HSE rejects senior doctor's criticism of restrictions
The Health Service Executive has said it "dissociates itself from and rejects" comments made by a senior doctor who said that Covid-19 is less serious than the annual flu and draconian restrictions are no longer required to contain it.
The claims, made by Dr Martin Feeley, were reported by The Irish Times.
Dr Feeley, who is Clinical Director of the Dublin Midlands Hospital Group, said the measures brought in by the Government made sense at the time, but given what is now known about the virus, they are no longer required.
He said people at low risk of the virus should be allowed to be exposed to it, which would enable the country to develop herd immunity, thereby protecting vulnerable groups.
Dr Feeley said any measures to contain the virus needed to take people's quality of life into account, and that the restrictions have disproportionately affected young people.
Responding to The Irish Times report, HSE Chief Clinical Officer Dr Colm Henry said: "For the avoidance of any doubt, the position as stated by Dr Feeley in the Irish Times today is not the position of the HSE on this important subject."
A HSE statement added: "The WHO declared a Covid-19 pandemic on 11 March.
"There have been over 28 million cases and 900,000 deaths worldwide, many among older and vulnerable populations.
"This is a novel coronavirus for which there is no cure or vaccination currently and against which our population have no immunity.
"Herd immunity for an infectious disease occurs when a sufficient proportion of the population develops a sustained immunity either through vaccination or previous infection.
"Relying on infection, as we now know, has the power to overwhelm healthcare systems and lead to large-scale illness and death, particularly in vulnerable populations.
"According to the WHO, the threshold for establishing herd immunity is not yet clear.
"Neither is the duration of post-infection immunity known. The most effective way of protecting older people and vulnerable groups is not by expecting them to protect themselves, but by everybody adhering to the public health advice that will limit transmission of the virus between individuals and households."
The WHO says data to date suggest 80% of Covid-19 infections are mild or asymptomatic, 15% are severe infection, requiring oxygen and 5% are critical, requiring ventilation.
Generally, you need to be 15 minutes or more in the vicinity of an infected person and within two metres of them, to be considered at-risk, or a close contact.
Meanwhile, hundreds of people took part in a demonstration at Government Buildings in Dubling this afternoon.
They were opposing the use of face covering, continuing Covid-19 restrictions, and curbing citizens' freedoms.
Gardaí observed from either end of the street and also at the gated entrance to Government Buildings.
Commenting on the protest on Twitter, Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly said: "In this global struggle, where all of us are taking unprecedented steps to limit the damage done by Covid-19, it's deeply concerning to see any campaigns that threaten to erode trust and confidence in public health."