Calls for 'meaningless' daily Covid-19 updates to be scrapped for weekly figures

Doctors are calling for the daily Covid-19 updates by Dr Ronan Glynn (pictured) of NPHET to be done on a weekly basis like other European countries. File picture: Colin Keegan

There are calls for NPHET to stop publishing Covid-19 figures every day, suggesting they do it on a weekly basis instead.

It is being claimed that the daily announcement of case numbers and deaths due to coronavirus is causing unnecessary anxiety.

A number of European countries have moved to a system of weekly updates.

It is also argued the daily figures, which can vary widely, give an inaccurate snapshot of the behaviour of the virus with one GP saying: "When they’re high, they cause mass hysteria. When they’re low, they cause false reassurance."

Dublin GP Dr Maitiú Ó Tuathail claims the daily updates are causing "huge anxiety" and are also "meaningless" as they vary every day.

Fully agree with @ciarakellydoc

Daily updates on covid numbers and deaths is leading to HUGE anxiety

Daily reporting is also meaningless, as cases go up + down each day

We need weekly updates on cases + deaths - that’s useful and meaningful

End the #CovidRollercoaster now! https://t.co/IncXMqvEW1

— Maitiu O Tuathail (@DrZeroCraic) September 3, 2020

Labour Party leader Alan Kelly has agreed, saying: "The daily release of figures is causing great anxiety to many people.

If we are forced to live with the virus for some time to come then we cannot continue to obsess over the number of daily cases.

“We need to move to a system whereby we have a comprehensive weekly briefing identifying the weekly trend in the virus which is far more important.

"People are being bombarded with a lot of information at the moment and this is one way of ensuring that they do not become overwhelmed and stop listening to public health advice."