Covid-19: Gulf emerging between government and health officials over ending lockdown
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Cabinet members have expressed their annoyance at their own public health officials over the “stalling” in the progress in reducing the cases of Covid-19.
A fresh gulf is emerging between political leaders and medics over the road out of lockdown in two weeks’ time with ministers expressing annoyance at the lack of progress.
Ministers have said that the basis of introducing the level 5 lockdown for six weeks was to get the daily cases of the virus below 100, and that is being undermined by the stubborn refusal of the numbers to drop.
The Department of Health was notified of 429 confirmed cases of the coronavirus last night.
“We were told by Nphet that if we lockdown for six weeks, the numbers will get down to 100 per day. They are nowhere near that so we are left asking what are we doing. The next week will be crucial,” said one minister.
Several Cabinet sources told the Irish Examiner the desire to allow all sectors of society re-open in December remains, including wet pubs.
They expressed their concern at the “multiplicity” of medical voices in the public domain, saying it is Government and not Nphet who will decide what happens.
For its part, after its weekly meeting, Nphet decided that it is not ready to recommend any easing to restrictions on international travel into Ireland, despite it moving to orange on the EU traffic light system.
However, the Nphet advice to the public will not change this week due to the rate of new cases in the country.
CMO Tony Holohan said that "nothing has changed in the behaviour of the disease", leading to some worry among TDs about the short window left until Christmas.
"It's getting to the stage where people want to know yes or no on Christmas. At this stage, it would be good to have guidance one way or the other," said one minister.
Several ministers are also frustrated at the hardline approach from Nphet when the second wave of Covid-19 is 90% less deadly than the first.
Health Minister Stephen Donnelly revealed the figure during a debate on the final report of the Special Committee on Covid-19.
"We’re seeing a more than 90% reduction in fatalities in the second wave compared to the first wave. So for every 100 people who died in the first wave, less than 10 have died this time. By any measure that’s an extraordinary improvement."
There have been four further deaths related to Covid-19, according to the Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC). The death toll in the Republic now stands at 2,010.
The total number of confirmed Covid-19 cases in Ireland is now 69,473. This figure reflects the denotification of 14 cases.
Dr Holohan has warned the country has just two weeks to get back on track and drive down the numbers.