Micheál Martin: Zero-Covid approach would not be viable for Ireland
Taoiseach Micheál Martin: 'The bottom line is that in tackling the second wave, we are one of the best-performing countries in Europe. The strategy that has been pursued has worked so far.'
Taoiseach Micheál Martin says he believes a "zero-Covid" approach would not be viable as the country exits the level 5 lockdown.
Speaking in the Dáil, Mr Martin told People Before Profit TD Richard Boyd Barrett he did not believe the strategy, which calls for the complete elimination of the virus through border closures and strict quarantines, could be achieved.
"I do not believe in the deputy's zero-Covid approach and it is not viable when we consider our membership of the European Union, our relationship with the United Kingdom, and the seamless interaction of people in those places," Mr Martin said.
"We also have the border between North and south and the fact we are not in charge of the jurisdiction from a public health perspective in Northern Ireland.
"The bottom line is that in tackling the second wave, we are one of the best-performing countries in Europe. The strategy that has been pursued has worked so far."
Mr Boyd Barrett said the Government was "wrong to ignore critical parts" of advice from the National Public Health Emergency Team (Nphet) last week and that Ireland would be in a "constant cycle of going in and out of one lockdown after another".
He added that he believed the Government was risking families' Christmas celebrations by allowing hospitality to open.
"In rejecting some of [Nphet's] key advice, in particular around the reopening of the hospitality sector, the Government in fact is endangering Christmas itself and the family gatherings, which is what most people want to protect," Mr Boyd Barrett said.
Social Democrats co-leader Catherine Martin said the exit from level 5 restrictions came with "an even greater challenge" to keep Covid-19 numbers low.
"Now that the winter season is here and people are far more likely to spend time indoors, it is critically important that there is good advice and guidance, communicated by Government, in respect of ventilation," she said.
"None of us wants to face a further lockdown in January. The public and business owners will heed good, practical advice but, as I said, the lead has to come from Government."
Ms Murphy said any spare testing capacity now must be used to prevent or mitigate outbreaks in hospitals and nursing homes.
"Since the outset of the pandemic, the advice has been that testing is key to containing the spread of Covid-19. We can see every evening in the figures that the number of tests fall as the virus reduces.
“Any spare capacity in the testing system must now be used in settings such as hospitals as part of a preventative strategy.
“We know that the routine swabbing of nursing home staff has helped to control the virus in that setting. The HSE needs to consider putting a similar system in place for hospitals."
