Dr Mike Ryan: Covid could leave Ireland's emergency rooms full this winter

“We’ve seen direct attacks on health workers, terrible, terrible attacks,” Dr Michael Ryan said. File picture: Fabrice Coffrini/AFP

Covid-19 could still bring significant challenges this winter and it's a dangerous assumption to think health systems can cope with fresh waves of the virus, a senior figure in the World Health Organisation has said.

Dr Mike Ryan said many countries are sequencing only a fraction of the Covid cases they used to check, and he is not confident there is an accurate picture of the virus.

“I would advise against countries reducing their surveillance systems anymore,” he said. “We really do need to keep an eye on this virus.” 

In addition, he warned of the ongoing impact of extra Covid patients on healthcare.

“We are running our health systems right on the edge of being able to do normal business, and then we wonder why they fail when we stress them,” he said.

“This winter again in Ireland, like other countries in Europe, we will see the emergency rooms full. We know it is coming and it’s been like that for a decade or more. We haven’t done anything to address that collectively.” 

He called for more focus on preventing illness rather than only treating disease but said it would be a brave health minister to stand up in the Dáil and say they will not focus on waiting lists but instead on a long-term plan for illness prevention.

“You probably wouldn’t last 15 seconds in a Cabinet meeting,” he said.

Addressing a webinar hosted by University College Cork, he also warned that abusive behaviour towards healthcare workers is at an all-time high. 

He said:

We’ve seen direct attacks on health workers, terrible, terrible attacks.

“There’s always been a balance; frustration at the system but respect for the workers in it. I think these two things are now starting to blend into each other.” 

Meanwhile, a drug called Evusheld was approved for use in Europe as a Covid-19 treatment. It targets immunocompromised people for whom vaccines do not work. It was previously approved as a preventative treatment.

However, it is not yet used in Ireland as it has been under review. A HSE spokesman said a final assessment submission was received for the drug on August 16.

Co-founder of of the patient support group, Chronic Lymphocytic Leukaemia Ireland, Micheal Ryne, called for the process to be quickly concluded.

“What is the winter plan for the immunocompromised?” he said. “It has been approved in Europe, but Ireland is viewing it as a new drug that has to go through this process. That did not happen with the vaccines.” 

Irish patients can access Paxlovid, a Pfizer-manufactured Covid-19 treatment. Up to last week 1,239 treatments were given through GPs, the HSE said, and more dispensed directly by hospitals.