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FLOODS HAVE DEVASTATED regions across France in the last 24 hours. Some areas experienced the worst flooding seen in a century or more yesterday.
The Seine River overflowed its banks, one French town was evacuated, travellers trapped on a submerged highway were rescued by soldiers and boat cruises in Paris were cancelled.
Meteorologists said more bad news is coming — the waters are expected to keep rising for days.
In neighbouring Germany, floods hit an area of Bavaria near the Austrian border, inundating some small towns and leaving four people dead.
An elderly woman also lost her life in France.
Rescues
The French government pressed to rescue thousands of people trapped in homes or cars in provincial towns, while drenched tourists were rearranging plans and schools in one region were shut down.
Emergency workers have carried out more than 8,000 rescue operations from the Belgian border south to Burgundy over the past two days, Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve said.
Paris City Hall closed roads along the shores of the Seine from the Left Bank in the east to the Eiffel Tower neighbourhood in the west, as water levels rose at least 4.3 metres higher than usual.
Jordan Muller, a 25-year-old from Seattle who is living in Paris, jogged along the Seine quay despite its slippery cobblestones.
“Well, my normal running route is completely gone,” she said.
I usually run up the stairs (toward) the Eiffel Tower. Got to the stairs and they are underwater. So I had to turn around. I have to find a new running route today.
Cruises cancelled
Signs for the Seine’s popular Bateaux-Mouches tourist boats in French, English and Japanese read “Due to flood waters, all cruises are cancelled.”
Unusually heavy rain has pummeled France and other European countries in recent days, causing exceptional delays at the French Open and forcing the evacuation of two prisons.
The town of Nemours, southeast of Paris, was the worst hit. Authorities were evacuating the centre of town yesterday even as Environment Minister Segolene Royal rushed to the site. Members of a canoe club were among those helping in the rescue, France-Info radio reported.
President Francois Hollande expressed his support for flood victims during a cabinet meeting, while Cazeneuve said the government is working to protect flood victims and pledged to pay for rescue and cleanup efforts.
Parts of neighbouring Germany also have seen storms and heavy rain since the weekend. Floods that hit the southwest on Sunday and Monday left four people dead.
Yesterday heavy rain caused floods in Bavaria, in the southeast, that inundated the towns of Simbach am Inn and Triftern.
Police said three bodies were found yesterday evening in a house in Simbach, but didn’t give further details. In nearby Julbach, the body of a woman was found in a stream.
The BBC reports that the body of an 86-year-old woman was found in her flooded house in Souppes-sur-Loing in central France.
Stuck in schools
In Germany, some 250 children in Triftern and 350 in Simbach were stuck at their schools for several hours after access roads were flooded, but they were able to leave yesterday evening as the water began to recede.
In Paris, the rain eased yesterday but more showers are expected today. City authorities warned residents and visitors to be vigilant around river banks and said high river levels were expected to peak tomorrow.
Paris houseboat resident Jean-Edwin Rhea, 47, had to cut power to his boat to avoid electrical problems.
“Apart from that, we find it very entertaining. Children loved it,” he said.
We were here last night and had some drinks on the terrace. It was beautiful, with lots of lights, the rain.
AP with reporting from Daragh Brophy.
Need to see “significant Improvement”
What exactly do they expect to happen with every other part of society open? People travelling in and out, 30 kids in every classroom?
Do they want to have 2-3 cases in a capital city, with 1.4 million people literally on top of each other in the second smallest county.
Because that’s not ever going to happen, until there’s a vaccine and enough herd immuntiy.
@David Lee: we need to live with it and keep the economy moving. Locking down the country is not the way to go. People are losing jobs and livelihoods. Grandparents can’t see grandchildren, older people are being isolated. The government need to think of other options-sadly they cannot.
@Edel O’Dea: your so right the amount of older people now with severe depression and anxiety is so unfair . I’m even struggling at min and Jesus the younger people I’m so sad about the whole thing . Older people won’t even go to shops for food /heating so afraid very sad. I’m not a holy person at all but I’m praying and hoping we can sort this
@David Lee: you have heard of an immune system protecting you and me for thousands of years. But for some reason to now think your immune system will do what it’s designed to do make ya a conspiracy theorist
@Tom Jones: how can your immune system protect you from something for which you have no immunity?
@NotMyIreland: the short answer to your question is yes , stick your questions into google search engine and you’ll get the long answer
@Rory Mackle: The short answer to a “how” question is never yes. If that was the case why have “healthy” people died here?
@David Lee: 30 kids in every classroom !!
Where, what country ??
If you can find one 2nd class of this size please I’d be impressed.
F8ll of sh8te everyday.
@Bain triail aisti: there are 32 students in my daughter’s classroom.
@NotMyIreland: sorry didn’t see the how, the answer to that question is boost your immune system
@David Lee: so if the numbers go down, even a fraction..then thats the justification they will take to imoliment these lockdowns for as long as they wish……….which of course should logically lead them to lockdown much sooner rather than wait for a specific number to be achieved, ..I apologise to all for mentioning logic
@Bain triail aisti: All 3 of my kids have/had 30+ with 32 being the smallest class size.
Youngest lad is in a class of 35 at present.
In Tallaght, one of the hotspots reported on 2 weeks ago as having high levels if cases.
All local primary schools are jammed with kids.
@NotMyIreland: Ask that of the 30,000+ people in Ireland who contracted it and have recovered.
And that does not count those who were asymptomatic and not tested, nor those who were sick between October and May who were not tested.
And dont try the long term effects line, doesnt wash unfortunately.
@ed o brien: No obviously the immune response differs in different people. Thats why I wouldn’t use a blanket statement that your immune system will protect you from this virus. It may not. I’m specifically talking about the 100+ “healthy” people who died even though they had no underlying condition?
@David Lee: lockdown in kildare, people still travelled in and out of it, schools open and people working but still managed to reduce numbers and get out of lockdown. So why can’t Dublin, just because there’s more people doesn’t mean the same affect can’t happen if everyone bothers their arse. Stop blaming the airports, they don’t all travel just to stay in Dublin. Its down to the individual
@Tom Jones: tell that to HIV, SARS or ebola patients. How the hell can you immune sysm2fight something it’s never come across from the other side of the world ffs.
@Dawn Harvey: thousands of people have recovered from COVID maybe you should talk to their immune system
@NotMyIreland: yes, and your immune system works less well the older you are, and work on changing that is still in its infancy. As of now, you could “boost” your immunity all you want and still end up sick or dead, years before your time. So those who need a good immune system the most are the least likely to have one.
Also, since an overactive immune system can create a cytokine storm and kill a COVID patient, maybe “boosting” the immune system – even if we knew how to do that appropriately – might not be the best thing to do.
https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20200408-covid-19-can-boosting-your-immune-system-protect-you
@NotMyIreland: How old were those 100+ people.
You dont know, and neither do I.
You just suspect that they were young fit and healthy people because they wont tell us exactly what the true demographics are.
Like has been posted before, if you fall off a roof and die but had covid, then it is a covid related death.
Wash your hands and wear your muzzle if it makes you feel safer, but above all, try to relax and live a little.
@Edel O’Dea: What other options are there.
@Rory Mackle: You cannot boost it enough to stop being infected.
@Gary Kearney: ffs that’s not the point, the point of a good immune system is to defeat the invaders
@Rory Mackle: Vitamin D
@NotMyIreland: the data from HSPC report says there is more deaths with underlying conditions than confirmed cases of covid-19. The full figure has possible and probable cases and the underlying conditions deaths is larger number than confirmed cases.
Where did you get 100 healthy people from?
There’s around 100 under 55 maybe.
Vitamin D deficiencies should be included as am underlying condition which it isn’t but all deaths correlated with Vitamin D levels.
So, if the measures introduced don’t help reduce the numbers, that means that restaurants and gastro pubs weren’t the issue in the first place and should be allowed to re-open.
@Joe: exactly well the pubs certainly were not the issue as they were not even open
@Joe: or it means that the level of non-adherence to guidelines has increased and there seems to be plenty of evidence to support that. I’m not sure that pubs and restaurants were ever blamed for increases but as they are places where people congregate and share facilities indoors, it was seen as prudent to temporarily close them until cases are back to a tolerable level.
@GrumpyAulFella: Exactly its a case of when the infection rates rise, limiting the places where people can congregate to those with the greatest importance to society as a whole. Like hospitals and schools over pubs and restaurants.
@GrumpyAulFella: they were blamed just before the level three move.
@GrumpyAulFella: they were specifically blamed. NPHET then turned around and said that contract tracers don’t bother to ask where you have been but only who your close contacts are. In other words that had no evidence to support this claim.
It then turned out that restaurants in Ireland were being blamed on the back of a study carried out in the US.
I understand that that the job NPHET has is extremely difficult, but they need to deal in facts and talk about how things relate directly to Ireland!
They have caused people to lose jobs and businesses to close on the back of studies carried out on the other side of the world where adherence to Covid restrictions is a lot more relaxed!
@Joe: I actually didn’t know that NPHET blamed pubs and restaurants for the spread. Is there a source for that? The only comments I saw from NPHET on it was a reluctance to open them at the same time as schools and they being a likely ground for virus spread so to close temporarily when cases spiked to attempt to control spread.
Looking more like NPHET and this Government is failing daily withing the Casedemic numbers, blamed the pubs and restaurants, closed them from serving indoors, masks obligatory going into shops, nothing is working.
Just points to the fact that they are wrong on so many levels.
Open up the whole country, let those with issues isolate if they wish, they are old enough to take that responsibility on themselves. Ditch the obligatory mask wearing, unless an individual wishes to do so. Keep the 2 metre rule, and reiterate on washing of hands more often as this is a contact virus Not airborne.
And let people who want to, get on with their lives.
Because everything else is just fluff and feeding their own egos, this Govt have failed in their responsibility to govern, absolved themselves of anything to do with this Casedemic, and handed it off to NPHET who are just going around in circles head scratching.
@PeeedOff: best post on the subject yet, well said
@PeeedOff: You didn’t see the research conducted here in the Mater hospital that showed the viral droplets released can travel further than 2m and hang in the air for up to an hour and a half? Not quite fully airborne but certainly not only from contact. Other international studies also show only 1 in 5 cases have been contracted through contact with infected surfaces.
@NotMyIreland: that’s a physics experiment, there’s no actual infection study there, so they’ve no evidence that hanging air particles can deliver a viral load to infect.
To trace infections most cases show close contacts so the amount of possible infections from tiny hanging particles is very much unknown and the mater study doesn’t further the unknown effect of breathing in exhaled air.
The time spend in close contact is shown to be majority traced spread.
@NotMyIreland: that’s true but similar research has been made in Japan months ago already. It’s not a new fact. The difficult Truth to accept is there’s nothing we can do about it unless we lock ourselves at home for a year. Which we cannot do.
@NotMyIreland: so I accept the concept that droplets hang in the air for up to an hour and a half. Did they test the virulence of the virus after different time slots? How infectious is the virus after 90 minutes of hanging around? What sort of viral load is there if I walk through the space where someone coughed an hour ago? What are the chances of occupying the coughed in area an hour after someone else was there? Studies can’t be evaluated in isolation from real life scenarios. 6 months ago there were YouTube videos of how to wash your shopping because some study found traces of virus on surfaces after 48 hours. The fact that it’s was non-viable was ignored.
@Derdaly: Here ya go. It’s a contact Virus. Even WHO acknowledge this and every other health body. It is NOT an airborne virus, they even state 1 metre is plenty of space, we are working on 2 metres beyond the travel of a mucus attached virus.
“Current evidence suggests that COVID-19 spreads between people through direct, indirect (through contaminated objects or surfaces), or close contact with infected people via mouth and nose secretions. These include saliva, respiratory secretions or secretion droplets. These are released from the mouth or nose when an infected person coughs, sneezes, speaks or sings, for example. People who are in close contact (within 1 metre) with an infected person can catch COVID-19 when those infectious droplets get into their mouth, nose or eyes.
To avoid contact with these droplets, it is important to stay at least 1 metre away from others, clean hands frequently, and cover the mouth with a tissue or bent elbow when sneezing or coughing. When physical distancing (standing one metre or more away) is not possible, wearing a fabric mask is an important measure to protect others. Cleaning hands frequently is also critical.”
It’s the first question answered on the Who website here.
@Derdaly: Yeah I take your point on the fact it is only a study of droplets and how they behave. There is the possibility they are infectious. Has it been proven they aren’t? Otherwise best err on the side of caution until it is proven either way. Re the surfaces. The original experiment sprayed huge quantities on to the surfaces and checked the viability of the virus after set times. But when they checked real world doses in a fresh experiment the times were reduced to minutes and hours instead of days. Again there was absolutely no harm in taking the precautions until it had been disproved.
@Isabel Oliveira: I know its not a new fact. I only highlighted it as its Irish research, which may help it resonate more with people in this country. There is plenty we can do about it Isabel. Other nations have reduced the spread far more effectively than we have. Yes there will be outbreaks but its about limiting them. Keeping strictly to the 2m distance reduces the risk, as does limiting the time spent in indoor areas, as does correct mask wearing, as does washing your hands. These are the things that have slipped recently. The things we need to do are not hard, the hard part is staying alert and motivated enough to stick with them. We could also start by limiting numbers to 50 persons indoors in pubs and restaurants at anyone time, less in smaller premises, hence reducing their risk factor and allowing them all to open and stay open. Like they do in Sweden.
@NotMyIreland: So it’s another “so what” study. Unless it’s linked with a virulence study it’s just another piece of noise. All the evidence points to the fact that it is unlikely to catch the virus through casual contact. It’s spread in households, workplaces, other residential environments such as nursing homes, prisons, hospitals, schools and universities, events such as religious services, choirs etc seem to be an issue as people project their voices. So the message hasn’t changed, keep your distance, mask up when inside public places, wash your hands. People will catch this but we need to get on with life. The risk is those either not seeking or getting treatment in the current environment becoming the actual victims of epidemic.
@PeeedOff: Here’s something from your own source, something you left out:
“There have been reported outbreaks of COVID-19 in some closed settings, such as restaurants, nightclubs, places of worship or places of work where people may be shouting, talking, or singing. In these outbreaks, aerosol transmission, particularly in these indoor locations where there are crowded and inadequately ventilated spaces where infected persons spend long periods of time with others, cannot be ruled out. More studies are urgently needed to investigate such instances and assess their significance for transmission of COVID-19.”
Hundreds of scientists signed an open letter calling for the recognition that airborne transmission is a reality:
“Studies by the signatories and other scientists have demonstrated beyond any reasonable doubt that viruses are released during exhalation, talking, and coughing in microdroplets small enough to remain aloft in air and pose a risk of exposure at distances beyond 1–2 m from an infected individual …..Hand washing and social distancing are appropriate but, in our view, insufficient to provide protection from virus-carrying respiratory microdroplets released into the air by infected people. This problem is especially acute in indoor or enclosed environments, particularly those that are crowded and have inadequate ventilation [17] relative to the number of occupants and extended exposure periods (as graphically depicted in Figure 1). For example, airborne transmission appears to be the only plausible explanation for several superspreading events investigated that occurred under such conditions [10], and others where recommended precautions related to direct droplet transmissions were followed.”
https://academic.oup.com/cid/advance-article/doi/10.1093/cid/ciaa939/5867798
The Journal also had a piece about it
https://www.thejournal.ie/airborne-transmission-5146701-Jul2020/
@NotMyIreland: I agree. I also think that while the vast majority of us stick to the guidelines out shopping or travelling – ie among relative strangers, where we didn’t always feel safe – that we weren’t sticking to them so much with our extended family and friends, where we felt safe. If someone sticks out their hand to say goodbye, you automatically grab it rather than offend. Likewise with a hug. Over and over, I was in groups where social distancing started out ok, but gradually eased off the longer we were together – almost the opposite of what’s needed. And nobody wants to be the killjoy and mention it. So I think cutting contacts for a while, by 50% or whatever, is good advice.
@Chris Murray: 100% agree and to be fair I’m guilty of that too. I was only thinking how I actually end up putting the ones closest to me at risk when I go out of my way to maintain the distance with strangers. I’d add work to the list of places it slips quickest too as you dont want to be the guy or girl in the workplace who is getting at others, well I don’t anyway. I probably mentioned it once or twice at the beginning but you end up just giving up. I guess its when your in environments that are so familiar that its easiest to feel more comfortable and let your guard down.
@Chris Murray: So you mean like Schools, Meat processing Plants, Factories, Offices, Buses, Taxis. Is that what you mean, because they ain’t closing those and they are infested. But no point to the ones where there have been no clusters. Hmmm!!!
@PeeedOff: They closed them as they are not essential, very important true but we can survive without them, just about.
They are however where lots of different people are in the same space and that is why they were closed.
So you do not care about anybody getting sick or dying.
@NotMyIreland: His specialist subject is baking bread. Viral droplet research would make no difference
@PeeedOff: It’s like what Ronan Glynn/NPHET have been saying for weeks if not months – we’re trying to open up society again – prioritising work/schools again, while keeping the bug under control. There’s a pretty direct link between the number of total human contacts and the number of cases. It’s basically a zero sum game. If we increase our contacts in one area, we need to decrease them in another until we get things back under control again.
I’m optimistic we can do it. Social distancing etc. should reduce flu numbers and will hopefully keep COVID at bay until the new fast tests – the best news for ages – come online in sufficient quantity to break COVID. But that will be months away, sometime next year, and we have to get through the winter first.
What about just normal level 3 instead of 3.5
@eoin carroll: or 3.14159265359….
@Joey Roche: that’s Pi in the sky
@Joey Roche: I’m afraid if we do that we’ll go around in circles.
There’s a cover up going on here in relation to schools, Dublin on Level 3, cases the same or worse, schools still open. It’s as plain as the bald cone head on the Minister for propaganda….sorry Health head that cases have skyrocketed since schools reopened!!
@Shinners Abú: I tend to agree with you on that one.Seems they are determined to keep schools open and the pubs/restaurants are the scapegoats. Numbers were low all summer when they were open.
But added to that there is a level of complacency and not giving a sht to contend with too.
@Trish O’Leary-Dunne: and the communion and confirmation parties. Some very large gatherings
It’s never ‘just 2/3 weeks’. Maybe this video from the Seanad Covid Committee will give people some perspective on ‘Covid’ deaths and hospital numbers.
@Anna Anna: The Chief Clinical Officer of the HSE, Dr Colm Henry said he didn’t know the cycle threshold of the PCR test when questioned on it’s results. It’s 35-45 cycles. No more than 30 is recommended, otherwise you’re likely picking up a lot of dead viral material. Cillian de Gascun tweeted about the cycle threshold last week and said it is not decided by them but by the manufacturer of the test kits. He also said that if we develop our own in-house tests we could re-evaluate the cycle threshold
https://youtu.be/y_cl63FgAhQ
@Anna Anna:
They tell us to follow the science.
Except when the science isn’t what they want to hear and goes against the approach they are recommending for the country.
And when you ask them for the science that supports their approach, “I’ll get back to you” is usually the answer, just like the guy who couldn’t respond to Mr McNamara at the committee hearing yesterday.
I think Mr McNamara will be waiting a while if he’s expecting a reply.
@Anna Anna:
@Anna Anna: Do you know why the Gov’t has not appointed a full time CMO? We have had a partime CMO Dr Glynn for a number of months now since Dr Holohan stepped down, It seems strange that in a Pandemic it is not a priority of Gov’t to do so, have made enquiries in my local constituency Dublin North West but no one in authority has an answer. Hoping you can answer as you seem to be very knowledgeable on the Covid situation.
@Anna Anna: just as we were discussing here a few days back Anna. It is astounding .
It is simply not possible to apply severe & devastating public policy restrictions based on totally skewed statistics. It won’t even be possible to conduct valid research in this manner.
Simple calculations such as CFR or Percentages hospitalised are skewed and the public is given a scenario that does not relate to reality.
@Anna Anna:
has anything changed since may ?
Only 5 autopsy’s from 1458 deaths on may 11th.
irish times article..I can’t post link
how can they adjust numbers if they don’t know ?
@SquintEastwood: there’s only been a few denotifications in the last few months so not much has changed. As Michael McNamara highlighted there are serious delays with getting the coroner’s report through the system. I’d say it’ll be next year before we hear about all the denotified deaths from the last 6 months.
@Anna Anna:but most were buried without autopsy
Just make the law that everyone has to wear a mask outdoor and indoors in shops etc. €400 fine if no mask. And let life go on and let business exist.
@Divad Nayr: Masks mandatory in all outdoor areas in Madrid and other parts of Spain for months now, huge compliance & strict on the spot fines, Just look how they’re getting on.
@Divad Nayr: not everybody can wear a mask. Even the statutory instrument that was brought in to make them mandatory in shops and public transport lists the exceptions where people don’t have to wear them. No proof of this exception is required either
https://www.irishtimes.com/news/health/q-a-all-you-need-to-know-about-new-face-covering-rules-on-public-transport-1.4302796
@Divad Nayr:
Really…
Shove your Mask up.your ..
@David Lee: exactly. Even Belgium have realised that constant outdoor mask-wearing serves no purpose
https://www.brusselstimes.com/news/belgium-all-news/132528/belgium-relaxes-face-mask-rules-from-october/
@Anna Anna: says it all! That’s completely my take on this ridiculous recording of cases/deaths! Meanwhile the economy is being run into the ground and those awaiting hospital appointments are being left on the very very long finger, many who will not have a good outcome as a result.
@Divad Nayr: I agree masks are easy for 99% of people and there should be a zero tolerance approach indoors. No shirt, shoes or mask means no service. Shops are still letting too many people in without them.
@Joan Featherstone: how will matters improve for those awaiting appointments if we open up in full and hospitals become flooded with admissions and ICU cases? That’s the whole point of lockdown, to get these services running and control admissions.
@Divad Nayr: what ever about those who claim not to be able (majority of them are BS), the people who wear masks on the chin should be fined and should be ashamed of themselves
@Divad Nayr: there is no benefit from wearing a mask outdoors unless if one a high foot traffic artery.
@Tom Purcell: Jesus Tom you’re heavy on fines on everybody. Let people be. They may need to do so to alleviate breathing for a while. I sometimes must remove mine for a minute or two as I struggle on some days.
@Divad Nayr: If you want to wear a mask 24 hours a day, go ahead.
Making it mandatory for all outdoors will stop people from going outside and getting valuable fresh air and contribute to depression, anxiety and everything that goes with it.
@Anna Anna: but they can wear a face shield
@David Lee: Huge compliance? The usual suspects didn’t seem to comply, according to this El Pais article “How Spain’s face mask rules are being broken”……
https://english.elpais.com/society/2020-08-10/how-spains-face-mask-rules-are-being-broken.html
@Chris Murray: it was a very unwise decision to make masks mandatory outdoors by Spain. Thank god we didn’t do that in Portugal as I certainly wouldn’t want my mum walking outside with a mask on. She is already a liability for falling and I find the surgical masks make it even worse as they climb up your face and end up in your eyes if your face is a certain shape . Furthermore I want her to get fresh air & sun when she goes out during autumn and winter , not sun on the forehead only. It’s a nonsensical rule for walking around in the street or at the beach. People tend to ignore rules like that. Also implementing rules like that in September when it’s still rather hot is crazy.
@Anna Anna: Belgium the worlds most infected country. Yeah follow their lead.
@Isabel Oliveira: I agree with you about the masks getting into your eyes and impeding vision, which is one reason I wear a face shield rather than a mask when I can, especially outdoors, even though face shields may be less effective as a barrier. They’re also “friendlier” than masks, and it’s easier for hard of hearing people, like me, to communicate with someone wearing a face shield. But I would have no problem with someone elderly wearing neither, if there was a physical or psychological risk, if that’s what they chose to do.
Also agree that masks aren’t necessary outdoors except where it’s not possible to social distance ie in crowds and if virus levels are high.
Headline should read there is no evidence to keep the county under these restrictions. It’s shocking that all death ‘with covid’ are marked as ‘of covid’ until the coroner reverses it, which can take up to six months ? What is wrong with people that can’t see this as been wrong
Glynn loves a good lock down and hates pubs, gargle and foreign travel.
@SB: Why would Glynn be like that? Why would so many politicians, who hate to do bad news stuff, who hate to do anything that might be unpopular, support him and the rest of NPHET?
@Chris Murray: tell me why Ireland has some of the most most strict covid restrictions in Europe, most other countries in Europe pubs and restaurants are open and people are just getting on with their lives as best they can, but NPHET are out on their own and have constantly blamed pubs and foreign travel when the reality is anything but, hardly any cases and no spikes are related to pubs or travel, yet they continue to demonise and punish pubs and travel foreign travel, its clear for all to see.
@Chris Murray: we have such an incompetent spineless government they are terrified to make any rational decisions themselves so they are just doing what NPHET tell them, that’s your answer.
@SB: Many of those countries are now getting COVID spikes much worse than ours. NPHET will probably soon have the cast-iron 100% evidence that you need, showing pubs to be a factor in COVID spread, although you’ll be determined ignore common sense and to pick all manner of holes in that evidence too. Every sector is blaming somebody else, but COVID doesn’t appear by magic. The studies in the US, Germany and elsewhere clearly show pubs and restaurants play a role, and it’s hardly likely that our boozy/anti-establishment culture – much less socially distant than others – is somehow less responsible for COVID spread.
ALL our COVID cases came originally from foreign travel. NPHET figures showed foreign travel responsible for about 20% of new cases back in June. Since then NPHET has said that foreign travel accounts for 2%, which shows me that NPHET are honest enough about the figures, and is not “demonising” foreign travel.
@SB: But why are they like that when you, according to yourself, are not?How did you escape when all of NPHET and practically every politician became irrational, spineless etc.?
NPHET are the de-facto leaders of the country right now. That group needs to be changed up at this stage.
@Adam Conroy: NPHET needs to be totally disbanded and replaced with a team of professionals who are highly experienced in virology, and not just doctors, and who make sensible and rational decisions, and not knee jerk reactions which will ultimately destroy the economy and people’s mental health.
@SB: NPHET looks pretty broad based to me. Isn’t Cillian de Gascun a virologist? Do you want Sam MacConkey on board too? (Head of Viral Disease Research Programme, at MRC Laboratories The Gambia 2003-2005)
Nobody wants to close schools. What people want is to be able to work & the reopening of the sectors paralysed by the government & NPHET.
Pubs had 1 outbreak last week, 2 outbreaks open status in total
Schools 13 outbreaks, 36 open in total
9 open direct provision, 1 open in poultry processing, 26 open in nursing homes, 3 in community hospitals, 33 in residential care, 4 in hospitals.
People do not appreciate being lied to & want the reopening of their businesses and travel.
I saw lonely elderly people being asked to leave an esplanade yesterday after 1h45 although nobody else was waiting for tables and they were happy reading their book in a social environment, having a meal & enjoying a glass of wine or a coffee. From an esplanade in the open air. This is absolutely bonkers.
If anything they should look to be moving to level 4 for Dublin, Corcaig Abu’
@Leo O’ Leary: Same comment day in day out, Cork isn’t immune to level 3 restrictions. Things change very quickly with no vaccine & NPHET
@David Lee: look at the no.s coming out of dublin, still not waking up, level 4 is required im afraid.
Stop saying Dublin is in level 3 when we are at level 3 + and whatever extra restrictions they throw in
There just clutching at straws, haven’t a clue what there at, like a dog chasing its tail, were going nowhere fast.
Ridiculous idea if go back level 2 will worst case massive then fired Dr Ronan Glynn
@Brian Flavin: how will it, they are recording deaths wrong the PCR test is flawed picking up old virus. It should only be reported by hospital number as this will give a true indication, we also have the CDC saying it is not airborne. You love to scare people who hate you in charge permanent lockdown with you.
@Mark Behan: Donald, is that you?
@Mark Behan: when exactly did CDC say it wasn’t airborne?
@Karl Mc Cauley: it has never been identified as an airborne virus.
@Karl Mc Cauley: the distancing has always been encouraged because of the space in which droplets can travel
@Karl Mc Cauley: please tell me you not been working off the premise that it is airborne.
@Karl Mc Cauley: It’s a contact Virus. Even WHO acknowledge this and every other health body. Only recommendation is to be 1 Metre away from another person. The molecules are too dense to travel any distance.
“Current evidence suggests that COVID-19 spreads between people through direct, indirect (through contaminated objects or surfaces), or close contact with infected people via mouth and nose secretions. These include saliva, respiratory secretions or secretion droplets. These are released from the mouth or nose when an infected person coughs, sneezes, speaks or sings, for example. People who are in close contact (within 1 metre) with an infected person can catch COVID-19 when those infectious droplets get into their mouth, nose or eyes.
To avoid contact with these droplets, it is important to stay at least 1 metre away from others, clean hands frequently, and cover the mouth with a tissue or bent elbow when sneezing or coughing. When physical distancing (standing one metre or more away) is not possible, wearing a fabric mask is an important measure to protect others. Cleaning hands frequently is also critical.”
It’s the first question answered on the Who website here.
@John Doyle: A new study conducted here in the Mater hospital showed the viral particles can travel more than the 2m and hang in the air for more than an hour and a half. Not truly airborne but certainly is contained in the air, especially in settings without ventilation.
@NotMyIreland: yeah not airborne
@NotMyIreland: but the rest you said is nonsense, we live on a planet where gravity exists.
@John Doyle: Read the study from the Mater. And learn how gravity works dude. The lighter the object the longer it takes to fall. Drop a feather and a stone from a rooftop, you’ll quickly see how it works. Lol!!
@John Doyle: ever see how long it takes for gravity to pull smoke particles down in a room. Virus particles are even smaller.
@Alan: Virus particles are denser, attached to mucus, they are even denser still. This is a known fact. But don’t let the facts get in the way of your non exist ant knowledge of particles and gravity.
@Mark Behan: you are wrong admit , you need wake up
@Tordel Back: I see @mark Behan wrong information comment
@PeeedOff: jaysus your one angry b0!!ix. Your stress levels must be up to 90. Relax a bit there fella.
@Alan: Any more chilled I be horizontal lad. Just calling it as I and many others see it. Does it upset you that someone may have a differing opinion?
@Mark Behan: You are misrepresenting what the CDC says. Here it is:
“Current data do not support long range aerosol transmission of SARS-CoV-2, such as seen with measles or tuberculosis. Short-range inhalation of aerosols is a possibility for COVID-19, as with many respiratory pathogens. However, this cannot easily be distinguished from “droplet” transmission based on epidemiologic patterns. Short-range transmission is a possibility particularly in crowded medical wards and inadequately ventilated spaces3. Certain procedures in health facilities can generate fine aerosols and should be avoided whenever possible.”
So, even under pressure from Trump, CDC do NOT say the virus is “not airborne”.
@PeeedOff: From your own source, back in July:
“There have been reported outbreaks of COVID-19 in some closed settings, such as restaurants, nightclubs, places of worship or places of work where people may be shouting, talking, or singing. In these outbreaks, aerosol transmission, particularly in these indoor locations where there are crowded and inadequately ventilated spaces where infected persons spend long periods of time with others, cannot be ruled out. More studies are urgently needed to investigate such instances and assess their significance for transmission of COVID-19.”
@PeeedOff: As I already posted, you have omitted some relevant quotes from your own WHO source. Furthermore, that evolution in WHO thinking came about as a result of an open letter signed by 239 scientists:
“It Is Time to Address Airborne Transmission of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)
We appeal to the medical community and to the relevant national and international bodies to recognize the potential for airborne spread of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). There is significant potential for inhalation exposure to viruses in microscopic respiratory droplets (microdroplets) at short to medium distances (up to several meters, or room scale), and we are advocating for the use of preventive measures to mitigate this route of airborne transmission.
Studies by the signatories and other scientists have demonstrated beyond any reasonable doubt that viruses are released during exhalation, talking, and coughing in microdroplets small enough to remain aloft in air and pose a risk of exposure at distances beyond 1–2 m from an infected individual”
https://academic.oup.com/cid/advance-article/doi/10.1093/cid/ciaa939/5867798
So flip flopping between level 2 and level 3 for five weeks at a time until …. infinity
Dear Dubliners, it shows you can learn from all the culchies on how to follow guidelines and keep numbers down. Just stay in your own county and please try to resist the urge to drive down to other counties for a sneaky pint. We know who you are and WE WILL REPORT you!! :-))
@Edel Quinn: Eh, it’s only a guideline for Dubs not to travel, so report it to whomever you like, nothing can be done about it.
Galway Leitrim and Denegal are all on the rise, but I suppose that’s all down to dubs too.
@ed o brien: Of course it is. dubs are always at fault. Like Carlinford refusing a Dublin couple and they have one of the highest infection rates in the country
@ed o brien: Look Ed, I know you’ve escaped Dublin to have a few sneaky pints but I won’t say a word, it’s between us ok?!
Test tweet
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