UP TO TEN people who attended a performance of The Blindboy Podcast in Co Clare last month, have been ‘required’ to self-isolate after it was confirmed that a person with the Covid-19 virus was also in the audience.

The HSE’s Department of Public Health Mid-West wrote to a number of people on 5 March to advise them that they had been identified as having been in close contact with a person who had been confirmed to have contracted the virus.

It’s understood that during contact tracing procedures, it was established that the person had attended the event in the Glór theatre in Ennis at 8pm on 29 February.

Those who have since been contacted by the HSE have been advised of possible contact with the affected person and have been ‘required’ to place themselves into self-isolation until Saturday next which will be fourteen days since the event.

The letter told recipients: “A case of Novel Coronavirus (Covid-19) has been identified in a person who attended the Glór theatre on Saturday 29 February, 2020. As a result, you have been identified as a close contact of the case. To prevent the possible spread of infection, you are required to self-isolate until 14 March, 2020.”

Glór confirmed that there were people who subsequently tested positive for Covid-19 at the podcast performance. It said that it made immediate contact with health authorities once it was made aware of the situation.

The theatre added: 

Operations at glór continue as normal after management sought advice from the HSE, additional hygiene measures and handwashing advice are in place at the arts centre, and we ask all our staff and customers to follow HSE guidelines on handwashing and respiratory etiquette.

Glór said the HSE contacted audience members whom it deemed may have been impacted and advised them on precautionary measures.

The HSE has declined to comment on the matter or confirm whether a letter was sent. It’s understood that no more than ten people, those sitting closest to the confirmed case, have been contacted.

People who had booked tickets but did not attend on the night, also received the letter while those who have not been contacted by the HSE don’t need to worry it’s believed.

It’s understood that no staff were affected and the HSE was happy for the venue to continue to operate with events continuing as normal.

With additional reporting by Céimin Burke