'Open border diluting efforts' of Donegal people in fighting Covid-19

The current incidence rate in Donegal is 293.4, well above the national average of 127.3. Picture Denis Minihane.

The “open border” in Donegal is “diluting” efforts of people in the area to keep Covid-19 at bay.

That is according to Dr Denis McCauley, Chair of the IMO's GP sub-committee who said the border effect meant it wasn’t just bad behaviour keeping the numbers high in Donegal.

The current incidence rate in the county is 293.4, well above the national average of 127.3.

Over the weekend, the Chief Medical Officer and Minister for Health met virtually with politicians in the area to discuss the high prevalence of Covid-19 there.

Dr McCauley, a Donegal GP, said that he thought people’s behaviour had changed, but that was also happening nationwide.

“I think the good efforts of the people of Donegal is been diluted because of the border.

“The border in North Donegal is very much an open border. There is always mixing from an economic, a social and a recreational point of view.” 

Speaking to RTÉ's Morning Ireland, Dr McCauley said that the influence of the border was very important in North Donegal.

“Now that the hospitality sector and the rest of Northern Ireland is open, I think unfortunately that border effect may become more noticeable along the border generally.” 

He added that it wasn’t a judgement, it’s “just a fact” and that he wasn't trying to blame a third party. 

Dr McCauley pointed to the last time Donegal was below the national average for cases, Derry was also below the national average in a Northern Ireland context.

He said that he supposed that there had been “some bad behaviour” but that the vast majority of people are behaving “really well”.

He said that people needed to “get back to basics” to ensure the good work of the vast majority is maintained.

On Sunday, one further death related to Covid-19 was reported by the National Public Health Emergency Team.

402 cases of the virus were also confirmed.