By Vivienne Clarke
Intensive care consultant Dr Catherine Motherway has warned that there will be a surge in Covid-19 cases when the health system runs out of ICU beds.
There will continue to be an increase in cases as the numbers have been rising, she told RTÉ radio’s Morning Ireland.
The Government had made the decision to go to Level Three rather than Level Five as advised by the National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET), that had been very difficult for them, she said, but they had to strike a balance between public health advice and the economy of the country.
There were 23 patients in ICU beds with Covid-19 yesterday.
The health system needed to be able to schedule ICU beds so they can continue scheduled care, emergency care and Covid care. An increase in ICU beds was necessary she said as when the system runs out of beds “there will be a surge".
However, if people did “what they need to do” then the virus could be controlled, she added.
