Deputy CMO urges public not to gather for cans or takeaway pints on St Patrick's Day
Dr Ronan Glynn: 'We simply have too much disease in the country, we do not want people to be congregating over pints. We don't want people to be meeting up indoors. Picture: Leah Farrell / RollingNews.ie
People have been urged not to gather and buy takeaway alcohol on St Patrick’s Day.
Speaking at this evening’s Public Health Briefing, Deputy Chief Medical Officer Dr Ronan Glynn said that public health measures remained in place for a reason.
"We simply have too much disease in the country, we do not want people to be congregating over pints. We don't want people to be meeting up indoors," he said.
Dr Glynn said he and his colleagues did not want to see people "to be buying cans and meeting up and drinking them on St Patrick’s Day."
"The reason we're giving this message is not because we want to be killjoys,” Dr Glynn said.
Commenting on reports of public demonstrations being planned for St Patrick’s Day, the Deputy CMO asked that people not attend such gatherings.
"Regardless of why a demonstration like that is taking place, our advice at the moment simply has to be not to congregate.
"The level of the disease in the community is still too high," he said.
Dr Glynn said he did not want people to contract the disease but remain asymptomatic and possibly pass the virus on to friends or family members who might end up in hospital over the coming weeks.
The Deputy CMO said it was in the majority of people's interests to "continue to do the right thing."
"I would ask people to hold off on demonstrations and gatherings, please, until we get through this phase.
"If you attend one of these demonstrations, you are going against the advice and guidance. Of course, it’s your prerogative to do so.
"But I have to give the advice that is in the best interests in public health, and I'd ask people to please stick with that," he said.
Echoing the Deputy CMO's remarks, Chair of the NPHET Irish Epidemiological Modelling Advisory Group, Professor Philip Nolan too urged the public to continue to adhere to public health guidelines.
Prof Nolan said that instances of increased mobility were to be expected due to many returning to school, but that now was "not the time to be socialising."
“We must do all we can to continue to suppress this virus and to ensure that as many people as possible get to benefit from vaccination over the coming months," he said.
"If we continue to keep our distance, wash our hands, wear face masks and stay home we will continue to drive down transmission of this disease,” he added.
Meanwhile, 575 new cases of the virus were confirmed by Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC) officials tonight.
No new Covid-19-related deaths were reported.
The total number of Covid-19-related deaths reported in Ireland remains 4,535, while the total number of cases confirmed here since the pandemic began is now 227,316.
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