The State’s public health team has warned the Government that Ireland is in a “precarious position” and a looming third wave of Covid-19 could be more deadly than the last one. “If we start with higher case numbers in early December, this threshold will be breached sooner.”The letter was sent on Thursday following a meeting this week of Nphet and ahead of a decision by the Government on Friday evening to move the country from Level 5 coronavirus restrictions next week to Level 3 restrictions with some modifications. Turn quicklyThe team warned Government that “if restrictions are eased now to a similar extent but more rapidly than in the summer, from a higher baseline force of infection, in winter and over the Christmas period a third wave of disease will ensue much more quickly and with greater mortality than the second.”They said the situation remained “fragile”. The team also expressed “considerable concern that international travel over the coming period will undermine the progress achieved by the country in recent weeks.”As previously reported, the Nphet also recommended against the hospitality sector reopening in December citing the higher risk of such indoor settings. If cases rise again, the team said that “it will be important to intervene early to bring transmission back under control.”

Source: The Irish Times November 27, 2020 21:33 UTC