Nphet to be stood down; officials recommend mandatory masks to be scrapped

If the advice is accepted by the Government, mandated mask wearing will no longer apply in schools, public transport, taxis, in retail settings and certain workplaces. Picture: Gareth Chaney/Collins

The Chief Medical Officer Tony Holohan has proposed a new structure for the National Public Health Emergency Team (Nphet).

It comes as Nphet is to advise the Government that the requirement to wear masks in most settings will become advisory.

Sources said that Dr Holohan gave the "strongest indication yet" that today's meeting of Nphet was to be the last in the current form. Dr Holohan is said to have thanked medics for their work throughout the pandemic.

It is understood that he has since given a proposal to Health Minister Stephen Donnelly on what the future of the team would be.

A senior health official confirmed to the Irish Examiner that they expected the current Nphet group to be "stood down and integrated back into the Department of Health."

The matter emerged during a meeting in which officials also discussed the removal of mandatory mask-wearing. 

If the advice is accepted by the Government, mandated mask-wearing will no longer apply in schools, public transport, taxis, in retail settings, and certain workplaces.

Mask wearing will still be required in healthcare settings.

February 28 has been put forward as a possible date for the change to take effect.

Taoiseach Micheál Martin emphasised the difference between what is mandated legally and what the public health guidance is.

I will continue to wear masks going into retail and if I am on public transport. I will continue to do that as a precaution."

Mr Martin said that advice would continue to be provided by public health and reminded the public that the pandemic is still ongoing and that Ireland is merely entering a new phase.

He said the main focus now will be on vaccination.

"Those who didn't get vaccinated during the last number of months because they may have got Covid, when they are eligible to get the vaccine, they should get the vaccine," said Mr Martin.

The Nphet recommendations are expected to be relayed to the Government in a letter from Dr Tony Holohan, the chief medical officer,  this evening.

However, Government sources have confirmed that the outcome of the meeting has yielded "no surprises" for ministers, who were expecting the outcome as the trajectory of the disease remains "positive".

Nphet met earlier today to review the overall Covid-19 situation, vaccination uptake levels, and mask wearing.

A senior health source said that because the health system is not seeing a high level of illness with Covid-19, with 639 patients currently in hospital, and low levels of severely ill people, the recommendations to remove masks is seen as a "balanced call".

"For us, it's a matter of when do you call it?," the source said.

The case numbers will remain around a similar level for a while, with a slight increase here and there.

"I don't think it's a surprise to anyone, I'm not shocked the masks are being wound down."

As Covid-19 continues to appear to abate in the community, sources say the issue for the HSE will move to what infrastructure should be kept in place.

It is understood Nphet will set out its view of the trajectory of the virus and the HSE will be tasked with finding an operational strategy for test and trace and vaccinations, in order to scale up quickly.

A further push in public communications is also expected around vaccines for children now that mask wearing is likely to be dropped.

It is understood talks are ongoing about a further public-relations campaign as well as communications with schools and parents as uptake for vaccines for 5-11-year-olds remains low.

Minister Eamon Ryan said that he believed most people would continue to wear masks in some situations, but said it would be better overall to be a choice.

Transport Minister Eamon Ryan told the Dáil he believes the transition to optional mask wearing should happen as soon as possible.

"I believe that we should go from a mandatory system towards a guidance system and public health guidance to continue to wear masks.

“My view is that we should start immediately by removing the requirement for our school children to have to wear masks in school,” Mr Ryan said.

He added that he believed most people would continue to wear masks in some situations, but said it would be better overall to be a choice.

“It was put in for good public health reasons, but I think they’re also good reasons for the health of our children in a wider context of them not having to wear masks.

“I hope that can be done straight away. I have the same view with regards to retail and public transport."