By Vivienne Clarke
Dublin GP Dr Ray Walley, has said that Dublin should be at Level 4 of the Government’s Living with Covid-19 strategy.
The Glasnevin based doctor said he was particularly concerned that under Level 3 up to 25 people could gather at a function such as a wedding.
Speaking on RTÉ radio’s Today with Claire Byrne show, Dr Walley warned that the age profile is increasing (among Covid patients) and this will have an impact “downstream”.
NPHET will hold its weekly meeting today to discuss the latest data and evidence of the prevalence of the virus and suggest measures to stem or curb its spread. If it finds that infections in Dublin have not stabilised and further action is required, preparations will be made for an incorporeal Cabinet meeting on Friday to give effect to its findings.
That could mean that Dublin and its population of 1.4 million would be subject to tighter regulations than the other 25 counties. They include a ban on social or family gatherings indoors or outdoors, additional restrictions on indoor dining, as well as people being told not to travel outside the county. No matches or events will be allowed and no spectators allowed at any games that do take place.
Dr Walley said the concern was that the rate of infections had increased because of social gatherings, this could spread to older people who have a higher morbidity rate and require more hospitalisation.
“It is like flooding on flooding, it takes longer to go away. All of this takes a long time to recover.”
NPHET has to consider putting Dublin at Level 4, he said, and there also needs to be more positive messaging. People should be told what they can do, not what they cannot do. They also need to know how to maintain their health while living with the virus.
Dr Gabrielle Colleran of the Irish Hospital Consultants Association warned that there was an urgent need to double ICU beds and number of consultants as Ireland has half the EU average of ICU beds and lowest level of consultants. She called on the HSE to fast track ICU beds. If there was a doubling of capacity it would help medics cope with the surge, she said.
Last winter was the worst winter with regard to trolleys, the issue needed to be tackled now, she added. “We need to have enough staff to deal with this.”
