyle: and after that??
@Paul Buckley: Oh get a grip
@Kyle: and yet here in Waterford we got the numbers down without any lockdown to now
@Michael Waldron: how has that been working out recently
@Kyle: if you actually read the article you will see that the situation is stabilising in Dublin with level 3 restrictions in place for a few weeks, why wouldn’t the same be the case for the remainder of the country..no need to be posting/ scaremongering about level 5
@Derek Lyster: The last lockdown was to slow down transmission to a manageable level. With so many essential workers still mixing with each other and with the general population, it was never going to be completely eliminated. Not blaming the essential workers by the way, it was what it was. Then you had the people who just ignored the restrictions and didnt give a monkeys. Believe it or not these people were taken into consideration when the models for likely transmission rates were being drawn up. Turns out about 5% of our population are considered sociopaths who care about no-one but themselves. Another 2 or 3% are paranoid delusional and think its all a plot by somebody to ruin their buzz.
@Cliff Burnby: if everyone had followed guidelines we wouldnt be in such a mess, maybe this time around people might listen
@Michael Waldron: Why isn’t there a vaccine on the way? Seems like you’ve made an arbitrary decision that that is the way it is with no reason, logic or comprehension.
@Charlie Murphy: Charlie we cant sustain the numbers nationwide. The constant downgrading of health services is the cause. We just haven’t got the services or the capacity. The hospitals are jammed every winter even without covid.
@Derek Lyster: Yes it did it stopped the virus running wild in the country. The system caught up with the problem without overloading like other countries had. We would have had a lot more dead and with serious complications if we had not shut down.
@Michael Waldron: Not for the people who die and their families or the people that have life long illness and disabilities from Covid-19
@Michael Maher: people have paid for pensions. Maby they should ha é a good look at themselves.
@Derek Lyster: I agree with you on that entirely but the only way to get some to listen to the health experts will be by getting the big stick out. Hefty fines, call it an idiòt tax.
@Gerrard: yes it can
The amount of people lurking for the PUP…
@Diarmuid Hunt: the record for developing a working vaccine is 4 years .. anything shorter is wishful thinking . You just can’t run a country into poverty for something that may appear in 4 years time if at all. Any epidemiologist will say it’s quite possible we may never find a vaccine for covid .. vaccines for many other viruses have never been found .
@Michael Waldron: There are at least 3 vaccines in late Phase 3 development that will be forwarded for approval before years end, with many others in various stage Phase 3 development.
Even the WHO Secretary General recently said the likelihood of a vaccine being approved before year send was very high.
Why do people post rubbish in relation to vaccines when even the most basic research would show how incorrect they are!
- 25 confirmed cases in hospital
- 2 admissions to ICU in the last 24hrs
- 1 discharge from ICU in the last 24hrs
- 156 confirmed cases in hospital
- 14 admissions to hospital in the last 24hrs
- 13 discharges from hospital in the last 24hrs
- positivity rate is 4%, 90332 tests carried out in the last 7 days .
Covid data hub stats
https://covid19ireland-geohive.hub.arcgis.com/pages/hospitals-icu–testing
@Anna Anna: 25 confirmed cases in ICU
@Anna Anna: cheers Anna :)
@Anna Anna: how many suspected cases in ICU & in hospitals I wonder? Those figures are usually high & will have a big impact on tomorrow’s numbers
@Martina Masterson: the suspected cases are on the HSPC site. There has always been high numbers of suspected cases. In August the suspected cases were in the hundreds (150-200). They had little impact on the numbers. The suspected cases will definitely rise with people presenting this Winter with flu and pneumonia. If the suspected case has a negative result after the covid test they will not be counted in the confirmed covid hospital cases.
@Anna Anna: R number is currently 1.2 for the whole country. And less than that for Dublin
@Anna Anna: positivity rate creeping up steadily. The hospital numbers and death with them too. Proper use of Masks , distancing and hygiene needed. No room for complacency and then less need for raising restrictions.
@Anna Anna: how many icu beds still empty
@Martina Masterson: Latest stats from HSE re Coronavirus Daily Operations Updates (6/10/20)134 suspected Covid-19 cases with 10 suspected Covid-19 cases in Critical Care Units with 5 ventilated
There’s 156 confirmed Covid-19 cases in hospitals.
There’s 25 confirmed Covid-19 in ICU’S with 11 ventilated.
There are only 27 Adult Critical Care Beds and 6 Paeds Critical Care Beds!That will be updated later.
@Martina Masterson: everyone admitted to hospital as an inpatient recieves a covid test. They are deemed suspect until the results are returned. The vast majority of suspect cases do not become positive. Everyone in hospital or ICU with Covid is not necessarily there because of Covid.
@Anna Anna: Remember, the average time from initially falling ill to hospital admission in 7 days, and patients spend on average 18.5 days in hospital before recovery or expiring.
The 6 people whose deaths were announced today, likely fell first ill about ~25 days ago.
25 days ago we were averaging 50 – 100 cases per day, it’s 400 – 600 per day now. The number of deaths today, or this week, are proportional to the state of our epidemic ca. 25 days ago, when the new daily cases were 6 to 10 time lower.
Refs.:
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2020/03/12/coronavirus-kills-average-185-days/
Bhatraju, et al., 2020. Covid-19 in critically ill patients in the Seattle region—case series. New England Journal of Medicine, 382(21), pp.2012-2022.
@David Jordan: that’s assuming the deaths aren’t coming from the nursing homes. Vulnerable elderly people might not even get to day 25
@Anna Anna: 15-24 years accounting for more than half of all cases, and yet people travelling is our biggest problem apparently!!
@Anna Anna: “that’s assuming the deaths aren’t coming from the nursing homes. Vulnerable elderly people might not even get to day 25″
So you suggest that we could see rapid increase in deaths per day somewhat sooner than expected now that care homes are affected.
@David Jordan: no
@Anna Anna: please click on video.
https://twitter.com/MlMcNamaraTD/status/1310928652457177088?s=09
@June Kennedy: thanks June
@Anna Anna: It was said at the NPHET briefing that the R number in some parts of the country up to 1:5!
@David Jordan: It was said today that the average length of hospitalised Covid-19 cases stay in hospital is 22days too
@Nuala Mc Namara: 27 confirmed Covid-19 cases in Critical Care Beds now.
@Anna Anna:
RIP to the deceased and condolences to their families.
again no data regarding the deaths. when did they happen? ages? underlying conditions? really important to know of course..
everyone OK with that never being reported then yeah??
@Anna Anna: Thanks Anna,Anna. Well done.
@Anna Anna: I love your posts.. But why can I never access the link you post? It just keeps coming up not available. Not that I question the numbers you put up.. But where can I access this information please?
@DeeM: Google covid data hub. The link on my post usually breaks after a while
@Anna Anna:
I have a question (I made a longer comment below) but the hub states that the “admissions” and “discharges” stats are for “new COVID-19 positive admissions and discharges in the previous 24 hours.”
This would indicate that there were 27 new covid-19 positive cases in the last 24 hours 14 of which were admitted as they needed hospital care and 13 of which were discharged as they were not serious enough to need hospitalization.
This is consistent with the the breakdown by age at midnight showing 25 new hospital cases (https://www.gov.ie/en/press-release/4e25b-statement-from-the-national-public-health-emergency-team-wednesday-7-october/#hospitalised-cases-by-age-group)
@David Jordan: Ireland`s mortality rate compared to confirmed Covid-19 positive cases is 4.6%. Much of that rate was due to nursing home deaths so if we can this time keep it out of those homes it should be lower. From recent reports though that may be wishful thinking.
@Domhnall O’Sullivan: “underlying conditions?”
64% of our population, over the age of 50 (1 million people), have 2 or more medical conditions that increase their risk of severe or fatal COVID-19:
• Over 377,000 adults over 50, and 91,000 adults over 70 live with two comorbidities
• 637,000 adults over 50, and 260,000 adults over 70 live with three or more comorbidities
That’s 1,014,000 people who have 2 or more medical conditions that increase their risk of severe or fatal COVID-19. There are 1,587,700 people aged >50 years in Ireland. Of these 64% have 2 or more medical conditions that increase their risk of severe or fatal COVID-19:
References:
“High-risk categories for COVID-19 and their distribution by county in Republic of Ireland-evidence from the TILDA study” – https://tilda.tcd.ie/publications/reports/pdf/Report_Covid19Multimorbidity.pdf
https://statbank.cso.ie/px/pxeirestat/statire/SelectVarVal/saveselections.asp
@David Jordan:
ok.. useful data.
but as I said we need the data re deaths published every day.
For example, if there is an ongoing problem re deaths in nursing homes rising, then that would necessitate a totally different reaction from Gov’t than the same problem happening in hospitals/ICU. So tracking that data is important.. I’m sure you agree.
People said that we should listen to the health experts who recommended that the whole country goes straight to level 5. But these people are not experts in economics. We have to meet in the middle, and we did to some extent. However, I feel it is harsh to have the whole country at level 3. Cases will have to rise at some stage, this is inevitable. However death rates are not rising! I’m sorry to say this but there is no happy ending to this story. The sooner people realise that the better. Suga Out!
@SugaSharkie: There are 5 reported deaths today, they’re rising dramatically.
@SugaSharkie: 5 family’s grieving tonight, have a bit of perspective please. RIP and I hope to god it never happens to my family. I’d be sickened to read comments like this if I was in that position.
@SugaSharkie: If the cases keep rising then the health experts will have been proven right. A higher case load will lead to a longer period of restrictions and even more economic damage than if we imposed restrictions for a shorter period of time while the case load is smaller. It’ll be swings and roundabouts until we have a vaccine however if it’s a health crisis that’s leading to an economic crisis then it’s health experts you turn to, if it was an economic crisis leading to a health crisis then we would be asking the economists (most likely the same ones that led us to the 07-08 crisis).
@SugaSharkie: 5 deaths today, get real. We need to go to level 4 speedily.
@SugaSharkie: improve the health care system . We have closed everything yet the cases are going up.
@SugaSharkie: RIP to those who died and condolences to their families
@Olivia Smith: people die everyday
Where’s the RIP in the comments for the cancer
Heart attack
Sepsis
And even flu victims?
@Luke: Whataboutery is the worst type of selection, Lukey.
@Rochelle: there were 80 deaths in a single day in April. No need to panic yet
@Luke: Plus cancer is not something you catch. It’s a deadly disease that kills. But you catch COVID because people need to cop on and it’s people can stop this. You have my blood boiling now.
@Luke: stop making it a competition. All deaths are sad. But we do try to stop them and fight to halt them.
@Rochelle: Deaths are over a period of time and probably nursing homes.
We are now back to square one. Did a lot of the cases in hospital pick the virus up there. They need to be honest with the figures & explain in detail. People with the virus are not cases if they are not sick. How do they count cases of the flu?
@William Blackall:so five people’s lives snuffed out means nothing to you.
@Edel O’Dea: we closed everything? Not even close. This is level three, literally half and half
@Rochelle: I’m guessing because of the high infection rates in the nursing homes in Louth and donegal
@Olivia Smith: Luke’s point is a valid one. How many people die of flu (contagious) every day during flu season?? We never close down a country for that….. I respect there are those are favor of restrictions and those that are not, I am in the latter category. What makes my blood boil is every time people express an opinion about getting on with it we get the death rate thrown in our face and are accused of not caring….
@Jedd Comiskey: Flu dose not spread like Covid, there is a vaccine for it!!! How thick are you people???????
@SugaSharkie: of course condolences to the families to all the people who died. But I doubt the care much for random peoples comments of condolences on the journal at this time. There’s no happy ending to this story, people are going to die and the economy is going to be damaged. That’s fact!
@Olivia Smith: I know people close to me who’ve died of cancer
Everyone does
So don’t give me the bleeding heart sob story
If you’re so afraid to spread covid
You lock yourself up till you pass
@molly: Never said it was a competition
It’s about a rational and proportioned response
@Olivia Smith: I’ve made it my business to limit my contact with the elderly and vulnerable
Otherwise I carry out my business as usual
Proportionate and sensible
@LangerDan: no whataboutery here
Every death is sad but the obsession over covid ones is just crazy
@Rochelle: Dramatically. 5 deaths?
@Luke: I didn’t say you did but that’s what it’s being turned into everyday on social media, A completion of who died and of which was more serious. If we can prevent more deaths of people who have years left to live then we should try
@molly: I don’t want to perpetuate that narrative
The mean age of Covid deaths Is above the life expectancy of Ireland
We are irreparably mentally scarring our youth and working class with this disproportionate response
@Olivia Smith: they are not grieving tonight ffs. Why can’t people get their heads around reported today as opposed to died today.
@Vladimir Macro: 1 death yesterday to 5 deaths today is an increase of 500%. If my income/rent/insurance/tax increased by 500% I’d call that dramatic.
@Olivia Smith: dont let him wind you up. You have nothing to prove to the likes of him. You keep doing you. Sorry bout your mum x
@SugaSharkie: totally agree with you. This is it, we will have to live with it and that’s the reality. Sadly we will be making one step forward and two steps back every time the cases rise, but we have to get on with life.
@Jedd Comiskey: The numbers are wildly available so research them. You are against something without knowing all the facts.
The other thing is we have flu vaccines we don’t have a Covid-19 vaccine.
@John Doyle: How long does the grieving process last??? It takes weeks, months and years. Iv come to the conclusion that you just post to get attention. Grow up you dck
@John Doyle: plus we ate 7 days into October so that’s 7 days that they could have died over. I hope you don’t t have elderly patents or grandparents who know how you view them. The devil is waiting for you.
@Luke: so they don’t matter?? . Anyone with underlying issues won’t be missed anyway, that’s my reading off it. Why take the chance .
@Dixieblue: He is not, I’m just sick to death of youngish people having a not give a s@it attitude. These people only post looking for attention. Thanks about my mam :)
@Olivia Smith: you’re a real piece of work. I still maintain lock down is the wrong way to go.
@Gary Kearney: so flu not the best example. But I still maintain lockdown is not the answer. Not sure what facts you have that I don’t, but what you can’t tell me is that lock down ultimately reduces cases as opposed to just delaying them, unless you want to lock down until there is a vaccine in mid 21… good luck with that pal.
@John Doyle: They are not grieving tonight???? Exactly how long do you think people grieve the death of a loved one for ? Give your head a wobble man…
@Jedd Comiskey: Touché
@SugaSharkie: dont worry yourself , we are going to end up like Italy now, so need for lockdown, it will happen naturally.
@Olivia Smith: really educated comment
@Olivia Smith: The flu vaccine is only 50% effective and yet we and every country expect to have a certain % of people die from the flu every year. We have just learned to accept it.
@Nick Killian: And about 25 ppl pass away a day from cancer. But never mind all the delayed procedures there. Let’s just focus on covid deaths.
@Alan Kenny: The “Covid is just like the Flu” argument has been thoroughly debunked. But as long as people social distance, and follow some common sense rules things will settle down to a new kind of normal until the vaccine.
Shoving our heads in the sand though and just ignoring it isn’t an option.
@Rochelle: I no doubt like many others would like to know the situation regarding these five deaths: ie where (hospital, residential home, other) ?, when?, age?, Underlying condition(s)? These data need to be published concurrent with the announcement of the deaths. No doubt there’ll be an abundance of pious platitudes about one death from COVID being too many and that the data I refer to above are irrelevant but let’s tell that to the young mother whose breast cancer went undetected because of our obsession with COVID and is now facing the terror of a terminal diagnosis. From the very beginning of this pandemic difficult choices were going to have to be made. People are going to die. We cannot save everyone. Harsh I know but inevitable.
@SugaSharkie:
The majority of deaths from new cases do not occur for 3-4 weeks after infection.
It is muddled and dangerous thinking to say because there are high infections on a particular day that there is no problem because nobody passed that day.
@Nick Killian:
so the 5 deaths were not in nursing homes then, is that what youre saying?? do you have a link i cant find one anywhere… recommending we go ‘speedily’ to level 4 would mean that they happened outside nursing homes obviously.
Tony looks well for a man who was stabbed in the back on Monday
@sully: haha very good. Hat tip to you sir/madam.
I just hope in 4 weeks time we won’t regret not getting 4 weeks out of the way of level 5. We could have a better Christmas.
@RJ: Lock down and cases go down. Open up again and cases rise. We can’t continually go in and out of lock down. We need to learn to live with it and shield the vulnerable
@RJ: we would not have been out of level 5 by Christmas regardless
@Mark Wallace: totally agree. There has to be another way of managing this. It is part of our very existence for the foreseeable future and life has to go on
@RJ: You have a short memory. The last lockdown lasted just about 2 months remember, they also said that the first lockdown would only be two weeks. You honestly believe we would have opened by Christmas? Did you forget that they completely threw the two week ask out the window about the first lockdown
@Mark Wallace: What’s your foolproof plan for shielding the vulnerable? Wear face masks ? Because that is being done already. Ship them out to Rockall ?
@Mark Wallace: What’s your plan to “shield the vulnerable?” No plan at all?
@Mark Wallace: yeah, maybe people may take it more serious this time. Unlocking means go about essential things in life.
Staycation was the worse term used in ireland this summer.
Thanks to group meet ups we are here again with 600+ cases.
@Mark Wallace: Shield the vulnerable, a lovely soundbite. What exactly does it mean is the big question. Also the vulnerable population is around 30% of the population. So how will we all be looked after?
@Mark Wallace: lock em up so you can get on with your life it sounds more like
@Mark Wallace: You can’t shield 25% of our population, cop on will ya. Get over it, we have to do this and live like this, its a small sacrifice to protect the people of our country.
@Gary Kearney: There’s over 1M people with underlying conditions in Ireland,if all ages and includes workers!
@Mark Wallace: We need to stop acting the mick when cases go down and keep them down.
Those that have had multiple sweet carrots offered to them and shown they do not give a damn about anyone else should now be getting the big stick. Heft fines and a few college expulsions would go a long way to get and keep numbers down..
RIP to those 5 people
When were the 5 deaths? Why are these details rarely given?
@Daniel Dunne: often wondered that.. We never get that info anywhere, like it’s banned off the Internet
@Daniel Dunne: 5 are dead, be it this week last week or a month ago. 5 families are grieving. Not a time to be hoping it is some time ago so you can spout how these 5 deaths ain’t relevant today. RIP to those 5 people too. Dreadful.
@Daniel Dunne: Does it really matter? That’s 5 family’s who have to say good bye to a loved one.
@Daniel Dunne: FYI all deaths within last week, just announced. You’ll sleep better now!
@Gavin Mckenna: it’s extremely relevant to tracking the impact of the pandemic on our people.
@Daniel Dunne: confidentiality for the person and their familied
@Daniel Dunne: he said that the 5 deaths did actually occur since the beginning of October so, unfortunately not historical but current.
@Gavin Mckenna: it is relevant. Are they people who died due to this second wave or are the people who died months ago? We need to know if the death rate is actually rising or not.
@Daniel Dunne: outbreaks in nursing homes confirmed this week. 30 in one nursing home in Donegal. Dr Feeley said on Primetime all nursing home staff should have the proper PPE to protect the residents. Yet Sam McConkey says they’ll only get full PPE when there is a positive case confirmed in the nursing home
@Daniel Dunne: very valid point. There seems to be little correlation between the ICU figures and the deaths. The positive way of seeing this is that the outcome of ICU hospitalisations is most of the time discharge (though sadly not always). The negative way of seeing it is that there is a very short timespan between the first symptoms and death for some people.
@Anna Carr: it’s included in the weekly report from the Health Protection Surveillance Centre of the HSE, which you can google, oh, you can also get it from the European Centre for Disease Control, also via Google. If only it was publicly available on the internet
@Anna Anna: does Sam decide who gets PPE in nursing homes? I didn’t think so. Surely the owners/employers are responsible for equipping their staff, the same way that Dunnes equip their staff with visors.
@GrumpyAulFella: following NPHET guidelines full PPE will not be provided until there is a positive test in the home. Full PPE like what ICU staff wear. We’re not talking about a couple of visors here
@David Clements: True and the people who need to know do.
@Anna Anna: but I’m confused about the Sam role. You seem to be suggesting that he is giving directions re when PPE may be made available to nursing homes. He’s not is he? He has no authority. And PPE can be sourced directly by the owner/employers I presume. In fact they are legally obliged to source and pay for PPE themselves under the SHWW Act 2005.
Omg. Level 5. Level 5. NOW!!!!!!!
@Anna Carr: never
@Anna Carr: you obviously don’t have a mortgage to pay
@Anna Carr: Nah…
@Anna Carr: Or a business to run and employees to keep employed so that they can pay their mortgages etc etc. I find it difficult to understand how some people are so eager and willing to go into another lockdown. The devastation that a lockdown causes far outweighs anything else in my opinion. I’m all for abiding by the rules and recommendations and I certainly dont want to see anyone fall ill or worse from Covid but there has to be a middle ground.
@sally reid: Have a bit of respect, the article mentions clearly that another 5 people that have died, I doubt their grieving families are too concerned about mortgages right now.
@Tim Tom: neither will anyone else when they’re dead. Simple. Your money or your life.
@sally reid: yes I do have a mortgage to pay. But I’m old fashoned. Bills come first and I live on what’s left. I’ve had my fair share of skanky frozen Sausages for dinner and one Cereal for the family and my husband and I going without so the kids could eat. You do what you have to. Maybe you should think before making snide comments like that
@Anna Carr: stay calm..you can choose level 5 for yourself if you wish
@Anna Carr: everyone is not going to die Anna take a breath.
@Charlie Murphy: already have lol. I just don’t like people making assumptions that I don’t care when they don’t even know me.
@Anna Carr: Unfortunately many people wont be as fortunate to still have jobs to be able to pay their bills or mortgage of this continues and Level 5 is put in place. Think of the untold stress and devastation that causes on people. We live in a world where money is a necessity I’m afraid. People’s livelihoods are at stake here. If the economy crashes and businesses fail all around us there well be far worse repurcussions I think. The reality is that the death rate from Covid is very low. I’m no anti-masker or anything and have abided by the rules for my business since before the first lockdown and on a personal level but it’s starting to get a bit too much at this stage. I’d imagine many people are of the same opinion. No intentions to be uncompassionate to people we have lost btw.
@Declan: lol. Sorry I’m a Taurus haha
@Tim Tom: I completely understand, I really do. I’ve lived through 4 major recessions but nothing like this. I feel so sad for all people in critical financial positions. I’ve been there. I’m just a bit nervous the way it’s coming down to a choice between money or lives. Actually tbh it’s quite scary. I have 2 vulnerables at home, I’m the only one going out and I’m terrified of bringing covid home. I really don’t mean to sound callous
@Tim Tom: I agree with what you say but do you not think all of that bad stuff will happen anyway if the virus gets out of control ? The numbers are going up every day so unless something changes the hospitals will be overwhelmed and things will get crazy at some stage. I tend to think the economy, jobs, and lives all depend on the virus being somewhat under control first. We’ve tried to open up everything and live with it but it’s obviously not working as the numbers increase daily. What would I like to see happening now ? 3 weeks of level 4 at least and in the meantime introduce proper fines and law for any idiòt that can’t abide by simple guidelines.
@Cliff Burnby: Our experts have decided that level 3 is the best way to go right now and that no hefty fines are needed. Will I listen to the experts or some random guy on the internet who apparently knows everything better? Mmh tough decision! Just follow the guidelines and get on with it!
@mar: The health experts actually recommended level 5, do try and keep up Mar. And actually I’m all for listening to the health experts and have been from the start, that’s all I’ve ever said really. It’s you and the tin foil hat brigade that have tried to rubbish everything they have said so far. Anti mask, anti vaccine, anti lockdown… Are there any guidelines you support or is it all just part of the agenda? You avoided the question when I asked you recently about the moon landings also so I’m assuming you think they were faked too…Tell us some other conspiracy theories you have, we could all do with a laugh at times like these.
@mar: everyone here is now an expert
@Cliff Burnby: I agree. The experts were ignored by people who think they know better. It’s like being very sick and going to a butchers for treatment lol
@Cliff Burnby: Well I do actually have a really good one that I’m going to share with you. It’s brand new and even better than the 5g one. You are going to laugh your ar6e off I promise:
In 2 or 3 weeks from now people will drop like flies. The Govt know this but don’t want to have to upset people so they’ll kick the can down the road like they always do. Lol, some really batshit crazy big bad government conspiracy. Good, eh? Some guy that posts quite frequently on this forum I think Cliff is his name thought the theory was “spot on” ! Haha
@Anna Carr: It’s not black and white. There are only shades of grey here, a very fine balancing act, and very difficult decisions.
@Damian Moylan: I appreciate that but whatever level we’re at if we don’t follow the guidelines as a nation and people don’t stop being rebellious we’re never going to see an end to this
@Anna Carr: Why don’t they release the deaths of everyone in the country, on any given day, and what they died of, there is probably in excess of more that three hundred people a day die in Ireland, and therer’s never a mention about them, or what they died of, flu or other wise, we have turned this virus and our responce to it, into hysteria, we are actually feeding it ourselves. because of hysteria. You go into a business, next think you are contacted, because someone tested possitive, you now have to go for a test, and isolate yourself, for the duration. waiting for the result, you come up negative, feel relieved. and socilaise again, and the same shit happens, this is the big issue in the health and other servises, working for agencies, people can be sent anywhere for a few hours work. Nearly Every country in the world had a lockdown, didn’t work, the flu level has to be more than ten times greater, than this, for the numbers going for tests, we have and average of four deaths a day, due to it, without underlying issues, never a mention about that.
Imagine you’re a fish, swimming in a pond. You can move forward and back, side to side, but never up out of the water. If someone were standing beside the pond, watching you, you’d have no idea they were there. To you, that little pond is an entire universe. Now imagine that someone reaches down and lifts you out of the pond. You see that what you thought was the entire world is only a small pool. You see other ponds. Trees. The sky above. You realize you’re a part of a much larger and more mysterious reality than you had ever dreamed of.
@SB: you need to get out a bit. If that thought was any deeper you’d be in the pond
@SB: pass that stuff around man!
@SB: Acid lockdown is a no no. Believe me. Ask the fridge………
@SB: love that wacky backy
@SB: Does the fish die?
@SB: That’s all well and good for sheep, but what are we to do?
@Brian Dunne: I don’t think that’s a good idea. He’s supplier is clearly cutting it with something questionable.
Do people not realise that if you enter level 5, you’re never coming out of it (well not for a long long time)…no way will they chance reducing levels…NPHET will recommend us staying at level 5 until there’s no economy no health service and nothingness …only hope is to carry on..
@Sean Fallon: and what’s their justification for all you’re presumptions?
Level five bearing down on us.
@John brett: In the meantime RIP , condolences to 5 families that have lost loved ones.
Level 4 tomorrow, level 5 Friday
Martin’s and Varadkar’s dismissal of professional advice is about to come back to haunt ‘em.
@silentbob2012: we would still have the same numbers if we go to level 5
@Derek Lyster: how?
@Mark: not going to happen, the economy can’t afford it, thousands of people out of work, and this time maybe no jobs to go back to. The whole economy would completely collapse!
Let’s see if the current restrictions have an effect first! It’s the first day!
@David Hamilton: it’s been lvl 3 in Dublin & Donegal for weeks now & has made no difference to their numbers.
@Cliodhna Lynch: R number close to 1 in Dublin according to NPHET this evening, so it is working in Dublin
@Cliodhna Lynch: Well that’s a lie.
@Cliodhna Lynch: Also please remember it took 6 weeks for a full lockdown earlier in the year to have any effect, for 6 weeks straight out cases rose in a strict lockdown.
@David Hamilton: Cork city traffic and crowds today would suggest we went back to level 1 not up to level 3. We are only working through the gears up to 5 I think.
@Tony Hickey: My son was late home from school yesterday and today because, for the first time since they went back, multiple buses passed him as they were full and couldn’t take any more passengers. More people travelling on public transport since they threatened us with a level 5 lockdown. Smyths Toys has to issue a statement yesterday, asking people not to panic buy for Christmas as there were queues outside some of their stores after the ‘leak’ about L5.
Are we paying attention yet? Here we go
CMO confirms he didn’t leak letter!
Live briefing now, shocking escalation of stats at live briefing and complete vindication of concerns given to Minister for Health cc to Department of Taoiseach.Please watch it if you can
Sincere condolences to the families of 5 people who sadly died today and thinking also of patients in Hospitals and ICUs and their families.
we can’t blame anyone but ourselves. We had all the information on what to do and not to do we got complacent as a nation. We can still turn this around. Knuckle down follow the guidelines do what ever needs to be done to cut contacts.
@barry moore: The under 24s are the biggest problem.
@Ashling Fenton: people from 25-54 have more cases than 0-24 in the link that you provided…
@Nicole Leeson McCarthy: yes just looked ages between 25 and 65 make up the highest numbers also younger people
I will continue to #HoldFirm Leo thank you I trust you my Taoiseach
@Young Politician: thank you for not having the fire sight to have the contingency plans in place, even though we had been warned about a second wave since April.
Thank you for chastising NPHET for not doing that work for you and your partners in Government.
Thank you for not ensuring that our health experts do not have the full capacity they forecast we will need throughout winter.
Thank you for ending the PUP lifeline that those again out of work depend on.
When the $h¡t hits the fan we know who to blame! Mehole and Varwankar!
@Just John:
@Just John: why?
@Just John: Seriously? They’re the ones responsible for people not observing the protocols? Well the cads. They had me fooled. Imagine a Govt trying to look more holistically at Irish society and economy instead of fixating on one element of our current health crisis. It’s outrageous. We should put NPHET in charge and do away with politicians.
@Mary Oliver: one of the many problems with our government is they are reactive and not proactive. Why wait for things to get worse and react then when it is too late? Level 5 is going to happen, it should have been done on Monday! Mark my words when things go catastrophic it will be the end of Mehole and Varwankar.
@Just John: Your a s illy billy
@Just John: If you want to blame people, check out your own generation if you want to go down that road
@Just John: Why would anyone take the guidlines seriously after Leo publicly humiliated NPHET because he is a petulant man child?
@Peter Denham: Meant for John R
@Kieran Kelly: shall I start with House Party Varwankar or GolfGate?
@John R: going by the governments standards it would probably be best putting NPHET in charge of health. The last health minister is a failed college drop out who brought down a government and thought there was 18 previous diseases. The current minister tried comparing Covid to jumping on a trampoline!
@Just John: are you a health expert
@Just John: Did you think of those names yourself John?? Well done, clap clap for the……..
They need to learn maths or stop lying… How can they say hospitalisations are “growing exponentially”??!!!! Do they know what exponentially means?!
For instance, 2^x where x is the number of the day since we start, would give 1 (if first day is 0 :p), 2, 4, 8, 16, 32, 64, 128, 256, 512, 1024, 2048, 4096, 8192 in 2 weeks…
So, what are the last 14 days numbers (until yesterday, from https://www.hse.ie/eng/services/news/newsfeatures/covid19-updates/coronavirus-daily-operations-updates.html) for hospitalizations? We have: 88, 102, 102, 110, 108, 114, 117, 121, 114, 113, 132,141,147,142
and for ICU we have: 17,16,17,18,17,17,18,22,20,21,20,21,23,24
Yes, numbers are growing, slowly but steady, and it’s positive! But they ARE NOT growing exponentially.
In the end, I meant “and it’s not positive”.
@Ricardo Almeida: I think they say “exponentially” to mean “a lot” just like people use “literally” figuratively…
@Ricardo Almeida: if you go week by week. Two weeks ago the positivity rate of covid tests was around 1%. Last week it was around 2% and today it is 4%. That is exponential. Idk about the others but they may mean on a week by week basis rather than day by day.
@Ricardo Almeida: they use it bi weekly on the figures not daily
I’m a drinker but just close the off-licences & cut out the house parties. The pubs are practically gone anyway but surely for the sakes of people’s lives they can close the off licences for a few weeks until this thing gets back to some reasonable level.
@Danny McCarthy: absolutely not
@Danny McCarthy: Why? And what about the jobs that will be lost? Fines need to be brought in straight away to stop so called adults acting the mick. Personal responsibility needs to happen.
@Olivia Smith: close for 3 weeks, no job losses in that time & more importantly maybe less deaths. Students are partying good o & don’t tell me they’re not as I know about 6 from my own area that tested positive in cork. Queens in Belfast is a prime example, just off the supply for a few weeks & see how it goes.
@Danny McCarthy: 15-24 year old account for over half of the cases. I don’t think off licenses as such are the problem.
@Danny McCarthy: It won’t have any impact. Neither will going to whatever level people are salivating about this week. As long as creches, schools, and colleges are open the figures will rise.
At the tribunal in 2022 they will say that mistakes were made, but lessons have been learned.
@Danny McCarthy: Different country. If the people in the 6 counties can’t control themselves the people in the Republic should not have to suffer. More cases up there than down here. Plus who said it would be only 3 weeks?
@Olivia Smith: are you not taking meds you should be?
Six feet apart or six feet under, easy choice for people with any common sense.
Will be high for a few weeks only went into level 3
@Mickymac:
You are right, this is the first day it will take 1o to 15 days till the Level 3 takes affect
218 are in Dublin, 63 in Cork, 60 in Donegal, 35 in Galway, 31 in Kildare
Massive mistake that Dublin and Donegal was not put into 4 if not 5, Cork, Galway should have being in at least 3 last week but NPHET advised not to
Terrible terrible terrible
Some government , they were warned level 5 now
@The Wigster: So if we had gone to level 5 yesterday we wouldn’t have experienced these results? It takes time for restrictions to work. The Govt are right to take a cautious approach. I am constantly astonished at the number of people who are content to ignore the effects of a level 5 on the health and well-being of people many of whom will die from late or non-diagnosis of their illnesses, never mind the consequences of business closures and unemployment on mental health. A Govt had to look at the big picture. Not just one element. Without an economy we simply won’t have the resources to tackle things like Covid or indeed the ability to borrow to do so.
Where are the “Casedemic” drunks and simpletons now?
@David Welsh: Reading some of the comments on here today, there’s extremists on both side of the “lock down” and “open up” fence.
@David Welsh: here I am. 5 deaths are of course sad for their families but let’s not forget that on an average day, 100 people die in Ireland anyway. Are we going to do something about that too?
By comparison, in 2017 (a typical year) we had 4,500 deaths from respiratory disease alone. That’s 12 people per day.
https://statbank.cso.ie/px/pxeirestat/Statire/SelectVarVal/Define.asp?maintable=VSA08&PLanguage=0
I am not denying the seriousness of the disease in March 2020 but we’re far, far away from that still.
@Giovanni Giusti: Absolutley…some perspective here and context too well said.
@Giovanni Giusti: Let us wait patiently for a comment under this post about you not having any respect for the 5 dead. Some of the virtue signalling and finger pointing here is absolutely incredible.
@David Welsh: you mean the people who are able to take a wider view of the situation and not the new covid religion, curtain twitcher, neurotics.
@EnKy: those people would not have died if there was no virus
@Mary Oliver: mostly they were very old and frail so they probably would have died of something else
@Giovanni Giusti: By that logic we should just Logan’s Run the elderly. One question though…as a thirty-something and in the high risk group…would my death matter? Or am I just another statistic?
5 deaths *related* to Covid 19! why not say what they died of and when they died.
@Joeohah: and whether they were over 90?
Inb4 “old people’s lives matter”, yes they do, but old people die anyway, it’s sad but that’s because we’re not immortal, every year over 10% of all 90 year olds die, it’s called life…
@Joeohah: because people die of complications due to having covid. Such as organ failure. But covid 19 is what caused the organ failure. So they say related to to be scientifically accurate.
@Giovanni Giusti: old people die anyway… such compassion for our elderly. You and I will die too eventually, but you don’t see me jumping off cliffs to speed up the process or to get it over with
Rip to the fallen
This “circuit breaker” I think will happen before any level 5,,, but yet again it will be left to the last minute and knowing this government done backwards
Level 4/5 in 3 weeks(for 2 weeks).kids will be off school so no teachers to give out and parents at home. This will be the so called circuit breaker
Is leo and co going to listen now
If parents controlled their teenage kids and not let them roam the streets with their buddies it might help a bit. Also y haven’t we mandated masks one you leave your property. And fines for non compliance, can’t keep shutting businesses.
@Diarmuid Hehir: What good would masks outside your property do? Are you one of those sensible types that drive around solo all decked out in PPE?
Perhaps you’re one of the many masked up folk who will step out into traffic without looking, for fear of passing within 10 feet of a fellow pedestrian?
Neither action will make any difference regarding covid, but you will have virtue signalled magnificently.
@Col de Gal: I can live with sticking a mask on my gob for 6 months. If it helps keep businesses open and people safer. What’s the problem?
@Diarmuid Hehir: Mandating masks outside your property is a bit overkill. Out for a hike in the mountains with a mask on? Walking on an empty beach? Driving around in your car? Cycling around the backroads? Shooting double bogies on the back 9?
If you just keep back from others while outdoors, as you’re already supposed to do, you can save yourself the fuss. Fear not, you won’t be endangering people or businesses.
@Diarmuid Hehir: the incidence is not teenagers its in the 18 to 24 age bracket they are adults that still live at home you can only advice them not control them
And most of this age group at working or at college so are out and about anyway
Lvl 3s not gonna do squat
How many deaths are under 65 years of age?
@Paul Tennant: 130 since March
Go to level 5 …..and do as David Mc Williams said months ago print money and give it to every family in the country to inject back into the economy…. simply
Nobody needs a level 5 to wear a face covering in public and stay 2m apart everywhere inside the house included . We are all breathing the virus on top of each other as we talk . Do most people just not get this fact that it is literally being passed across the tables in homes/restaurants /bars and outside schools as people chat minus face coverings or in work canteens at the kettle chatting . Stay 2m , face coverings , good ventilation , clean your hands properly and cough in to your arm not hand . Bye bye pandemic . Easy and yet impossible to get people on board
@mary o dwyer: unfortunately a big percentage of the country are thick.. They want everything as it was regardless of the facts of the situation.
@mary o dwyer: But not inside schools, right?
No deaths once again. It’s lost it’s potency.
@Paul Potts: 5 deaths????
@Paul Potts: 5 deaths
@Paul Potts: You really are a dope, Paul.
@Paul Potts: Can you not read?
@Paul Potts: what are you, an evil troll without empathy?
@Teresa O’Halloran: Those deaths are not from the past 24 hours.
@Paul Potts: here’s another question. I often wonder why they don’t say confirmed, probable or possible with Covid. Only 86% of all the deaths so far (1558) are confirmed with Covid. Plus of all deaths only 98 occurred in ICU since March.
@Paul Moran: Exactly my point but people ignore the true facts around here.
@Paul Moran: nursing homes, still where most deaths are happening.
@Paul Potts:how do you know that there weren’t any deaths today ?
@Tom Doyle: It was reportes earlier. It’s similar to the 10 deaths reported a few days ago. They were actually from the previous month. They are also being incorrectly reported as Covid deaths. A coronor can only report it as such. Until then they should be reported as suspected Covid deaths. That however dosen’t suit the agenda.
@Paul Potts: It is called a covid death if it was a reason for the death.
@RJ: we would not have been out of level 5 by Christmas regardless. Christmas was never going to happen
450 people in hospital in November. If we can’t handle that it’s a joke.
Their statement on 59% being under 45 yes old is highly misleading.
https://www.gov.ie/en/press-release/4e25b-statement-from-the-national-public-health-emergency-team-wednesday-7-october/
@Ashling Fenton: yes, it’s also missing the crucial “deaths by age group”. They probably don’t want people to remember that the chances of dying of it for most people are essentially nil – just as many as the chances of dying of just about anything else.
@Ashling Fenton: just looked. The vast majority in the 15 – 24 age group. School and college students
@Anne Marie Devlin: Yes they account for over half of the total cases.
Open the pubs now
Government: grasp the nettle before we have complete carnage!
Leo is gonna look like some clown now.
Where’s the open the pubs brigade now
CMO said he spoke to Minister for Health before the emergency NPHET meeting on Sunday then after that meeting he sent the detailed letter by email to the Minister cc to Department of the Taoiseach which is common procedure!
@Nuala Mc Namara: Plus CMO spoke again to Minister for Health after the meeting!!!
I think the government knew we were going level 5 but the people would not listen and they moaned so they said we will go level 3 then when we go level 5 its not out fault
The fastest vaccine to be ready for humans took 4 years and that was for mumps. So we either have to learn to live with it with everything open and accept that we’ll probably be like this for another 2/3 years or be in a yoyo of opening and closing which will have far bigger consequences for people for the next 10/15 years
@Alan Kenny: that was in 1977 you pleb. Zero to do with how quick modern pharma works
At least we got to take off our tops in Phoenix Park. Twas grand shur.
If we go to level 5 i blame the people
How many cases are symptomatic ?
@Bain triail aisti: what difference does it make, they’re still contagious
This is how the health department catogarise cases and deaths. They say they cannot confirm deaths until autopsy, months after death.
https://twitter.com/MlMcNamaraTD/status/1310928652457177088?s=09
@June Kennedy: Half or more of these cases could be the common flu or colds
Indo online edition now leading with both minister for health and Taoiseach knew that nephet were going to meet on Sunday as Tony Holohan had been in contact with minister for health informing him of the meeting on Sunday…..so somebody is been economical with truth and I liked the way tonight Holohan and his team laid out the facts and also hinted that the contents of the letter was leaked by govt which confirms the the report in Monday’s mail who quoted a senior govt minister had confirmed contents of the letter….
Theres no place for pubs in the new normal
Lockdown FAIR CITY AND CORRIE
The thing that concerns me is the knock on effect that the virus is causing for people with other illnesses, hospitals can’t treat those in need of care…crazy..next door neighbour has had her cancer surgery cancelled 3 times. Just an example.
@Laura Halpenny: I understand, my diabetic screening appointment had to be done over the phone this year which wasn’t ideal and the next one might not happen either.
But if we don’t flatten the curve now, hospital staff and beds are going to be in even shorter supply.
Doc Holohan … think outside silo …
Surgical Masks should be Banned in Care Homes.
Respirators should be compulsory in ALL Care homes & all vulnerable settings.
What is the difference between a mask and a respirator?
Respirators protect from exposure to airborne particles, which carry the virus. In healthcare, respirators protect from exposure to biological aerosols including viruses and bacteria. Surgical masks are a barrier to splashes, droplets, and spit. Respirators are designed to seal tight to the face of the wearer. – N95 or N99 (FFP2 or FFP3)
This may sound a strange question but I have been troubled by the imbalance of numbers in the Hub and App stats and totals and other reports
My concern has been over the “discharges” as below
- 156 confirmed cases in hospital
- 14 admissions to hospital in the last 24hrs
- 13 discharges from hospital in the last 24hrs
This data is ..”a daily headline figure at 8am as well as a time-series of confirmed cases, new COVID-19 positive admissions and discharges in the previous 24 hours.”
Careful reading would indicate that there were 27 new positive cases (in the example above) of covid-19 of which 13 were “discharged” with an active covid-19 infection as they did not need to be in hospital and 14 were admitted…
This is different to thinking that 13 people previously with covid-19 are now clear and discharged.
The admissions appear to be: “new COVID-19 positive admissions in the previous 24 hours”
The discharges appear to be “new COVID-19 positive discharges in the previous 24 hours”
While comparing numbers from different reports is impossible because of the different timings this midnight report shows 25 new cases in Hospital (note in hospital not admitted to hospital) and broken down by age group.
This 25 new cases in hospital looks like it contributed to the 14 admissions and 13 discharges… (27 new cases in hospital)
I wonder if this is the case and maybe someone needs to ask as it appears to me that the figures for “admitted” and “discharged” is how the positive cases were handled in the last 24 hours…. It also ties in with the fact that the cumulative total of hospital cases by age can go down as well as up as this is admissions, and the change in the last 24 hours is cases “in” hospital that may be admitted or discharged.
Someone needs to ask as I believe many think the “Discharges” are recovered cases as distinct from people discharged with an active covid-19 infection
Looking at the graph, numbers began increasing during September. Schools, colleges and universities to me are a big link. Students may be carriers. It seems crazy to go to phase 3 and leave all these institutions remain the same. NPHET you so short sighted with too much power
They need to break down tHe statistics. Figures with no meanings. we have a right to know the statistical information of who is dying and where they are.
where did all the moaners with their ‘medical degrees’ saying L5 was ludicrous go? doubt the 5 families who lost loved ones are supportive of L3
Do we know when the 5 people died?
have your say