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PROFESSOR PHILIP NOLAN, who chairs the epidemiological modelling advisory group at the National Public Health Emergency Team, has said the GAA’s response to the latest Covid-19 restrictions was “a bit headmaster-ish”.
Taoiseach Micheál Martin yesterday announced that all sport in Ireland must be held without fans with immediate effect until at least 13 September as part of a series of new measures to limit the resurgence of Covid-19.
Speaking at the announcement, Martin said that there is to be “strict avoidance of social gatherings before and after events”.
Martin added that indoor and outdoor training “should follow the six indoor and 15 outdoor guidance.”
Up to now, games had been staged with a maximum number of 200 people in attendance, a figure which included players, management and officials.
Following Martin’s announcement, the GAA called on Acting Chief Medical Officer Dr Ronan Glynn to present the evidence that informed their latest recommendation that all sport in Ireland revert to being held behind closed doors.
“Following this evening’s unexpected announcement the GAA invites Dr Ronan Glynn and Nphet to present the empirical evidence which informed the requirement for the Association to curtail its activities,” the GAA said in its statement last night.
“The Association will tonight be issuing an invitation to Dr Glynn to meet with its Covid Advisory Group in this regard without delay. The GAA and its members remain at all times committed to protecting public health.”
Speaking to TheJournal.ie’s Explainer podcast today, Professor Nolan said he was “a bit minded” when he saw the invitation from the GAA to meet with Dr Glynn.
“It was a bit headmaster-ish, could we come in and explain ourselves,” Professor Nolan said.
“So, let’s be clear. Sporting organisations, the GAA included, have worked really hard over the last number of months to allow sport and training to go on in a safe manner,” he added.
“And also, as doctors and as members of society were profoundly aware of the very positive effects on people’s physical and mental health of participation in sport.”
Nolan said the “thrust of the recommendations was to allow sport and training to continue”, adding that their concern centred around two things.
“First of all, that some of the protocols and protections had clearly slipped, that just as we had relaxed in other aspects of society, like our own hand hygiene, in some of these settings, the strict protocols and physical distancing were not being maintained,” he said.
“The other concern was the congregation that was happening before, during and after sporting events.”
Nolan added that the new restrictions are “about spectators, not about participants”.
Earlier today, Professor Philip Nolan talked to TheJournal.ie’s Explainer podcast about the reasoning behind the latest restrictions and what the government means when it says we are at a ‘critical’ time in Ireland:
The Explainer / SoundCloud
With reporting by Gavin Cooney and Sinead Farrell
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Pot and kettle mate, this whole new lot of restrictions is a bit ‘headmasterish’
@Da_Dell: would you prefer the headmaster or the funeral director for you or your loved ones.
@Canyon: Very good answer, know who id prefer.
@Canyon: would you prefer to get covid from someone who attended a match or someone who worked in a Meat processing plant ?
@Canyon: Given that we have already far more suicides as in the whole of 2019 you can pick both at the same time
@8-Bit-Relic: well said. Love to see the cancer and heart attack death statistics too.
@Eoin Hennigan: I am a heart attack victim and had no near death psychologist to talk to in the hospital because Covid has closed that department down.
@Brendan Woods: You have my sympathy. My best mate had open heart surgery 2 weeks ago, his wife had a breast removed on monday and his father died last night, none of it the GAA’s fault.
@Canyon: Hyperbole
@Canyon: nobody’s dying anymore. Watch the numbers. We’ve now got a casedemic
A bit of childish name calling. The GAA on behalf of over 500,000 members and volunteers asked a legitimate question. Styfiling debate with a put down is not good enough.
@Con Nagle: it’s Micheal and Leo fault
@Aido: don’t see how this is Leo’s fault as Fine Gael had a row over these restrictions being too cautious
@Kroenke Out: Leo relaxed original lockdown to boost his faded popularity to ensure his part in new Gov. once things started to go south, he abdicated responsibility, slipped out the back door and passed the buck, but still had time for his pr ops and undermined the new gov at every opportunity. He disappeared again since this new lockdown was looming. No articles or photo ops shoe shopping this week, maybe time soon for some topless can drinking in the park.
@Da_Dell: pretty sure Leo’s satisfaction ratings have held up all through the Covid period, so your argument is holed from the outset.
@Adrian O’Farrell: Thats the power of a controlled media and pr for ya, certainly not based on results.
@Con Nagle: totally agree.
Answer the GAA’s questions with science instead of whataboutery.
@dmcardle: problem is which other sporting organisations will then demand their attendance at committees, leaving them less time to actually tackle the pandemic?
Another factor would be possibly, and i’m unaware of the make-up of the GAA board, it could end up with detailed medical modelling data being presented to people who aren’t in a position to understand the nuances of it.
@dmcardle: I agree. Lame deflection here. He hasn’t managed to offered us a “whatabout the meat factories or direct provision centres” I note.
@D Mems: they could send them a report. They won’t though because they’re shutting down a few random things because if the rise in cases. How the hell is mass not one of them? I’ve no GAA links but they were fully entitled to ask this question. I think anybody is really.
@Aidan O’ Neill: thankfully everyone is now asking questions, on radio today lots asking similar. The exception is the usual lot of sponges soaking up the gov and media crafted narratives that pubs and house parties are enemy no 1.
@D Mems:
What they want is the evidence that X amount of cases has being transmitted through attendence at a sporting ocassion in Ire.
@Declan Sweeney: I know, I dont so how that influences my comment in either direction. There attendance will still take time and the evidence may still require a high level of scientific and mathematical knowledge
@D Mems: the GAA is the largest sporting body in Ireland. Surely a heads up would have made sense here and some logic to go with it.
@D Mems: “Detailed medical modelling data” – I think it’s safe to say there’s very little of this going on. Most of their advice has been finger in the air kinda stuff to date.
@Rocky Raccoon: i don’t think it’s safe to say there is very little modeling going on, not in the slightest. Unless you have access to data which the rest of us don’t, perhaps you could share that with Prof. Nolan while you’re at it, and have generated a better model, which I also encourage you to share, I think perhaps you should return to reality.
Covid is a novel virus, so the model wouldn’t have been perfect, but each day allows the model and advice to be refined, i doubt you could do better
@D Mems: the pandemic is over. Only testing keeping numbers high. Look at the death numbers, they’ve completely flatlined (pardon the pun)
Time for NPHET to disband but it’s not in their interest to do so…..
Mr. Nolan needs to understand that the ordinary people of Ireland are just about fed up of listening to a lot of nonsense from the Taoiseach, the Health Minister and now Dr Glynn, and before , Dr Houlohan it is a bit rich of him to start to lecture people, and especially the GAA and other sporting bodies. Rightly they have asked for the Evidence from Glynn . That performance by Martin, Donnelly and Glynn last evening was about the worst I have ever seen. Totally disjointed, totally contradictory , and a complete shambles.
How would anyone have any confidence in them??.
@Eugene Comaskey: GAA have no right to demand anything, no more than a bishop or IBEC. They can raise a concern and wait in turn for a meeting to put their concerns across.
@Eugene Comaskey: Well said Eugene
@Gareth Murran: and the goverment have no right telling guards enter your home
without a warrent buy hey hoh.
@aidanshaw: and if you had some decency and respect they wouldn’t need to.
@Eugene Comaskey: OR RESPECT
@Gareth Murran: of course the have rights, of course he are correct to speak out for their members. The ordinary people of this Country, – a huge number of who are members of All types of sports clubs- , are correct to let the Government know, and these so called ” EXPERT” group know that Sport is an essential component of keeping people sane and healthy . Are people to leave their Children to matches and then have to leave??. Yes, I’m all for the GAA, and All sports telling them where they are going wrong, – And They are definitely GOING WRONG.
@Gareth Murran: decency and respect have bugger all to do with it. The day a member of the Garda siochaine can enter your home without your permission or without a court order will see street protests like you’ve never seen before. This isn’t a police state. And all because at this stage both the Govt and NPHET are still peddling bloody scare tactics.
@aidanshaw: they will have to make House Parties a Crime so, a warrant to enter someone’s house is to investigate a Crime.
When we see hospitalisations as low as they are, when the mortality rate has flatlined, when the curve has been flattened for months, I think that yes, people do deserve an explanation from the head of the body that is instructing the government on what to do.
The arrogance of this man to think that he is too high and mighty and important to waste his time on the little people.
Dont let the door hit you on the way out, and take your pedestal with you.
@Garry Coll: He doesn’t think that I would imagine. I presume he was a bit taken aback at the manner in which the request was conveyed. As simple as that. Not can he or others attend before every organisation that asks. It’s not possible. It is reasonable for the GAA to ask for clarity. But to demand a meeting with a relatively small group trying to manage a crisis? Nope.
@John R:
If you want to make excuses for him John, be my guest.
There was a clear path and purpose for the actions that were taken in March.
For me that purpose was achieved months ago.
There are very few in hospital or dying from coronavirus now, and the health services are well able to cope with the cases that do arise.
That was the place we wanted to get to in March.
Yet here we are and still having a knee on our throats.
Nowadays, nobody has a clue what is the long or even medium term rationale for anything that is happening.
The clear impression is that they are making it up as they go along.
The high handed arrogance in the response from this jerk only serves to confirm that impression.
@John R: a relatively small group? It’s the largest sporting body in Ireland with over half a million members at last count!
@Garry Coll: “I think that yes, people do deserve an explanation” what you think counts for nothing… Btw In case you haven’t noticed we have the fourth highest infection rate in Europe currently so the curve is not too flat… Gaa should really shut up and take the advice the experts are paid to give them.
@Nick: We’ve 6 people in ICU and a total of 17 in hospital. They’ve been warning about a 2nd wave since May and that the next 2 weeks are critical. It has been the same cr*p for 3 months now. The experts are either risk adverse and are afraid to recommend opening up or they are enjoying their power trip and don’t want it to end. The GAA were perfectly right to question yesterdays Shi**y decision to shut out parents and a relatively small numbers of fans at matches.
@John R: NPHET are not managing anything. They’re an advisory body
They asked a genuine question, show us the evidence and reasoning behind the decision. Dont throw condescending and snide remarks. We can be under no illusions now whatsoever about who is running the Country.
Cancel all Gaelic games for the rest of the year would be the right thing to do.
@Niall O Neill: yep. And hide in a cave! Can you recommend a good one?
@Niall O Neill: you must be a soccer fan,
@Bill: your home is perfect
@paul mc donough: not really just educated
@Bill: if that’s your preference but I’d recommend staying in your home!
@Niall O Neill: niall is educated. Thanks for clearing that up.
NPHET the ultimate headmasters and strings attached to government puppets, I have no idea what the medium term strategy is in our country, is it to eradicate the virus or slowly manage it and us into a grave through lack of other vital and specialist services, we must start seeing evidence of where there is community transmission arising from sporting events, otherwise open events to smaller managed crowds. It’s make it up as we go, see how the wind blows. Let’s take action against pubs in breach of guidelines but let the meat and other factories away with a tongue lashing, wonder if there’s a link there to government, maybe through marriage?!!
@Gerard McConnell: There couldn’t possibly be a link, could there. If there is a link and someone exposes it, I say “good man” and “well done”. I do however like my steak
It appears, they’re no better than the vintners.
@Thomas: they aren’t. And I’d take a stab that a lot of them are indeed vintners also
They’re going to lose the goodwill of the general public with flippant answers like that to legitimate questions about policy inconsistencies.
@Paul M. Barrett: they’ve lost it already
I’m sorry now I’m struggling to grasp this…. meat plants are full of Covid clusters and are are ok to beat on …. but sports has had a few cases so hammer sports. Is that because sports isn’t profitable and meat plants are ??? So if there’s a shark in the bay that means don’t let anyone in the woods but you can still swim in the bay ??? Again I’m trying to understand this absolutely ludicrous fuk’d up dictatorship.
@John Hayes: essential vs non essential
@John Hayes: No it’s because we would all become very angry if there was no meat for sale in Irish shops. Meat = food supply. Sporting games? Important but not essential.
@John Hayes: sports can all continue.
Can you please explain why the limitations regarding the number of people who can train don’t apply to professional sports or horse racing? Are they exempt from the virus? https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/77b6d-statement-on-the-introduction-of-new-measures-to-limit-the-spread-of-covid-19/
@Anne Marie Devlin: increased levels of testing funded by the professional clubs?
@Anne Marie Devlin: I would imagine it is because professional clubs have more resources to manage Covid processes and have a strong incentive to do so because they need to play to make money.
@John R: I did think of that. Just wondering if cobh ramblers, cabinteely and all the other smaller teams in the LOI have those provisions in place. Regardless, it is a financial issue which has possible impacts on health. So much for ‘we’re all in this together’.
Philip from 1 Nolan to another your talking outa your u know what…
ye cant watch a match in The open air but u can sit at a wedding with a stranger from another part of the county
@David Nolan: One would hope that your host has taken that into consideration when doing the table plan. On the other hand you are always free to decline the invitation.
Feet on the streets 22 August. New elections.. and hols these criminals accountable for lying to the nation
@James Reilly: boring
@James Reilly: that’s your opinion. Can you back that up with facts? Links?
@James Reilly: Mary Lou will sort this out for us. Where is she anyway?
Laughable reading these comments. The bloody numbers are going up. Infection rate is high. All people are worried about is whether they can watch a game. Cop on for god’s sake
@johns TN: it is the inconsistency people are mostly annoyed about. You can go into a 50 person restaurant but can’t watch a match outside. Mass is still ok. They have every right to ask. We all a right to ask for the data these decisions are made upon. It should be published.
@Aidan O’ Neill: what kind of data will they look for if god forbid they get infected and they bring it into their homes? Yes, with the numbers rising, there should be events like mass and restaurants stopped. Then we will have the rest of the country up in arms too. But people need to get a grip and see that we need to eradicate this covid. We’re not going to to do it by giving out on the journal
@johns TN: You must stay Locked-down until you are guaranteed immortality. Stay in your homes until nobody dies of anything ever again.
We must have commands from ‘our betters’ to follow. We must vilify those who ignore those commands.
Let them take all of your freedoms and joys as long as they can keep you safe.
@Aidan O’ Neill: because in a restaurant you are seated in line with social distancing, standing at the sideline of a pitch you are not, everyone also tends to arrive & leave at the same time. I have seen at my local club’s matches large groups of people standing and chatting shoulder to shoulder with large portions of the sideline devoid of people. That’s why sport is treated differently to restaurants
@Virus-free Turkey: yera ya or we could follow the health advice here on the journal, sure what could go wrong??? Maybe the health professionals in this country might have a better knowledge
@johns TN: You come across as a little confused there fella!
The GAA will be asking the virus to explain itself next………
@Peter B: special envoy will be sent by the gaa to China on Paddy’s Day to demand answers
@johns TN: Marty Morrissey is yer man
@Peter B: would be more beneficial if the virus could explain itself to the Gov.
@Peter B: Maybe its time to audit GAA expenses !
The GAA like other sporting bodies were given the chance to open up with conditions. As I can only speak of what I seen , this was not done. Even junior teams training, it was seen as a get together for parents, who were apparently just meant to drop them off. I passed a GAA game the other day in a rural area , as there may have been the designated numbers inside, there was three times the numbers outside. If they cannot contain the crowds gathered then what choice have you got. There is no point coming back with, ” if they won’t do it, why should I.
Almost 2000 people have died, people are currently dying. People had to let their loved ones die alone and suffering terribly with this virus. People are still putting their lives on the line having to work in Covid wards and many more places I probably haven’t considered. Peoples lives and businesses are destroyed and they find themselves on social welfare to feed themselves.
The GAA not used to hearing the word no, being asked to hold off until the 13th of September (under 4 weeks away), want an already overworked committee and CMO to explain themselves specifically to them (The GAA) is arrogant and very poor form in my opinion.
@Maeve O’ Dwyer: stop listening to the narrative pawned on here. The govt ballsed up the nursing homes, the meat factories, the exploitation of lower paid foreign workers sharing beds and the fact that these people can’t afford to ring in sick because of the taking away of the 1st 6 days sick pay. How can you play a game involving 80 people and only have 15 train, 50 kids on a school bus but only 6 people in a house. The govt are 100% at fault for the new rise of cases but are blaming pubs young people and house parties deflecting the blame away from themselves even though there is f all evidence for all the latter.
@Michael McGrath: The Govt are taking directions from Trump ~
The GAA think their special and they can try and dictate what they want to who they want.
At this stage I’d rather see rural pubs open up for the mental health of rural people then see people at matches
Cancel the gaa, sectarian and discriminatory organisation.
@Neil Farrell: Muppet.
@Neil Farrell: The polar opposite actually, Most recent example off this is a local Ardglass GAA club in Co Down who have helped Ghanaian fishermen stranded in port due to Covid. Teaching them Gaelic football and giving them access to hot showers and laundry facilities.
That’s just one example.
So keep your narrow minded opinion to yourself.
Since when do public health officials answer to the GAA. Forget about the day job trying to suppress this virus, go in front of every sporting, hospitality, education and whatever else you can find institution.
Silly analogy. Since when did asking for more information on decisions that are directly impacting the organization warrant such a response. The longer this goes on, the more political it gets.
Hopefully they got a call from Michael to put them back in their box. Seems to have happened as they have announced new measures. Sports Irelandbshould make this request and not publicly.
GAA completely correct to call these NPHET gangsters out. They are a fraud.
Wow., he misreads a situation better than Trump.
@Mel Fitzpatrick: Who gave the so called pubs an extra half hour ~ Names on a large billboard please !
The GAA and horse racing crowd seem to think they’re special. We know there’s a GAA ground in every parish but some of us prefer other games (and don’t complain when nphet ask us to do something).
@Virgil: Don’t start me on the horsey lot ~ the living conditions and pay of apprentices and grooms not to mention jockeys is abysmal in this country ~ Nearly as bad as meat factory workers!
All you have to do is look a the games on tv since it started back,100 people allowed in to support and what do the do most sit beside each other, either the county board of each county move them to a acceptable distance or there clubs should do it before the GAA blame everyone else the evidence is there.
There seems to be a lot of people on this thread that were useless at playing Gaelic games.
No matter what PR The GAA put about ~~ They are about the money big time ~ Amateur Association went out the window for the big boys 40 years ago ~~ Now all players are indentured ruled by coaches most of whom are not paid either but get little perks along the way ~ Sugar plantations in Jamaica were run like this in the 1750′s.
A bit headmaster-ish………says the people telling us we can’t have more than 6 people in your own house. Get da phukk outa here.
Maybe if u were a bit consistent with your rules and not making them up as ur going along we wud be happy!!
have your say