Irish Examiner View: Information is the key to beating virus

A Covid-19 information sign at Cork Airport

If a prophet is not always recognised in his or her own land, then it seems reasonable to argue that those who press the buttons of public perception, that those who manage the mood without showing their hand, hope not to be recognised outside their professional circle.

Once their modus operandi is seen they, after all, run the risk of being neutralised.

It may be premature, but not by much, to suggest that we are seeing something pretty close to a masterclass in how fear, health-system incapacity, a real and growing threat to tens of thousands of citizens’ wellbeing, economic implosion, and huge uncertainty around impossible-to-know timelines has been communicated by our Government.

That assessment stands, even if the HSE yesterday tentatively pointed to a mid-April pandemic peak.

Indeed, that mid-April suggestion is another example of communicating the most important message: We know what’s coming, so stay composed.

There will be those who will viscerally and consistently reject that position, but the evidence is against them.

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has been forced to address the nation twice to deliver a message far more startling than any communicated by any — yes, any — of his predecessors.

The timing of those speeches was significant, as was the dramatic step change between the first and second address.

In the first one, delivered before the Mother’s Day weekend, unprecedented suggestions were made, important social distancing advice was offered. Political historians may establish if that gently-gently approach was deliberately adopted in the expectation that it would not be successful, thereby paving the way, and, most importantly, creating the public mood for last week’s far sterner, unambiguous instructions.

That the second speech — and soaring death rates in Spain, Italy, and Britain — has led to a far wider compliance, far more people staying at home, must be recognised as a victory for political communications.

Mr Varadkar has been helped in this by cabinet colleagues and, especially, by the soothing, authoritative presence of Dr Tony Holohan, the chief medical officer in the Department of Health.

The support of other political parties, the scope allowed, and lips buttoned, has made these regular reassurances possible.

It goes without saying, but it is important to say it, that any Government — any society — facing a pandemic and the chaos that will bring cannot function unless it knows it has a health service staffed by reliable, committed, and brave people.

The shortcomings of our health service are many and well documented, but as the last weeks have shown, the

medical staff coming home from abroad too, those problems are systematic rather than relating to personnel.

They would be much worse but for committed and over-stretched health staff. It is far too early in this crisis for medals and citations, but as the HSE message shows, we are approaching something that might be an endgame.

So, now more than ever, the advice, the Government message, must be followed: Stay at home but stay optimistic too. It’s all to play for.

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