Official updates

Sir, – How frustrating it is to see the chief medical officer (CMO) advising people not to book summer holidays six months hence. Perhaps he might instead concentrate on a more efficient vaccine roll-out and increasing hospital capacity. After all, we have only had a year to do so.

Hand-wringing press conferences every night telling people to wash their hands and stay apart are not management.

While the CMO and his Nphet colleagues continue with a policy of longer and more strict lockdowns than in most of Europe, yet resulting in current levels higher than in most of Europe, media outlets stand idly by, refusing to question Nphet and the HSE for their performance.

Every press conference should start with a question. How many vaccines were administered yesterday and what plans have you for further effective management?

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Perhaps if some journalists actually started holding the HSE to account, instead of blaming whatever politicians happen to be in power at the time, we might begin to create change. – Yours, etc,

STEPHEN GLEESON,

Killiney,

Co Dublin.

Sir, – I feel that many people in our communities all over the country find that Tony Holohan and his team are people we can trust and depend on and who have only our best interests as heart. He and his team have the skills to get us out of this horror. They need to be listened to for all our sakes! – Yours, etc,

MAGGIE FITZGERALD,

Killiney,

Co Dublin.

Sir, – Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly is coming under strong criticism for the vaccination roll-out.

The biggest problem at the moment seems to be vaccination supply. We know that Ireland does not produce Covid vaccines, so the best he can do is work with the EU to get Ireland’s fair share as soon as possible. He deserves a little latitude here.

However, at some stage the vaccines will start to arrive in larger numbers. Until then, we have time to get ready.

If he and the HSE do not have a watertight plan, with personnel and IT systems in place, contingency plans, and dry runs completed to distribute and administer the vaccines to the right people as soon as they arrive, then there can be no forgiveness. – Yours, etc,

FERGUS O’CALLAGHAN,

Dublin 2.