Union calls for reintroduction of mandatory mask-wearing in indoor settings
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The union that represents nurses has called for the reintroduction of mandatory mask-wearing in indoor settings.
Phil Ní Sheaghdha, the general secretary of the Irish Nurses & Midwives Organisation (INMO), was speaking after it was revealed that almost 64,000 Covid cases were recorded over St Patrick's weekend.
“The numbers speak for themselves,” said Ms Ní Sheaghdha.
Hospitals were always under pressure after a bank holiday weekend, she said and when combined with the high levels of Covid-19 in the community this was a “very unsafe situation”.
Monday saw the number of people in hospital with Covid rise to the highest level in more than a year. 1,308 people with the virus were in hospital yesterday, a jump of 123 people on the previous 24 hours.
The “tremendous pressure” to find space for patients was leading to decisions being made that were “simply unsafe” Ms Ní Sheaghdha added.
While recent research had indicated that voluntary compliance on mask-wearing was two-thirds of the population, that needed to be higher as hospitals did not have the capacity for any increase in attendances.
On Monday there were 570 people on trolleys, this was the equivalent of one full acute hospital, said Ms Ní Sheaghdha.
“We have to look at anything that will assist [in lowering numbers].”
The HSE will have to act, she said. Elective care could not continue when there was no capacity, she cautioned.
Hospital-acquired Covid infections had rapidly increased recently from 129 to 183 cases, Ms Ní Sheaghdha told RTÉ radio’s . Hospitals were becoming “reservoirs” for Covid which was leading to cross-infection.
Speaking at the weekend, the Tánaiste said new Covid restrictions are unlikely.
Leo Varadkar said the rate of infection was not causing undue concern, due to high levels of vaccination.
"I think it is another wave," he said.
"What's happening across Europe now is a second wave of Omicron, but I don't think it's going to require the repetition of restrictions."