@Phil O’ Meara: excellent point

@Paul Dolan: in fairness it’s a terrible point. Dublin was the epicentre of a national community transmitted outbreak with cases popping up in the hundreds everywhere . These counties are now experiencing significant clusters alone while eff all cases are emerging anywhere else, including Dublin

@Phil O’ Meara: theblockdown was nationwide to prevent wholesale spread of the virus. We avoided this and are now focusing on where hot spots are cropping up. Are you really that stupid that you cant understand a basic protocol like this? Read the article. Other countries are doing the exact same thing in an effort to keep as much of their economies open as possible.

@David Clements: What about when there were a worrying rise of cases in Cavan, west Meath, Cork(notwithstanding other counties) after stage three had been implemented? Albeit while not as high as cases in Kildare, Laois abd Offaly, they were still seeing clusters. Despite this, I do agree with a regional lockdown in the three counties but Phil’s point still stands but maybe more regarding other counties nationwide. Hopefully the same measures will be applied in other affected counties if there are heavy clusters. However, I’d like to hear more about what you think of the government’s decision regarding this?

@Anthony Carroll: why u shouting??

@Phil O’ Meara: only 6 new cases in Dublin , when you think of that is brilliant as to the imminent response to closure of building sites that were at the centre a week ago …

@Anthony Carroll: what about Intel ? Those employees can work WFH but the company does not allow it even if you have health problems…

@Phil O’ Meara: I think there is a prisoner on the loose as I saw a helicopter in the sky they can say anything to lick us down it’s a joke there is something more sinister going on and we are not being told

@Phil O’ Meara: Dublin has 5 cases today, don’t think a lock down is required there.

@Caoimhín: Don’t think he mentioned anything about current Dublin cases did he? Maybe take your black screen down you’d see things clearer (face palm).

@Phil O’ Meara: Covid 19 is the Climate Change for Skangers and Knackers. Same irrational terror.

@Rachael Pender: Yea he already pointed that out… Smh

@ben: Er what, I worked in Intel, so please tell me how thousands of workers operate and repair the machinery from home?

@Phil O’ Meara: God the cluchies really hate the Dubs don’t they. Dublin had 5 cases for a population of over 1.5 million! Get a grip!!

@Andy: still can’t forgive them for the 5 in a row…

@nelliekel: and more to come!

@Rochey77: looking at the map it’s like we’re losing our appendix, it’s a bit inconvenient but we’ll survive.

@Rochey77: offaly poor comment

@Rochey77: That’s an offaly unkind comment.

@Rochey77: …and I’m just after buying a year’s pass for St. Cronan’s High Cross.

@Anna: And these measures are designed to keep it that way. Unfortunately more cases in our population could lead to more admissions in the near future, hence the masks and the local lockdown.

@ruairi: exactly. A point that seems to be lost on some posters here.

@Anna: Luckily majority of those workers are probably young enough and will not require hospitalization, however the risk is more to those they may spread it to who could be older or have underlying health conditions. Given how contagious this virus is it appears only a matter of time until those hospitalization and subsequent ICU numbers rise – also with 1-2 weeks incubation period we may not see the full impact of these clusters until middle or end of August.

@Anna: Where is this data coming from? if you present info please give a source. We had 69 new cases here yesterday https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/
If these cases are not ending up in hospital that’s good but not the point. the more cases, the more disease going round, the more chance of catching it, the more chance of vulnerable people ending up in hospital and dying. So your hospital stats are an incomplete and intentionally misleading picture.

@Anna: No update on recovered figures in nearly 7 weeks now…

@Vladimir Macro: The only ‘data’ I see you give comes directly from RussiaToday or Twitter. So don’t be taking the high ground when it comes to bias.

@ruairi: a sense of perspective is needed.
The cases are increasing but it is spreading mostly in the under-45 age bracket. They confirmed at the press conference that a large number of the new cases are asymptomatic. Factory workers came to work unaware they had the virus. These do not require hospital admission.
A rise in cases doesn’t necessarily mean a rise in hospital admissions.
That could happen yes. But that doesn’t mean it will happen. And so far, it hasn’t happened.

@Bob Rock: the Irish Covid Data hub as I said in my original comment.

I can’t post links but you’ll find it if you type it into Google

@Anna: 19,294,286 covid cases resulting in 718,339 deaths globally, suggests more cases, asymptomatic or not, will cause more deaths. What happens when those asymptomatic people interact with their family, shop in the same place as the vunerable, hospital workers?

@Bob Rock: LOL

@Anna: Irish Covid Data hub? read your original comment again because you didn’t mention that. Regardless, this presents an incomplete picture because of reasons I stated above. But you seemingly have a clear agenda to push so why bother pay attention to any of that.

@ruairi: WHO said on the 14th of July that there was zero cases of asymptomatic transmission to date.

@Declan McArdle: was about to make the same comment. Am checking worldometers daily. It seem to only be updated by batches. For a while in March/April the recovered number stood ridiculously low and all of a sudden thousands were flagged as cured. I appreciate it cannot be updated on a daily basis but such a patchy communication re. recovery rates doesn’t look very serious.

@Bob Rock: you’re right Bob, I mentioned it on another article.

I have an agenda to push because I am reporting facts? Confirmed cases on a hse/government backed website?

What do you think was happening yesterday when the media were reporting on the sharp rise in SUSPECTED cases? Suspected because they were waiting on results. And today there is no increase in ICU, and an increase of 1 patient in hospital with Covid. There is many suspected cases every day in hospitals and they rarely come back as confirmed.

I should add the so-called rise was in suspected patients who were already in hospital as the data hub reported no covid admissions to ICU or hospital the last couple of days. Zero again today.

@Vladimir Macro: Here’s some data for you that might challenge your own biases. https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamainternalmedicine/fullarticle/2769235

@Vladimir Macro: you posted this same thing about the WHO and asymptomatic transmission two days ago and you gave a link from twitter to “prove” it https://www.thejournal.ie/effective-testing-tracing-schools-5166779-Aug2020/?utm_source=shortlink.
That was said in early June and retracted the following day https://www.statnews.com/2020/06/09/who-comments-asymptomatic-spread-covid-19/

@Anna: They may be ‘facts’ but my point is that these ‘fact’ give an incomplete picture of the situation and you seem to be doing it intentionally because you are ignoring this simple logic – “more Transmission = more people infected = more disease in circulation = more chance of vulnerable people getting sick = more people dying.

But keep posting about how many people are in hospital today and don’t worry about tomorrow or the day after. You were doing this intentionally to convey a message you want to repeat in every article on this topic.

@Anna: 30 suspected cases in limerick

@Anna: 98 new cases today!!

@Anna: but aren’t you electing to exclude the 14 suspected cases that are also currently in ICU, because under your set parameters, they are not yet “confirmed” . while wilfully ignoring that they are obviously displaying symptoms associated with covid 19 and having difficulties that require ICU treatment, which led to them being categorised as suspected cases in the first place, which on the balance of probabilities will ultimately be confirmed as covid 19.

@Anna: well this comment has aged like warm milk.

@David Van-Standen: there were 14 suspected yesterday. Results are back within 24hrs. The figure hasn’t changed from the 5 confirmed. There are suspected cases every day in hospital. There could be 100 suspected cases, it means nothing until the results come back to confirm or negate.

If you are admitted to hospital for whatever reason you will be routinely tested to make sure you do not contract it while in hospital. While they await your results you are a suspected case.

@David Van-Standen: Unfortunately you were not dealing with a good-faith actor with Anna, she is focusing only on data that supports the message she is promoting. For that reason Anna will not be influenced by logical argument or evidence regardless of strength or source. Don’t waste your time.

@David Van-Standen: But if you relate the suspected figure in ICU with current positivity rate of tests – is it 4.5%?, it does seem like a lot of hot air. Even those who elected to get a test due to symptoms shown prove mainly covid free. Better to be safe than sorry though.

@Bob Rock: I think she is proper logic and insightful. The only message I see her promoting is cutting through the crap of scaremongering propaganda. The clue is in one’s adjectives.

@Anna: the risk is always there these young people may living or mixing with vulnerable parents, elderly grandparents or even some friends who are in the at risk group. By stopping the virus spreading and may I stress we are all responsible for this, we will keep the hospitals and ICUs free to treat other patients who have had vital cancer or life saving surgeries and treatments. It’s as simple as that.

@Anna: complete over reaction

@Dawn Tallon: You think Anna is insightful for using hospital figures for as grounds for not implementing measures to decrease spread such as mask wearing and regional restrictions? Anna is choosing to ignore the logic of “more cases = more disease transmission = increase risk for the vulnerable = more death”. Read through these comments again and see how this quite logical point is ignored.

@Bob Rock: I said nothing about the restrictions. Of course regional lockdown are necessary

@Anna: then why not state that in your initial comment above with as of now 210 thumbs up? your original comment tries to highlight how few people are in hospital (as of today). By stating this and this alone the natural conclusion is that the outlined restrictions in the article are not necessary.

@Bob Rock: as I said. It’s important to keep perspective of all the information.

Not just jump to conclusions when we see a rise, like you did when you read the figures I reported and assumed I was implying the regional lockdown was not necessary.

Stick to the facts

@Bob Rock: Yes I did. So they have no data so far, yet they no kids dont spread it? How would they know this if they dont know if asymptomatic spread the virus?

@Bob Rock: and with the same eye, overstating deaths from a previous month, like yesterday, IS further reason to lockdown.

Swings both ways

@Anna: Again you are wilfully ignoring the fact that those 14 cases in fact require ICU treatment. Unlike a hypothetical suspected 100 cases that may have some symptoms or have been in close contact with a confirmed case, that might come back as positive or negative, but either way don’t as yet need ICU treatment.

@Anna: Here are the facts regarding this disease, it can kill people or keep them gravely sick for a long time, young people as well as older people can die from this. it can be transmitted by people who are asymptomatic. As you say many may not need hospital treatment but increased numbers of cases are shortly followed by increased hospitalisations and deaths (look at the US).

You highlighting hospitalisations TODAY ignores all of this. Yes, hospital numbers are low today, because transmission levels were low two weeks ago. You do not include any of this detail in any of your posts over the past few days regarding this issue. You state they are ‘facts’, yes but they are not ‘ALL’ of the relevant facts. But continue to ignore this as you do.

@Alex Marquis: It was weekly in March, April @ May. Last two updates were 02/06 & 23/06. @hselive & @roinnslainte won’t respond.

@Vladimir Macro: Im not even sure if I even understood what you are trying to say in those last two posts. You seem to be arguing against a point I didn’t make.

You stated a few minutes ago that the WHO advise that asymptomatic’s do not transmit the disease. you also said this same thing two days ago. This is not true and I told you this two days ago with evidence but you keep posting it. Now you’re talking about “kids transmission”

@David Van-Standen: there isn’t 14 covid cases in ICU.

There was 5 confirmed cases yesterday and the media reported a further 14 suspected cases in ICU.

Today there are still 5 confirmed cases because their test came back negative. There are suspected cases reported every day but they usually come back negative.

I check the covid data hub daily so know there has been no rise in covid ICU/hospital patients. Maybe you should do the same before you judge.

There has been no Covid admissions to ICU in the last 48hrs.

If a cancer patient is admitted to ICU (or any other non-Covid patient) they will be tested for covid19 whether they display symptoms or not. While they are waiting for the results they are a ‘suspected case’

@Anna: any reply for the point that has been made umpteen times that the ICU patient numbers today are not the complete picture and just continue to ignore the known time delay between disease infection and eventual hospitalisation? No?

@Bob Rock: so the WHO clarified they have no data on asymptomatic spread of the virus, yet the WHO know asymptomatic children do not spread the virus.

I cannot make this any clearer and I cannot understand why the masses accept that the WHO can ascertain that asyptomatic children do not spread the virus and adults, well “we now just dont have any data”

My arse.

@Jamie Connor: 17 more cases in Wexford this week which had no cases for 4 weeks

@Vladimir Macro: As usual you make strong claims without supporting evidence. The fact is there is no definitive conclusions about asymptomatic patients spreading the disease because it is so difficult to study this either in children or adults. On this point you will find conflicting evidence on either side but we will know in time.

The problem is you are claiming the WHO is saying “asymptomatic people do not transmit the disease”. You have said this over and over and it is not true because the fact in no one knows. So stop spreading disinformation, find something else to do with your time.

@Bob Rock: and the one time they did say it (in early June) they retracted it the next day. You know this because I replied to you two days ago about it providing evidence but you simply ignore it.

@Bob Rock: Rock is right. Rock head

@Carl: Dr Tony OK, but Simon? You’ve got to be joking. All Simon did was repeat what the medical experts said. That is NOT enough to redeem him for all his other stuff ups and ineptitude

@Carl: bring back Tony and Simon???? Why, have you a report to bury?

@Carl: holohan has blood on his hands from the cervical check scandal. It was him who wanted to hide it. Him. Tony holohan. And because of his actions, mothers had to say god bye to their children and never see them again. Tony holohan. Dont forget that name. Is that what you call a hero?

@David Corrigan: What is with the cheesy Tom Selleck avatar? Its hard to take your opinion seriously.

@Val Doyle: You probably need to try harder Val.

@Carl: what difference will that make?

@Carl: tony cant due to family reasons

@Val Doyle: He is not very clever Val – despite what he thinks himself.

@Tiktok: big brave original commentary from youwho? Drop the tok bit, tik suits you better

@Carl: What?
Bring back Simon,the Minister for Health who left our old people lying on trolleys in hospital corridors for 5 years?
Seriously?

@John O’Brien: because there are next to no cases in Dublin.

@David Clements: Show me your stats for this please. Very little community transmission in these counties. What the gov are not doing is closing these facilities and isolating those infected and traced. It’s a hollow move for political cosmetics.

@John O’Brien: I’m gonna go with that most of the people in Dublin were so worried about the virus they followed the guidance more than people down the country, i know I was more lax outside m50

@john flynn: The clusters are in meat plants and direct provision centres. Community transmission is no worse than anywhere else. These measures are cosmetic to satisfy those with only a superficial understanding of whats really happening. The lack of comprehensive testing at these facilities has led to this.

@John O’Brien: I live in Offaly but my doctor is in Tipperary . because I live in village close to the town closest to me which happens to be in Tipperary. We also have to attend Limerick hospital due to services being cut here . so in fairness its bit ridiculous considering the outbreak in Offaly is at the other end of the county . which is closer to Dublin than to me.

@hard yaka: This Timahoe is in north Kildare, about 12 miles from Maynooth and Celbridge.

@hard yaka: Athy to secede. We’ve had enough of Dubs up North. Draw a line at M7 and M9, close the exits. Carlow, Laois can make their own areangements.

@hard yaka: The outbreak happened about 20km away from those towns nothing to do with Athy.

@Tom Anderson: sorry Tom its 23km from celbridge and 30 km from leixlip Malahide is also 30 km from leixlip for reference. People in leixlip primarily work in Dublin or in the local community. Most wouldn’t have a clue about timahoe. My point is the size of the area its from North kildare to west offaly to south Laois. Its a huge amount of hotels pubs cafes to be tarred with the one brush. People in leixlip village can walk 5 mins to dublin for a pint but the pub a 5 minute walk the other direction is letting staff go again. I just wish common sense would prevail but civil servants get paid no matter what so why would bother to look closer into it.

@hard yaka: That’s 14 miles rather than 12 to Celbridge. It doesn’t matter unless your acceptable distance for an outbreak is between 12 and 14 miles.

@David Jordan: obviously not strict enough with a cluster of what 80 cases?

@Michael Duckster: I’d gladly go without meat if it meant not having my freedom restricted every couple of months because of greed and exploitation for profit.

@Paul: Food processing factories are using thermal cameras scanning workers arriving at work, they also have hand sanitizing stations, and workers wear gloves and masks. But you’re right, it’s not enough. It probably will never be enough. Also seems that food factories are terrified of testing, finding there’s an outbreak and getting shut down.

Significantly, these clusters were found only after people in Direct Provision centres tested positive and further cases were found at the factories they work at. They didn’t find the clusters by testing the factories.

That said, transmission occurs outside work and in work; in shared accommodation (the company has no control over) and there’s also a risk of spread at work because workers get too close and shout at each other over the noise of the machines.

@Craic_a_tower: seems like a bit of a double standard to me, and I live in Dublin.

@The Upside-down Triangle: The State has never faced such a pandemic. We seem to have learned a lot from the first wave to deploy tactics and resources better for new outbreaks. That’s a good thing.

@The Upside-down Triangle: Dublin was locked down with the rest of the country…

@The Upside-down Triangle: and I’m a proud Dublin hating cork man. I don’t get your point. Dublin isn’t a problem right now…

@The Upside-down Triangle: really must hurt a lot. What do you take for it?

@The Upside-down Triangle: . Dublin was the epicentre of a national community transmitted outbreak with cases popping up in the hundreds everywhere . These counties are now experiencing significant clusters alone while eff all cases are emerging anywhere else, including Dublin

@Aaron O’Leary: I’d just wonder that if there was a spike in cases in Dublin would they lock down Dublin only? I don’t think so. With regards the nationwide lockdown it felt like measures that were necessary for Dublin (with half of cases) were being applied to the rest of the country, which wasn’t necessary. Like other less affected counties could have opened up earlier.

@Craic_a_tower: have you anything constructive to say?

@The Upside-down Triangle: and still culchies moaning about Dublin….build the wall and keep country people out of Dublin

@The Upside-down Triangle: educate yourself as knowledge sets one free. Positive enough for you?

@Craic_a_tower: I’m very educated and knowledgeable, do having anything specific to say about the subject or just ambiguous statements that mean nothing?

@The Upside-down Triangle: no you aren’t. Already explained above and you are still arguing. The entire country was locked down so no isolation of Dublin required there is now a flare requiring a local lockdown. I am no expert but this is so blindingly obvious I fear for the intelligent of the general population. This is not “old man and the sea” this is “old man and a puddle” and you aren’t transporting a fish

@Craic_a_tower: thanks for letting me know I’m not educated, I wasn’t aware of this. I haven’t argued with anyone, simply having an adult discussion, surely you can differentiate? If anything you are the childish one with troll-like replys to me trying to goad me into a petty spat. I never fall for trolls like you. Maybe you need to take a look in the mirror and realize the only ignorant one here is you.

@The Upside-down Triangle: angry at stupidity and wilful ignorance is really not the same as forgetting what an adult conversation is. To be an adult require measure and reasoned thinking. Your posts have not possessed this seemingly obvious qualities. So I say will all positivities, the youth are our future and the will remember this time. AIDS changed the world this may easily do the same, have a look of the comments back then. You will be on a particular side and do you really think it will be the good side?

@The Upside-down Triangle: perhaps because Dublin is 60% of GDP of the whole nation, and must be thought carefully any further lockdown ?