Ireland’s minister for health, Stephen Donnelly, was down the line when he announced his COVID winter plan on October 11, 2022. That’s because case numbers are rising, and an alarming 20% of infected people in his country are developing Long COVID . Hence our advice to take your face mask to Ireland when you visit. And better remember your precautions as you enter the terminal.
Take Your Face Mask to Public Settings Too
Leo Varadkarn is deputy head of government in Ireland, and minister for enterprise, trade and employment. He issued a public statement urging people to consider wearing face masks in public settings once again. He had just come from a meeting with Ireland’s chief medical officer Professor Breda Smyth at the time.
Varadkarn confirmed the briefing concerning the epidemiological situation in Ireland went well. “And it does appear,” he continued ‘that we are now seeing COVID cases rising again in Ireland and indeed across Europe.” Although he told Irish Mirror he hoped to be able to manage these without imposing any new restrictions on people.
The Anticipated Additional Burden of COVID
Prof Smyth was responsible for containing early outbreaks when COVID struck. She previously published her own report titled Strategic Approach for the Management of COVID-19: Preparedness for Autumn/Winter 2022/2023. In it, she observed how the risk remained of new, more infectious Omicron variants, which might be able to overcome our vaccinated and natural immunity too.
As such, she continued, we need to remain ever-vigilant of the potential impact of these changes. Because COVID-19 will add a significant burden our health services will have to shoulder during the upcoming autumn/winter period. She was not joking when she spoke about the need to take your face mask out your bottom drawer, and put it back on your face again.
Will Vaccination Be Back in Fashion This Christmas?
The deputy head of government believes vaccination is likely to become the norm again. He told Irish Mirror “I see being vaccinated as a bit like your phone being charged over time. The immunity wanes, and the battery goes down, and you need to get vaccinated again.”
Breaking News
Do We Lie About Having COVID – Why So?
