Irish Examiner view: Patience is vital in Covid-19 fight

Fighting the pandemic

People wearing face masks during the Covid-19 Dublin's city centre. Picture: Gareth Chaney/Collins

Thousands protested at the weekend in London and Madrid over Covid-19 lockdown restrictions. As Irish cases increase, it would be unsurprising if the protests seen here gained greater traction, though the scale may not be as significant.

That there has been a marked difference in responses to level three restrictions in Dublin and Donegal signals a growing impatience in our capital. Traffic volumes on the M50, fell by as little as 2% after level three restrictions imposed on September 18 came into effect. 

However, Donegal, where restrictions came into play at midnight on September 25, saw traffic on some routes fall by over 50%.

Yet Health Minister Stephen Donnelly has said he and the acting chief medical officer are “cautiously optimistic” about how Dublin is faring with level three restrictions but “it is very early days” yet. That caution applies right across the country, especially as it is feared that some southern counties may move to level three later this week.

Discipline, caution, and sustaining faith in official advice seem more and more important.