Professor Luke O'Neill has said that there may be a need for further restrictions than just masks as winter approaches, with Covid cases starting to rise in Ireland once again.
Although there are no suggestions that restrictions are needed in Ireland at the moment, Professor Luke O'Neill thinks things could change by the winter to "prevent our healthcare system becoming overwhelmed."
Professor O'Neill told the Sunday Independent: "As winter approaches, and we get to the next four-month surge, which is likely to be worse than the current surge, there may well be the need for a mask mandate.
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"There may also be a need for other measures, such as an order to work from home. These will both be justified to prevent our healthcare system becoming overwhelmed. They are overwhelmed every winter anyway. Patients on trolleys are a feature of winter in Ireland every year, because of flu.
"This winter is likely to be no different, only it will also involve patients with Covid-19. A doubling down on the trolley issue. The planned winter vaccine campaign will help, and we can expect a directive on that soon. This should involve boosters for everyone over 50, in combination with the flu shot. This will greatly decrease the risk of hospital overcrowding."
Earlier this week, Cabinet Ministers signed off on new laws allowing the Government to bring back mandatory mask-wearing in certain settings.
At this point, it is understood that no specific settings are being considered and that this is simply a “precautionary move.”
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