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LAST UPDATE | 28 Mar 2020
THE AER LINGUS plane sent to China to collect €20 million worth of personal protective equipment (PPE) for Irish healthcare workers has landed in Beijing this evening.
The plane, called St Ronan, landed just after 8.15pm (Irish time).
The Airbus A330-302 cargo plane will be loaded with PPE including masks, gowns and goggles before it makes the over 8,000 km flight back to Ireland.
Speaking to reporters today, Health Minister Simon Harris said the Aer Lingus flight is the “first of many flights” that will be travelling abroad to collect equipment.
He said the equipment picked up in China will be distributed to Irish healthcare workers tomorrow evening.
As the plane departed Dublin this morning, air traffic controllers from the Irish Aviation Authority radioed a good luck message to the crew of the plane:;
Air traffic control: Roger, that’s great, thanks, I have a message for you as well if you’re ready to copy.
EI9018: Yeah go ahead.
Air traffic control: We’d like to wish you and all the crew a safe and successful flight and also to say a big thank you for all your efforts to fight the Covid-19 pandemic from everyone here at the Irish Aviation Authority. Bíodh turas sábháilte agat [Have a safe journey].
EI9018: Go raibh maith agat, I’ll pass it on to the rest of the crew, and we’re quite happy to be able to do it. Thank you.
“We usually buy about €15 million worth of what we call personal protective equipment, face mask, gowns, goggles, shields, etc. in the year. This year, we’re going to spend €225 million,” Harris told RTÉ’s Morning Ireland.
The question every healthcare worker wants to know is when is it going to arrive, the first plane is your back from China tomorrow, about €20 million worth. And then I think there are 10 flights due between then and the first of April. So from tomorrow, we will have flights arriving on a daily basis, bringing millions and millions of pieces of personal protective equipment.
A shortage of PPE for healthcare workers was raised in the Dáil during the week and a number of campaigns are underway calling for donations of equipment to Irish hospitals.
Irish Foreign Ministry / Twitter
Irish Foreign Ministry / Twitter / Twitter
Doctor’s working in St James’s Hospital in Dublin made an appeal this week to various industries for donations of PPE.
Speaking on Thursday, Chief Clinical Officer at the HSE Dr Colm Henry said that stock of certain items is low but that the HSE is confident that stocks will last until the new supply arrives.
“We’re in discussions with our hospitals community to make sure to reinforce the message as to how they should be used appropriately by those people who most need them,” he said.
“The first plane will be leaving Sunday, it will be landing, I don’t have exact details but as soon as it comes from China on Monday and distribution will begin immediately. As I said, to the sites that are most the depleted and the sites with the greatest need in terms of concentration of Covid-19 patients.”
- With reporting by Nicky Ryan
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Good work everyone involved
@bmul: it’s extremely important shipment for the island of ireland into saving lives of our health worker’s who in return are saving our lives!
@Michal Stawowy: So a mutation that created a zoonotic viral outbreak is the fault of China?
@Michal Stawowy: as clueless as the Don!
@Bobby wilson:
This equipment is being shipped to the HSE. The NHS personnel in Northern Ireland will still be relying on whatever the UK government source for them.
If you are genuinely concerned for the safety of NHS frontline staff, you need to be contacting your MP, or at the very least your MLA
@Feardorcha Ó Maolomhnaigh: both health authorities on the island of ireland have come together to purchase PPE…Conor Murphy has announced today that will protect all health worker’s on the island and turn will save lives of thousands Irish people!
@Michal Stawowy: There’s a difference between the Chinese government and the Chinese people. And my Chinese food which is about to be delivered.
@GinandJetfuel: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=91vS-r8d8-k
Why most of dieses came from places like that didn’t see them in Dublin
@GinandJetfuel: yes they created the conditions for the virus to jump species by allowing wet markets to operate.
@Michal Stawowy: it’s not g nna kill as many as the American flu.
@Bobby wilson: unfortunately when it came to the restrictions DUP witch Arlene Foster gave full backing to Boris instead of standing up to UK The first case in NI travelled through Dublin via Dublin Airport then taxi and train, even when we closed school’s they continued to listen to that moron talking about herd immunity and shaking hands with infected patients he gambles with other peoples life’s to prove a point and now they pay the price so unfortunately as NI is no longer part of EU they must wait until UK supplies them it would be lovely to help but we must look after or own staff first and for most sad as it is please god we can all get through this both North and South
@Kem Trayle: The virus can live for 24 hours on cardboard fyi
@Imagine !: No different to a Tesco delivery. This delivery guy arrives with mask and gloves on, drops it at the door, knocks and walks away. Very dystopian.
@Michal Stawowy: close them down a breeding ground for more viruses to mutate
@Michal Stawowy: thanks for sharing Michal. I’m stunned by the images. A healt inspectors worst nightmare.
Thank you is not even close to the gratitude felt. I salute you. Come home safe and well and thank you
@Jen Gordon: so many companies remaining open that are not necessities and they all have mountains of PPE that could be donated.
@Tommy C: Such as?
I’ll probably be told where to go…. but as a “senior”… I’m so glad I live in a country where this is being well handled. And that it didn’t happen 10 years ago when we were in dire straits. I honestly don’t know how Tony Holohan and Simon and Leo stay going, the physical and mental strain must be tremendous. Health workers and essential staff working all hours with little sleep and difficult conditions. Rounds of applause come nowhere near what they deserve. And all I have to do is stay indoors, enjoying my garden, listening to music, watching TV and obey the rules.
@Molly1952: well said
@Molly1952: no….you won’t be told were to go .. .. I think as a nation we are all doing well. It’s at a time of crisis that the Irish sprit shines through. …. We are not the wealthiest nation in the world but we are one of the richest.
@John C: It might not suit the narrative but we are actually one of the wealthiest.
@Molly1952: very very well said.
That made me all emotional … now foot to the pedal lads get back quick safe journey !
@Niamh McDonald: I’m the same, my son is tracking the flight!
@Michelle Mc Namara: Me too! On https://www.flightradar24.com/ Those pilots will look back on this flight as being on of the highlights of their careers I’d say.
@Niamh McDonald: Aer Lingus are the best
@Liam Armstrong: I would they are on the way from galway
@Liam Armstrong: and noodles are out of stock in Spar. Curry flavour please. Well n done to the crew.
Thank you each and everyone for your efforts on my and all our behalf.
My husband works for EI and is doing three trips in the next few weeks to start with. Such hard work has gone in behind the scenes to make this possible. Going to be very hard and gruelling work for them but they’re so happy to do it. 28 hours from check in to being back in Dublin without getting off the aircraft- all going to plan. Very proud of him and all of those involved.
@Glammymammy: these are the heroes of the crisis. Ordinary hardworking people like your husband and those working on tills and restocking shelves in our food stores.
Safe journey everyone and thank you for your efforts and time .
Absolute Heroes. Thank you
Seriously Journal it’s not an A380. Hint: A380s have an upstairs so they look like flying double decker buses. EI is flying an A330 to China. Good work Aer Lingus.
@kehe: who cares what sort of plane it is? SAD…..
@kehe: Does it really matter what it is? They could be flying a broomstick and they are still doing more then the moaners and smart arses on here. Something positive and people still giving it the billy big bol**x
I just want to tell you both good luck. We’re all counting on you
@Jake Kelly: Roger, Roger
@Jake Kelly: Surely
Go raibh mile maith agaibh.
What a lovely gesture . Heart warming .
Very well done to the pilots and crews in Aer Lingus and to all involved who have made these vital flights possible! Proud to see how the Irish people are rallying round.
Hope they don’t bring back a load of test kits which were found by Spanish to be defective (70%).
@Peter McGlynn: the company that manufactured the kits, Shenzhen Bioeasy Biotechnology, are being investigated by a Chinese government regulatory body and it’s been announced that they weren’t licensed by government to make them. They were supposed to give results in 15 minutes and were also imported by the Spanish supplier into the Czech Republic where the inaccuracy rate was even higher at 80%.
@Peter McGlynn: don’t speak sense man, let’s just applaud.
Thank you, very emotionl. And thank to chinese workers and chinese goverment for what you are doing for the world. As much as I know you are not getting advantage of the huge demands and rising prices, leaving the whole world with huge debts to you. So thank you.
@Rosa Lopez: For real? Thanking China?
@Aodhan Tinney: Yes! They are supplying PPE. They suffered from the virus as well. It started there – they didn’t invent it.
@For Goodness Sake: What do you mean they didn’t invent it? They created it… you think is spontaneously formed in a random location? Add to that the fact that they concealed it and most likely killed anyone that tried to leak information about it…. yea, I won’t be thanking them anytime soon.
Good luck and safe flight! Fabolous work!
@Christine Klein: fabulous even
It’s not an a380
@Vlad Eire: who cares
@bigjoe77: you would if it fell on you
@Vlad Eire: oh shut up, who cares the cargo is the most important bit ffs!
@Jun Stone: the person who wrote the article cares as they corrected the error. If I wrote an error I’d want to be corrected.
@Niall Mulligan: what ? If a plane fell on you, you’d be concerned about the specific model ? Again, what ?
@WCS: immaterial comments . Some people
@WCS: I suppose you’d want your headstone to be correct anyway.
Is this in addition to the PPE coming from Belgium????
@Luther Cooper:
Yes, did a plain load of PPE’s donated by a Chinese buisnessman donate land in Dublin yesterday
No chance of a PPE factory in Naas? No, we’re only into finance, tech and tourists.
@Mike McGann: Yes, Naas is known for it ability to manufacture 200 million euros worth of PPE in a short period. I wonder how the government have not thought of Naas. Countries all over the world know that Naas the at the forefront of medical supplies.
China raking it in
Looking like the Chinese plan to conquer the world is working out well for them via the virus
@Tom o brien: should be free. the chinese started this crisis.
One of the most important jobs them pilots will do in there lifetime, safe journey home
Error by journal. It’s EI- 9018 not E19018.
@Ben Dunne: easy typo, not a big deal
@GinandJetfuel: He’s right, you can’t track a flight online without the exact flight number.
FOURFIVESIX
is that all you have in your live ? Complain about the plane ? Ya sad weirdo . Support the HEROS or shut your trap . When you need the supplies they return with your attitude better change .
All well and good but why are aer lingus still flying near empty planes, putting cabin crew at risk. Nothing to do with not wanting to pay cancellation fees?
@DJ François: maybe direct that question to the airline themselves?
@GinandJetfuel: I have and answer there came none
@DJ François: Because they are flying with their holds full of cargo. That the passenger count is low is immaterial compared to the fact that Aer Lingus are playing an important role in keeping “Ireland Ltd” open for business, enabling the import and export of goods.
Stay safe.
@Geraldine Healy: Cargo doesn’t require cabin crew does it?
Well done Aer Lingus and all who was involved fair play to ye all well done
Well done folks Fly Safe
Communist China should be paying for this and fully compensate. Boycott Chinese products, other than the PPE of course.
@DMcG: Do you think they “invented” the virus?
@For Goodness Sake: they created the conditions for the virus to jump species due to wet markets. this outbreak was predicted years ago and China did nothing. We got lucky this time this could have been alot worse.
@DMcG: moron
Maìth sìbh…
Really hope the boxes are full of quality products, so much fraud and messing with products coming out of china – faulty equipment and tests, switched materials etc. I really hope these are checked before the money is paid for them.
@Spbeak: Don’t be getting carried away by the spin created by this. How about a complete itemized / cost of this 20 million euro spend
@Criostoir Mac Ranghaill: I’m not. Also few more ventilators wouldn’t go a miss, it will be scandalous of Mr Murphy working in the west making ventilators ends up having his father or grandfather die due to lack of a ventilator.
Gan eiri a tadh leat!
Safe journey back to Ireland
I hope it is not the same useless stuff they sold to Spain!!
https://m.yenisafak.com/en/news/spain-says-it-bought-useless-virus-test-kits-from-china-3515096
@Johannes Baader: Spain ordered the wrong test, they ordered a 10-15 minute rapid immunoassay test.
They are for detecting if someone had a COVID-19 infection in the past and are now immune. They test for antibodies, the immune systems response to the virus, not the virus.
These quick 10-15 minute tests cannot be used to discover new cases. That requires a different test, RT-PCR, which looks for the presence of the virus itself.
These tests will soon be in pharmacies in the UK and Ireland, people will be able to find out if they had COVID-19 already. This is important as 50% to 75% of infections are asymptomatic or very mild. I’d like to know myself, I could visit my parents without worrying I’d infect them.
http://en.bioeasy.com.tr/2019-novel-coronavirus-2019-ncov-ab-gica-rapid-test-kit/
May gods speed be upon your wings on the voyage home.
Fourfivesix is that all you have in your live ? Complain about the effin plane ? Ya sad weirdo . Support the HEROS or shut your trap . When you need the supplies they return with your effin attitude better change .
What do they say in NASA! Gods Speed
is that all you have in your live ? Complain about the plane ? Ya sad weirdo . Support the HEROS or shut your trap . When you need the supplies they return with your attitude better change .
Wonder if this is the same PPE the Chinese businessmen rounded up in Australia and sent to China!!!
What do they say in NASA! Gods Speed
Why can’t we make this equipment ourselves, here in Ireland?
Like, aren’t O’Neills making PPE now? Can other companies not follow?
Don’t get me wrong 100% grateful to be getting it, just wondering.
Eh. China should be footing the bill. They stand to make huge profits out of the catastrophe they created.
Please don’t be from Wish, please don’t be from Wish
What do they say in NASA! Gods Speed
@Bramley Hawthorne: HIV came from Africa, from the Congo or thereabouts, sometime before WW2. But let’s not allow some inconvenient and tiresome facts get in the way.
China should be giving this stuff out for free. They are the reason we’re in this mess
Hope this ppe isn’t faulty.
Has anyone vetted the quality of these supplies? Spain, Holland and Belgium have returned over 50% of theory medical supplies to China due to not working as stated.
Please don’t be from Wish, please don’t be from Wish
Has anyone vetted the quality of these supplies? Spain, Holland and Belgium have returned over 50% due to not working.
Seems like China it’s offloading their poor leftovers & taking advantage of desperate countries.
only should have happened at least a month ago
@Sean O’Fiannachta: Do you actually think that the items that are being purchased were purchased today? They have to be manufactured and many other countries are also looking for stock.
@For Goodness Sake: not the point – ball was dropped
@Sean O’Fiannachta:The Irish Government & HSE ordered this personal protection equipment (PPE) in the 2nd week of February … they ordered €225M worth of PPE .. the HSE normally use about €15-€20M in a normal year … so ordered 15 Times the amount the Irish Health system uses….
They ordered the PPE , 2 weeks before even the first official case was recorded in ROI ..
You also have to remember China was on shutdown itself at end of Jan.
Ireland moved faster than almost EU another country to secure this massive PPE order , the entire order is going to take 6weeks to deliver and will require 300 flights …
I think everyone deserves enormous credit for their planning & foresight..
So you should work off facts …most other countries would kill to have this PPE too !!
Eireann Abu !
@XvSv: evidence request and rebuttal from anonymous with insider knowledge?- super-heroes & courage =mckonkey & regan – warning Lancet 31/1/2020- italian rugby fans – no match -cheltenham – not enough PPE for healthcare workers heroes – congrats to Irish people self-isolating long before PH expert advice – transparency? targeting hotspot? no blame it is what it is & experts are in ID listened to eventually- responsibility? timely testing? timely reaction? timely provision of protective equipment?
@Sean O’Fiannachta: I have nothing to with government; but my wife works in the HSE and I know one of pilots that’s going to be flying those Aer Lingus flights from China , but what I stated is all in the public domain, the PPE contract details which detailed via a public press conference by HSE CEO 2 weeks ago .
My neighbour and one of my extended family work in Medtronic Galway and that are now working round the clock to produce Ventilators not just for Ireland but for the entire world .. they gone from 8×5 shift 3 weeks ago to 24×7 and are trying to treble the workforce and manufacturing space in Galway.
Thousands of people in Public & Private sectors are working round the clock to try to protect us!
Yes we have a 2400 cases tonight but thus far we have a very low mortality rate !
Lads
Half this order is going to be counterfeit drek.
The Philippines, The Netherlands, Spain and the Czech Rep. have all already had to send back their orders.
Much of China’s economy runs on counterfeit goods. I lived there 4 years and saw that there was no limit to the scale of trickery some morons over there will pull to make a quick buck
What’s the betting customs will sit on it for a few weeks when it arrives back? That was always there usual form anyway. Are they brave enough now?
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