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I'd like to give answers to very reasonable questions coming to me from people in Kildare, Laois and Offaly today. This is a serious situation, with people genuinely worried, and others genuinely frustrated, and deserving of answers.
Q. Why is this being done?
A. To move quickly to protect people's health and people's lives in Kildare, Laois & Offaly. To do the same ultimately for the rest of Ireland. To suppress the spread of the virus in the local communities. To protect the local economies.
A. To move quickly to protect people's health and people's lives in Kildare, Laois & Offaly. To do the same ultimately for the rest of Ireland. To suppress the spread of the virus in the local communities. To protect the local economies.
Q. What's the rate of cases in the 3 counties right now?
A. The measure used by public health is this: Total new cases in the past 2 weeks, per 100k population. As follows:
Ireland = 11
Kildare = 76
Laois = 66
Offaly = 81
These numbers will rise tomorrow as new cases are added.
A. The measure used by public health is this: Total new cases in the past 2 weeks, per 100k population. As follows:
Ireland = 11
Kildare = 76
Laois = 66
Offaly = 81
These numbers will rise tomorrow as new cases are added.
Q. Have the efforts by local people & communities not worked?
A. They have. Thanks to everyone's efforts the rate of the virus in the community in Laois, Kildare & Offaly is still low. The majority of these cases come from clusters in a small number of food factories.
A. They have. Thanks to everyone's efforts the rate of the virus in the community in Laois, Kildare & Offaly is still low. The majority of these cases come from clusters in a small number of food factories.
Q. Would it not have been enough to isolate the factories?
A. No. As with any community, the people working in the community live right across the community. The goal is to suppress transmission in the community, which needs everyone to limit their interactions for two weeks.
A. No. As with any community, the people working in the community live right across the community. The goal is to suppress transmission in the community, which needs everyone to limit their interactions for two weeks.
Q. When do the measures come into effect?
A. The measures are now in legal effect, as the regulations were signed this evening (Friday night). They expire at midnight on Sunday 23rd.
A. The measures are now in legal effect, as the regulations were signed this evening (Friday night). They expire at midnight on Sunday 23rd.
Q. What are the measures exactly?
A. The measures include temporary restrictions on travel, gatherings and certain business activity. Here's the official list of measures now in place:
https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/7b237-special-advice-for-those-living-in-kildare-laois-and-offaly-friday-7-august-2020/
A. The measures include temporary restrictions on travel, gatherings and certain business activity. Here's the official list of measures now in place:
https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/7b237-special-advice-for-those-living-in-kildare-laois-and-offaly-friday-7-august-2020/
Q. Why these particular measures?
A. The measures come directly from NPHET's advice. They have been designed by the public health experts to quickly target the suppression of the virus in the community while minimising the personal and economic impact.
A. The measures come directly from NPHET's advice. They have been designed by the public health experts to quickly target the suppression of the virus in the community while minimising the personal and economic impact.
Q. Why do this now? Why not wait a few days?
A. By everyone limiting their social interactions now, there's a much better chance of avoiding much harder measures we all lived through a few months ago. If we wait until there's a lot of community transmission, it'll be too late.
A. By everyone limiting their social interactions now, there's a much better chance of avoiding much harder measures we all lived through a few months ago. If we wait until there's a lot of community transmission, it'll be too late.
Q. Are supporting measures also happening?
A. Yes, including testing for meat factories, the next round of staff testing in nursing homes starting in Laois, Kildare & Offaly, local testing centres being reopened, ambulance service resources are being focused on the 3 counties.
A. Yes, including testing for meat factories, the next round of staff testing in nursing homes starting in Laois, Kildare & Offaly, local testing centres being reopened, ambulance service resources are being focused on the 3 counties.
Q. Whose fault is all of this?
A. This isn't about fault. Covid19 is flaring up in cities & regions across Europe & the world, in spite of lots of different measures used by different countries. It could just as easily have been in another part of Ireland, or a different setting.
A. This isn't about fault. Covid19 is flaring up in cities & regions across Europe & the world, in spite of lots of different measures used by different countries. It could just as easily have been in another part of Ireland, or a different setting.
Q. Are vulnerable groups being supported?
A. Yes. Nursing home visitor restrictions are now in place, and on-going supports are deployed for at-risk groups.
A. Yes. Nursing home visitor restrictions are now in place, and on-going supports are deployed for at-risk groups.
