Ireland’s conservative approach to easing Covid-19 restrictions has been defended by the Minister for Health and the chief medical officer following comments by New Zealand prime minister Jacinda Ardern.
Speaking at the weekend, Ms Ardern said New Zealand, which has had low numbers of cases and deaths on the back of a stringent lockdown, was in a “great position” because it can “move through” to an easing of restrictions “in relatively short periods of time”.
“I was just looking at Ireland, their stepping-down is taking them through to July before some people are back in work. Because we’ve actually been managed to contain as we have, if we do it right, we’ll be back in quick step into getting the economy moving again, whereas others are taking a very long time.”
Acknowledging the Irish plan is “pretty conservative”, Minister for Health Simon Harris said, “I’d rather be taking it slow and steady” and saving lives instead of loosening up too early and possibly “planning for failure”.
Risk of resurgence
The deaths of another 23 patients were announced by the National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET) at its briefing on Tuesday. There have now been 1,339 Covid-19-related deaths in the Republic. The total number of cases stands at 21,983.
Dr Tony Holohan acknowledged the NPHET public health advice to the Government was conservative and cautious due to the risk of a resurgence of infection.
“We need to be in a position to satisfy ourselves that the easing of any restrictions does not lead to untoward spread of the disease.”
“If we lose control and see the rate of spread we had in March continuing unabated, that could lead to a significant challenge for the health system and a significant impact on people and could lead to a walking-back of restrictions we’ve already eased.”
It was “not true” that “we’ve done the job or that we’ve passed the point of risk”, he said.
Sources have said, however, that the easing of restrictions under the Government’s Covid-19 “road map” could be accelerated later in the summer if current progress is maintained.
ICU figures
With the number of patients in ICU falling, and the rate of growth of new cases having plateaued despite more testing, there is optimism in official circles that the easing of some restrictions could be brought forward to earlier phases in the plan.
The 211 new cases reported by the NPHET on Tuesday is the lowest daily figure in over a month, while the growth in new cases has been lower than 2 per cent for nine days.
The number of patients in intensive care has been dropping at a rate of about 20 a week, though the number of hospitalisations remains high. The fact that about 3 per cent of samples are testing positive is seen as an indication that the chains of transmission of the disease are being broken.
Dr Holohan also denied reports of tensions between NPHET and some Cabinet members, saying he has had a “perfectly straightforward interaction” with Ministers.
Unlike in some other countries, “We’ve been able to get on with our job”, he said.
Officials said 214, 761 people have been tested for the virus, including 61,707 in the past week.
