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LAST UPDATE | 25 Feb 2020
THE GOVERNMENT WILL be recommending that the Ireland – Italy Six Nations Game does not go ahead due to ongoing fears over the coronavirus, Health Minister Simon Harris has said.
Speaking on RTÉ One’s Six One News, he said it was the “very clear view” of the National Public Health Emergency Team that the game should not go ahead in the interests of public safety.
He said that the department would be contacting the IRFU to convey this ahead of the game which was scheduled for 7 March.
The IRFU subsequently said it was not in a position to comment further and was seeking an urgent meeting with Harris to understand the reasoning behind the decision.
Harris said he would meet with the IRFU tomorrow morning.
Several regions of Italy have been badly affected by the coronavirus, with over 200 people diagnosed so far.
90 cases have been tested in Ireland, but all have come back negative. No one in Ireland has yet tested positive for the coronavirus.
Harris said: “My department will be contacting the IRFU in relation to this. I know when it comes to cause a great disappointment to many, but it is important to make decisions in relation to public health above and beyond all other considerations.”
In a statement this evening, the IRFU said: “The IRFU is seeking an urgent meeting with Minister Harris as to the specific reasoning behind calling for the cancellation of the Ireland V Italy Six Nations fixture in the context of the Government’s overall travel policy to and from Italy and other affected countries.
Until such time as the IRFU has had contact with the Minister and gets an understanding of the government’s strategic policy on travel to and from Ireland and the cancellation of mass gatherings, it is not in a position to comment further.
The Six Nations championship also said in a statement that it was aware of Harris’ remarks and said it would remain in close contact with the IRFU.
Harris also said that the advice from health authorities would now be updated to include travel advisories for anyone who’s been to other areas with a large number of diagnoses of coronavirus, with parts of Italy and Japan joining China in its advice.
The Department of Foreign Affairs said it will be updating its travel advice later this evening.
It will mean that anyone who has been to any of these areas in the past 14 days and feels flu-like symptoms is urged to self-isolate and contact their GP.
This is the same for anyone who’s been in close contact with a confirmed case of coronavirus in the past 14 days.
Anyone who’s been to these areas in the past 14 days but doesn’t feel any symptoms and is feeling well is told to visit www.HSE.ie.
In a statement, Department of Health chief medical officer Dr Tony Holohan said:
“Having assessed recent developments in Europe and globally, Ireland remains in a Containment Phase.
However, based on European Centre for Disease Control (ECDC) guidelines, the cancellation of mass gatherings in this phase is justified in exceptional circumstances, and today’s recommendation to cancel the Ireland v Italy rugby match is based on the rapidly evolving nature of the outbreak in northern Italy, and the consequent risk of importation of cases into Ireland were the match to go ahead.
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Right call only call.
@Eamonn Duggan: why not just stop Italian fans from travelling!!!?
@Ted Logan: eh…what about the players and staff?
@Ted Logan: eh….what about the players and staff?
@Eamonn Duggan: Ireland’s Call?
@Ted Logan: how could all fans be forced not to travel?
@Mark Anthony Murphy: easier to test 40 to 50 people and confirm they don’t have the virus than 5,000
@Eamonn Duggan: banning the flights from Italy and allow the game to go ahead. If the flights still come then what’s the point in cancelling the match
@Chris Mc: if you are making a decision to relieve the away team of their fans you’re basically saying this is you’re problem. If the playing field is unequal then it’s not fit to go ahead. It just takes one person travelling here to open us up to a virus I think we all know we are incapable of dealing with.
@Tommy C: but surely every away game is unequal then?
Point is that one person can still come here cause all the flights aren’t cancelled so the team should still be able to come and play if they pass tests
@Chris Mc: probably avoiding putting all the fans into a giant incubator for the duration of the match
@Ted Logan: What about the players and back room staff?? Silly comment.?
@Ted Logan: Or start screening people coming through our airports. Flights coming from Italy every day. Most people who would have been coming to the match will come anyway as flights etc won’t be refunded.
@Isa: There is no effective mass screening. All the scanners are detecting is body temperature. Its more a PR gesture than anything effective.
@Ted Logan: I would agree. If the match was to ever go ahead…test the Italian players and their support and coaching staff. If none affected then play the game behind closed doors…no supporters from either side. At least that way it’s fair on both teams. I know an atmosphere always helps but if 2 teams of professionals cant get their ganders up to play for their countries then they shouldn’t be representing either country. I know the IRFU would balk at this as they would have to open the Aviva and play a match and have no income from the match but if the money is all they care about well then screw it…call the game off. That’s the 2 options I would he presenting the IRFU.
@Ted Logan: absolutely Ted … makes much more sense.
It’s also ridiculous for Harris to come out with this when both Ryanair and Aer Lingus continue a few times daily into Milan & Bergamo which are both in the heart of the affected Lombardi Region..
There also hundreds of Families and lots of school trips on Ski trips to Italy this week… and the only advice is consult your doctor if you have any symptoms when you get … HSE are not advising compulsory self Isolation ..
There are also hundreds of Italian school kids here studying English during half term time ..
The advice medically speaking is the typical Horses Arse approach .. as per usual with HSE & Simon Harris …
@Eamonn Duggan: Right decision IMO but basic good manners to let IRFU and Italian Rugby in on it before acting the dictator.
@Denis McClean: Denis, I disagree , what Harris did tonight this no more the last political sting of a dying wasp..!!
Why ; 1) World Rugby HQ is located in Dublin on Pembroke St .. it’s about 5 mins walk from the Dept Health HQ on Baggot St …. He didn’t even consult World Rugby who are the governing body and ultimately control the 6 Nations Championship, nor did he contact the IRFU …he just called a press conference stating his opinion & his officials that match should be cancelled..
2) there were 6 xDublin return flights today; 5 x Milan 1 x Venice .
These airports are at the heart of Covid19 outbreak, approx 1100 people from Lombardi & Veneto regions…. And these Flights will run everyday this week >7000 despite the match
yet no Med checks at Dub Airport ….It’s a Joke
@XvSv: So if he was really considering public health and following epidemiological protocols, he & the government should be suspending all flights to Milan and Venice with immediate effect and possibly the entire country of a ITALY because if we include Rome Florence Pisa Genoa And Sicily probably 10k are going travel to Dublin this week (10k last week) from Italy regardless of the rugby match… its half term last week and this week , there lots of Irish in ITALY skiing etc…
So there is probably anywhere upwards of 20K people now in the the country some of whom could have being exposed to Covid19 Virus …that dwarfs 2500 Italian Rugby supporters ..
So my my point is if he is going to execute a ban … its needs to be 100% ….
it cannot some half baked political gesture..
@Eamonn Duggan: Clueless. Never had a real job, college drop out Mr Magoo of Irish politics.
Himself and Murphy plus Mr V who gave them the gigs, handed them the keys to failure.
With a surplus economy in growth and full employment .. Job done.
Yes…more to do.
Legacy is Shinners in Govt.
Unless you get in and get the job done.
@Tommy C: When you say we are incapable of dealing with this who are you referring to?
@Eamonn Duggan: won’t make a blind bit of difference there still goin to come over on the lash now they have plane tickets and hotel booked…you can’t stop them from traveling
No it should be cancelled
@Una Nolan: Harris trying to stay relevant and remind people he’s still acting Health Minister
@El Sparko: or maybe he’s doing the right thing in the interest of Irish citizens.
@El Sparko: go away and give over will you. Posters like yourself will slate him whatever he does. Hes right.
@El Sparko: have we banned all flights to and from Italy?
@TheHospitalPass: Flight from Milan about to arrive: https://www.dublinairport.com/flight-information/live-arrivals
@Paul Furey: “He’s right” There’s a first time for everything!
@El Sparko: in fairness to him, he’s been acting as a health minister for a few years now. Play acting more to the point.
@MRhino82: this is nothing to do with Harris. It’s to do with safety. Well said
@El Sparko: Isn’t that the truth.
@MRhino82: If he is, it will be a first.
@El Sparko: in fairness this was probably never his call. Some high ups in the department of health made the call and he was wheeled out to give the news. That’s all that happens in these circumstances most of the time. He probably had very little say in the decision.
@El Sparko: absolutely agree .. this complete political posturing by Harris.
If he deadly serious about the epidemiological threat … the Government would immediately ban the 6 Flights ( approx 1000 persons per day ) that are flying in today and every day this week from Milan and Bergamo via Aer Lingus and Ryanair .. not mention connections via London & Paris ..
Thousands of Irish last week and this are in Italy Skiing .. including 10s of school tours ..
None of these have even to self quartile when they get back .. so the end of this week at 5000-7000 will flown from Lombardi region ..
This totally dwarfs the number of Italian Rugby fans which travel approx 2500 …
So if we want to protect the country ban flights to/ from Italy and medically screen everyone at our airports..
@MRhino82: he has never tried to do that. Only ever there for publicity, total bandwagon jumper. I’m not anti FG, but Harris is a disgrace
THAT WOULD BE A FIRST
@MRhino82: they haven’t ecnouraged any airlines to cancel flights to and from Italy. He’s doing this as a political statement.
The fans will still come even if the game is called off.
Flights and hotels already paid for with no refunds.
@MrMagoo: Harris jumping the gun.. I wouldn’t think any of the Champions League games that involve Italian teams will be called off.. As you point out the fans will still come across as they won’t get refunds.
@MrMagoo: and more importantly. What about Paddy’s day????
@David Garland: you do know that so many would whinge if he took no action.
@David Garland:
But their won’t be 30, 000 of them crammed into a small location. That’s main reason for .cancellation . Severe risk where mad gatherings in confined spaces
@John F Quirke:
* mass gathering
@David Garland:
Juventus v Inter behind closed doors…
While Lyon goes ahead…
@David Garland: most Serie A matches at the moment involving Northern Italian clubs are being played behind closed doors
@Paul Furey: Boo Hoo get over yourself.
@John F Quirke: “Ted, is there anything to be said for another mad?!”
@MrMagoo: I wish that attention seeking vain dimwit Harris had an ounce of your common sense!
@John F Quirke: like on the planes and buses upon which they’ll still be travelling!!
and the crowded pubs they’ll be frequenting
Jeez you’re as bad as Harris.
@Pád: you’ve just made his point for him. Well played Sherlock.
So every case that has been tested here has come back negative? Anyone double and triple checking these? We’re have a chequered history with labs coming back with the wrong results
@Jennifer Monaghan: This is the correct decision, it about preventing large crowds gathering, especially those involving international travel from countries known to already have the virus. It’s a preventative infection control measure, there’s no guarantee it’ll stop the virus but better to try than allow the match to go ahead and regret it later.
Once this virus gets onto the island of Ireland there’ll be no stopping it, any suggestion that we’re prepared or can cope is laughable and patently false. Our hospitals couldn’t cope with the flu they expect to see every year, this is on another level entirely. Given the figures from other countries once it does arrive, and it will eventually, we can expect to have thousands of people critically ill and needing intensive medical care. We don’t have the facilities to cater for these numbers, nor do we have the equipment and staff required. If anyone seriously feels we’re prepared perhaps they’d explain where all this is going to magically come from in the next few weeks.
If the IRFU, or anyone else, feels this match should go ahead this is irresponsible and the decision should be taken out of their hands before they do something we’ll all regret. Even to argue the point illustrates recklessness on their part.
@Jennifer Monaghan: that was a US lab not an Irish lab. The national virus reference lab at UCD does brilliant work for this country.
Is he going to cancel all flights in and out of Italy?
@Mark Edwards: amazing people want a game of rugby to go ahead if he did not call it off the same crowd on hear would be saying he bowed to the rugby crowd Harris can’t win
Why is he not telling people that travellers are not being screened on arrival, 1 school trip just left a town in Italy and 24hrs later it was closed down, they arrived in Ireland and told authorities, they were not screened, nothing,told to carry on and say nothing about it
@@mdmak33: they were from up north not much the republic can do about it
@peter crew: this was students from maynooth, not NI,government is covering the flippin thing up,Irish examiner journalist said they received a reporting blackout warning.
@peter crew: Examiner reporting three schools from Waterford visited the same region, and are now being screened.
@PolyglotPaul: and i know of a school in wexford only back on Saturday
@@mdmak33: tinfoil hat comment :-(
Lock the country down we did it for the animals
@kieran flanagan™:
The foot and mouth embargo worked extremely well
@kieran flanagan™: Good point. Time for the Dettol footbaths again, it seems.
@kieran flanagan™: I so remember it we hadto get out of the car between Belcoo and Blacklion put our feet into disinfectant
We hadn’t a problem and that was the “foot and mouth”
Simon Harris ruining everything again… Sigh
@Yorkie1892: big ruiner!
@Yorkie1892: public is more important than a game
@Yorkie1892: I know ye imagine the bare faced cheek of him putting the lives of the public ahead of the IRFU and the match ugh.
@Paul Scully: and getting jokes and sarcasm is important too.
@Yorkie1892: hardly
The common flu has higher percentage fatality , more fear !
@Lapsy Pa: no it doesn’t
@Lapsy Pa: Absolutely this is a bit farcial. All of the fatalities have been elderly people or people with underlying health issues. 0.1% fatality rate for flu and most experts say coronavirus fatality rate is much lower.
@Barry Smyth: eh, no, the fatality rate is 2.5%, which is definitely more than 0.1%.
@Barry Smyth: Shur that’s grand as long as it’s only old and sick people dying off.
@Barry Smyth: Agh, this bugs me. People have the kernel of a point – death rate isn’t huge and then go and ruin it by not setting out the facts.
No expert I’ve seen suggests the death rate is lower than 0.1%. It is a relatively low death rate but WHO and the NHS both quote 3-5% as the figure. Today’s figures are being quoted as 79000 confirmed cases, 2500 deaths which is c.3% also.
Even if ‘most deaths are people with underlying medical conditions’ – it still is clearly something people are right to take seriously.
@Lapsy Pa: the estimate for the mortality rate from the WHO is somewhere in the region of 2-3% for the coronavirus compared to 0.01-0.05% for the common flu. So in the region of 40-300 times the fatality rate of the common flu. 40 to 300 times less people have to catch this illness for it to kill the same amount of people and it is more significantly contagious. Every disease disproportionately affects elderly and higher risk categories. There is a reason millions have been put on lock down across the global. Stop spreading nonsense
@Brian Ó Dálaigh: it’s between 0.1% and 2.5% actually and it’s believed lots of cases have not been reported which would bring the fatality rate down significantly
@Aidan Baragry: it might help the pensions crisis…….
@Lapsy Pa: you must be confusing this pandemic with the last one in 2009, swine flu.
It turned out to have a death rate of 0.1% which is the same as flu.
Coronavirus is at least ten times more deadly, probably 25 times at 2.5% death rate
@Aidan Baragry: point was that these people could have died if they had contracted the flu. I’m not belittling its’ seriousness obviously, just comparing it to the flu as per original post i replied to.
@Barry Smyth: the fatality rate is actually around 9% you can’t get a facility rate based off how many are currently infected versus how many have died. You get it based off closed case’s, and there’s been 27500 closed case’s and 2700 deaths so it’s a 9% fatality rate.
I’m really finding it hard to understand how WHO have said they’re preparing to declare this a global pandemic and people are just like “Yeah it’s basically just like the flu” when it’s far from it
@John: and that’s what’s scary about it, but it’s statistics, so easy to say “we have x sick, and x dead, so death rate is about 2%” but we should only care about the outcome of the cases, and that’s sitting at around 9% death rate which is scary.
@Lapsy Pa: As far as I know it’s far more lethal than a normal flu, but more than that, it’s far more contagious than a more lethal flu normally is. Its death rate is lower than SARS or H1N1 but has already killed more people than both of those combined because of just how contagious it is.
@Michal Rozanski: Yes the CFR is currently about 9% There are reports that it could be even higher because many deaths have not been reported in China. But people are not factoring in organ damage. This virus prevents oxygen from getting to the blood (hypoxemia) which causes damage to organs. Mainly heart, lungs, kidney and testes. There may be secondary complications down the line for “survivors”.
@Barry Smyth: “it’s between 0.1% and 2.5% actually and it’s believed lots of cases have not been reported which would bring the fatality rate down significantly”
So you’ve went from saying it has a death rate that “most experts say is much lower than 0.1%” to “it’s between 0.1%-2.5%”
And your point that there are lots of unreported cases therefore the death rate can be brought down “significantly” is spurious reasoning. What’s to say there’s not also unreported deaths?
Please stop spreading false and unsourced claims based on nothing more than “experts say” and “it is believed that..”
@Lapsy Pa: it is not just the fatality % but the rapid spread of the virus that is the problem. Our health service is in crisis already so with this… Many people have asthma, respiratory problems and heart conditions and these are in the high risk category. Containment measures are crucial at this point and not just for our health but for our economy.
@Barry Smyth: tell me this , how come so many healthy middle aged doctors are dying if it only affects the old and the sick ?
@Barry Smyth: and you believe them
@Barry Smyth: You reckon China is shutting down for shits and giggles?
I think the immortality potion is going to Barry’s head.
@Lapsy Pa: Common flu has hospitalization rate of 24% compared to Covid 19 which is 34.5% (big difference when talking about millions).
Common flu has mortality rate of 1.8% while covid19 is currently 3.8% (again big difference when talking about millions of people).
If you know nothing better of shutting up and saying nothing
#covid19
@Barry Smyth: there are lots of unreported flu cases, too. The experts are saying 2.5% as of last Tuesday. You can’t compare reported flu statistics with combined reported and unreported coronavirus statistics. That’s simply disingenuous.
I can not believe some of the quotes from people .It’s in the best interest for every one to call it off .This is a serious health issue .Good call Simon Harris.
I love the bit about IRFU wanting to have the reasoning behind the decision explained to them. I hope someone brings crayons to the meeting, to help with the explanation.
Will that stop people travelling to Ireland on flights they have booked! Is it not more prudent to stop Italians from flying from Italy!
@Paul Somers: And what about non Italians coming from Italy or people coming via another country?
@Ed: good question. At what stage will ports be closed to protect the people of Ireland or should it! We did more for the mad cows….
Pity he didn’t stop us last week?????
While this is obviously the right choice, surely with flights going to and from the region there’s still a decent possibility an infected person might hop on a flight over here at some point in the coming days/weeks anyway
It could possibly be played behind closed doors?
@Brian Lilly: I hope that’s a sarcastic comment?
@Jess Kelly: with the atmosphere at the Aviva, it pretty much always is.
@Brian Lilly: yes it’s certainly a possibilty … The request to cancel is to avoid large social gatherings. So yes behind closed doors with team staff and TV crew is a possibilty. But to honest I think we have seen the end of the 6 nations for all the nations for 2020.
Pizza off the menu.
@Adrian Cronin: even if game is cancelled fans with flights and hotels booked will probably still travel
@Adrian Cronin: Never!
Finally… an intelligent decision
It’ll be no ones dolmio day
@Jake Kelly:forget the dolmio man! meglio diy….
I have never seen such a storm in a teacup in all my life
@John Lally: we’re only 2 months into what is rapidly becoming a global pandemic. Nearly 3,000 dead and rapidly approaching 100,000 cases. A vaccine is nowhere near in sight. But, yeah, I’m alright now so it’s a storm in a teacup.
@Brian Ó Dálaigh: there are 7.5 billion people on earth , those figures are tiny in comparison
@Brian Ó Dálaigh: in fairness Brian you are also a human induced climate change drama queen so it’s no surprise the corona flu has your knickers completed twisted.
@Luke O’Mahony: you do know how exponential growth works? Going from 500 to 100,000 in the space of a month is a 200x increase. With the same growth rate that figure will be 20m in a month’s time and by then it will be too late to stop it. The time for precautionary measures is when the spread is still (possibly) containable – not when the figures are big enough to satisfy your minimum requirements
@Derek Murphy: lol ok
@John Lally: not a clever comment!
@John Lally: No it isnt..anyone getting all whiny and disappointed over a soccer match or other travel plans needs to get real.
@John Lally: Born yesterday?
@Greg Daniel: except, my knickеrs are not in a twist. I’m not overly worried about coronavirus. But, the idea that the initial commenter was presenting was one in which we should do nothing. That’s just being an idiоt. I’m also not a climate change drama queen. I read the facts and fоrm my opinion based on them (unlike you with Facebook) realise we need to do something, all while yоu’re sticking yоur fingеr up your hоle, pulling it out, licking it and saying it tаstes like chocolate.
Nothings going to stop this spreading. There was a fella in the pub last night who was at a convention in Milan last week how can you legislate for that kind of stuff. I’m off to Amsterdam next week. There must be thousands of others in Ireland with who have travel plans over the next few weeks. I bought a phone case from China online a few weeks ago. I don’t see how they can possibly contain or control something like this.
@King B: Well, yes, if people like you keep doing what youre doing, then it will be a pandemic in no time.
@King B: Best case scenario, stave it off here, at least until after Paddy’s Day? All we can do now is slow the spread. As you say, there’s no keeping it out.
@Pauline Gallagher: what, living life? I thought surely it is a pandemic already..
@King B: no, it’s not a pandemic yet. It is very close, though.
If you cancel that game then should you not be cancelling all flights to and from Italy right away and Switzerland and Austria have confirmed their first cases so should flight be stopped from their aswell
@Warren Mcdermott: and croatia and did you see that deputy health minister from Iran yesterday wipe his fevered brow at a press conference and then get diagnosed today? Talk about happening in front of your eyes…there’s more to this than we know.
Call off French game now 2
Common sense prevails..
@.Tk mc carthy: no! I’m going to that match :(
@Sam Harms: All remaining 6 Nations games will more than likely fall by the wayside. Heineken cup too. Champions league etc……this will get a lot worse before it gets better.
@Sam Harms
You will be having s free weekend in Paris
That’s if by then
Airports in Ireland will be open :
@Ray Ridge: Champions League and Europe League games are happening in Italy this week (Napoli v Barca tonight) and a full Serie A programme is going ahead this weekend with some matches behind closed doors. There’s way too much money involved in profession sport and TV rights for these competitions to be cancelled.
@Mark Wallace: I’m chatting about the weeks ahead.. . As I said this will get alot worse before it gets better.
@Ray Ridge: They won’t be cancelled. Especially not the football. Billions of Euros in TV money and and clubs relying on that money to survive.
@Mark Wallace: Broadcasting rights unaffected, surely? Only live attendance would be an issue, they certainly won’t lack an audience either way.
While I agree I will still say boooooooooooo to that weasel.
@Ed: you sound like a weasel yourself
@Michael Graham: do weasels boo?
@Hirrison Mirk: booweasels do!
@Michael Graham: That’s a good one!
Close the airports and stop travel full stop. And before anyone starts saying that’s too excessive I’d rather have my life.
@Olivia Smith: You have a choice, but obviously people stand a better chance of receiving a refund or full credit for another break if our Department of Health make it official.
@Olivia Smith: thankfully, not gonna happen just yet. I’m actually flying to England next week, for health reasons, so for me at least, the ability to still travel is important.
I’m planning to bring alcohol gel with me, so I can do my it to limit any potential spread,though.
Hysterical and Unnecessary to cancel the match.
Harris only reacting to the IRFU’s earlier statement, that’s his usual stance, way behind instead of been proactive ,especially after the Italian women’s rugby match been cancelled at the weekend
Most importantly: how is this going to impact how the rounds work in my fantasy rugby league?
Are the government still travelling for St.Patricks day?
What has the daily doomsters in more of a lather?
Human induced climate change the Coronavirus or a FF/FG grand coalition?
No way should that match go ahead
Some of us are older and health compromised. Please Simon
Sould be called off any number of fans staff could be carrying that virus small county like Ireland it would be very hard to contain hospitals are already at bursting point
I have to say that strikes me as a fairly daft recommendation.
I have tickets for the game agaimst France, hotel and transport already booked and paid for. If the game is called off, I’ll go to Paris anyway. I’ll have to find something else to do on Saturday evening, but I don’t suppose that should be too difficult.
I can’t imagine too many Italian fans cancelling their trip to Dublin just because the game is off. Sure, they’ll probably enjoy themselves more if they don’t have to watch their team getting hammered again – they’ll be able to spend more time getting hammered themselves!
Have Liverpool won the league yet? Some good might come of this yet-the amount of lads who’d go absolutely bananas if/when the Premiership is called off in a couple of weeks time would be hilarious
This is what the planet does when humans treat it and animals like we do, terribly.
@Laughable: Your comment like your name, laughable
@AJ McLaughlin: ya like feeding cows the carcasses of their own species? Idiot
Not remember what happened or are you 12 years old?
Look at how the yanks and Chinese treat their animals and look how we treat the planet. That’s where these diseases come from, your just ignorant
@AJ McLaughlin: I can’t actually believe your got a like never mind 12, people are thick.
@AJ McLaughlin: He does have a point.
As our human society expands within and on a finite planet, we pressure every habitat and all other species. We can see the bigger animals that we’re harming, but the smaller animals either neither easy to spot nor aware that they should move out of our way.
Consequently, they don’t.
In addition, as the Darwinian pressure to survive mounts as a result of human imposed pressures, there will be more and more mutations and cross-overs of the 2019-nCOVID type. There will be more such threats as this in the future.
Good judgement call
Has to be cancelled..protect the country
Understand the IRFU upset at cancelling match, however Simon Harris as Minister of Health had no choice but to follow the expert advice of the State’s chief medical officer
Proper call esp those of us who are
Pushing up the way age wise and health compromised. Thank You
Does this mean ministers won’t be travelling on there trips around the world on st Patrick’s day??
Harris playing a blinder. Easy choice for Health Minister in the next FF FG coalition government.
The rankings for the 2023 Rugby World Cup in France will be made in November of this year. What result will Ireland be given if the Italy game is cancelled?
@Thomas Lyndon: Who gives a F**k in all fairness,…they will still not get past the quarter finals anyway.
@Darren Lambe:
@Darren Lambe: Hahahaha. Too true
@Thomas Lyndon: I’m sure I read that it will be played later in the year.
@Thomas Lyndon: catch yourself on
@Turlough: You ok hun? Xx
Anyone for two tickets for the match ??
Going cheap .
All Irish test came back negative? Yea cause we have a great history with issuing correct test results
Cancel the rugby but probably go ahead with the St. Patrick’s festivities!!!
Should play it behind closed doors
All Irish test came back negative? Yea cause we have a great history with issuing correct test results
Nonsense! Just put travel ban on Italian fans. Daily flights still going to and from Italy ffs. Why not ban all flight too.
@Wolfgang Hanratty: because it’s limited to north Italy where all the rugby is played, I suspect south France and Switzerland will be hit too.
This thing doesn’t care about our country boundaries.
We have a good frost at the minute , the corona virus won’t have a hope, gone as soon as it lands
@barney o reilly: I read that summer heat might kill off the virus. Who knows?
@Fiona Fitzgerald: the warmer weather will enable it to sustain viability outside the host for longer.
Could they not play it behind closed doors and like what Inter Milan are doing?
Ok then back that up and close the airport you numpty.
Last year in Europe 150000 people died from the flu. Mostly old people and babies. Same people why face death from Coronavirus. How many people have died from this latest outbreak. Less than a thousand. Why the scaremongering?? Harris hasn’t a f###g clue
@Bob Murphy: who not why. Sorry
@Bob Murphy: Well see how many people are dead in another 10 months. This thing is only two months in, a bit premature of you to act like its nothing just yet.
@Bob Murphy: With all due respect to those 150,000 who died of flu complications, given that you can only die once, they aren’t the same people. Although Paraic is no doubt counting them thrice over ;-)
@Bob Murphy: if you are going to claim its scaremongering at least have your facts straight.
You falsly claim less then a thousandf have died, but this is 100% wrong.
Deaths to date are 2,765
https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/
You also falsly claim 150,000 died from flu in Europe last year, again this is a false claim.
Absolute poppycock. How is big game in Naples going ahead tonight then?
@Darren Laird: Translation of that comment: “I’m annoyed that I can’t have two hours of entertainment. Why shouldn’t there be unnecessary risks taken to allow me my two hours of entertainment, when some other people in some other place over which we have no control are taking risks?”
What would that dope know
Politics and sports shouldn’t mix
Harris has jumped in too early. He should have spoken privately to the IRFU before going public.
This is 100% needed and even HSE should control the airport. That is most important.
Can it not go ahead without the fans attending?
@Lisa Saputo: I don’t know the regulations, but if they’re fit to play, why not? At that stage, there are bound to be thousands in quarantine dying to watch the match live.
Crap, I meant eager to watch the match live from home.
@Fiona Fitzgerald: you overstimate rugbys popularity in Italy
@Turlough: Maybe so! Listen, if we were all stuck indoors for a fortnight, and Ireland was playing, we’d more than likely be glued to even a cricket match as a change from news and gloom.
Are the IRFU STUPID..IT HAS TO BE CANCELLED
@Marianne: think if the money, I mean fans…..
@Marianne: It does not have to cancelled.
We have a good frost at the minute , the corona virus won’t have a hope, fecked as soon as it lands
Does this mean Ireland fortifie the game then, or does this fall under special circumstances (i presume it would) better to be safer than sorry.
@PMG: 1 point draw. Means we’re out because England WILL go to Rome and France or they take the championship.
@Mike McGann: sky news were reporting talk of moving the England Italy game to Twickenham.
@Sam Harms: the point is… they will play. We just throw our arms up and whine.
Knee Jerk banker Harris
Correct call Simon..The only call that You got right this last five Years….If the IRFU want the game to go-ahead then suggest to them that they play behind closed doors in a empty stadium…Keep the fans away..
Acting health ministerbtrying to stay relevant Did his party not get scalped in the election
The Ireland team should just tackle him for 70 odd minutes little stick insect
Recommending! Grow a pair and insist that it be cancelled. As for the IRFU looking for specific reasons, are they brain dead or just plain arrogant.
What a stupid faux political thing to do. England are GOING to Rome, not a peep out of them. Makes us look like bottlers again. There’s 50 000 votes you won’t see again Mr. Harris. Do you not understand anything??
@Mike McGann: Ah, but they have the NHS, and probably reckon that enough alcohol will ward it off!
@Mike McGann: I wouldn’t be looking to UK actions when it comes to disease prevention. Read up on the foot and mouth crisis of 2001. UK had a lax approach to it and ended up with over 2000 cases, we cancelled everything and went into prevention overdrive and had just one case in the end. Cancelling the Italian match is the correct decision. Many of the emerging cases across Europe originated in Italy so it makes sense to attempt to minimise the risk associated with an influx of thousands of people from an infected region. It’s a no brainer.
@GrumpyAulFella: yes, but the airport well be open to flights from Italy, it is now. Those fans will come anyway. It’s ham fisted and an empty grand gesture.
@Mike McGann: still the right decision though. Fans aside what is the size of the Italian rugby team contingent plus press and media? Any action that reduces exposure has to be correct. Next step may be to impose full travel bans on flights from infected regions. It’s a matter of public health. No choice.
@GrumpyAulFella: Cheltenham?
televised match only if they want to play.
After that performance on Sunday, I don’t blame Mr. Harris
Ireland just wanna avoid the upset of the millennium
How dare the IRFU risk the nations health.
What’s the point in canceling the match if the Italy fans are still able to come over they should not be aloud into the country till feather notice and should get refunded they new this would happen the government aren’t very smart if they let them in sorry but this needs to be done
The decision to call off was correct. Do you think the manner with which it was announced before consultation with the IRFU was payback for not supporting the government in the FAI bailout?
Crazy
have your say