NPHET modelling
The need for international peer review of NPHET’s modelling, recommended in the Covid-19 Response Committee Report of 8 October 2020, has never been starker.
Indoor hospitality and NPHET
The latest proposals from NPHET to restrict indoor hospitality to the vaccinated only are practically unworkable, legally dubious, and contrary to a decision already made by a democratically elected government.
Read MoreAntigen testing and air travel
Given the establishment of another task force on Shannon and the failure to implement previous reports on aviation and on antigen testing, I asked the Taoiseach who’s running the country and for whose benefit.
NPHET and Rapid Antigen Testing
NPHET’s confirmation that it hasn’t even discussed the Government-commissioned Report of the Covid Rapid Testing Group and its reluctance to accept the EU Commission’s common list of COVID-19 rapid antigen tests demonstrate an intent to maintain Ireland’s outlier position on international travel and antigen testing compared to other EU states.
McNamara critical of Government’s Mandatory Hotel Quarantine strategy
Clare Independent T.D. Michael McNamara has criticised the Government’s Mandatory Hotel Quarantine strategy, which he described as “a half-baked exercise in optics” and a “flawed measure” in the context of an unchecked border with Northern Ireland and when the majority of persons arriving in the state whether by air, sea or over land are not tested for variants of Covid-19.
Read MoreNewstalk – Government abdicating decision-making to its advisers and civil servants
The problem is not the Deputy Chief Medical Officer – public health doctors worldwide are advising caution. The problem is a “government” abdicating decision-making to its advisers and civil servants, pushed out for daily press conferences instead of developing options to feed into a real strategy.
Read MorePublish The Data
As we are being told to follow the science, the science should be clear. That requires more transparency and publication of data, evidence and assumptions upon which modelling is based.
Lockdown based on NPHET predictions that have not come to pass
NPHET’s modelling upon which Government introduced this lockdown was clearly inaccurate. Due to the 3-week timelag for measures to take effect It’s clear people had modified their behaviour before the introduction of lockdown. Incidence was already falling. 55,000 needlessly out of work!
RTÉ – NPHET Level 5 proposal
peaking on Today with Claire Byrne (RTÉ Radio One) about the NPHET proposal to Government to introduce Level 5 restrictions.
Proportionate response to pubs is essential
A proportionate response to all risks is essential. No evidence to support the singling out of pubs over, for example, meat plants in the State’s response.
Acting Chief Medical Officer at COVID-19 Committee
At the COVID-19 Committee today, I questioned Dr. Ronan Glynn (Acting Chief Medical Officer) on meat plant and restaurant inspections, the impact of Covid-19 on mental health and the implications of an economic slowdown on our health service.
COVID-19 and sustained community transmission
During today’s COVID-19 Committee meeting, Dr. Cillian De Gascun and Professor Philip Nolan, both members of NPHET, both accepted there are areas or regions of the State where there is not believed to be, nor known to be, sustained human transmission of COVID-19.
Read MoreCommunity transmission of COVID-19 has been “effectively extinguished”
In response to my question at the Special Dáil COVID-19 Committee today, the Chief Medical Officer of the Department of Health Dr. Tony Holohan said community transmission of COVID-19 has been “effectively extinguished”.
Nurses pay, Mental Health and hospital capacity
In Dáil Éireann today, I questioned Minister for Health Simon Harris on nurses pay, private hospital capacity and why the National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET) is not receiving advice from a mental health expert.
COVID-19 and mental health
Given the significant mental health impacts of COVID-19, I this evening asked the Minister for Health, Simon Harris, why the National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET) is not receiving advice from a psychiatric representative.