News that the Covid-19 global death toll has reached the 6,000 mark will have shaken many of us to our cores on this eerily quiet Sunday night. To those who thought nothing of gathering in major numbers in Temple Bar last night, such a tally should shudder them into reality – and responsible citizenship.
The thoughts of millions around the world undoubtedly focus on the people of Northern Italy tonight, where the virus’s fatal imprint has proven shockingly deep thus far.
And it is incumbent that Irish citizens, in addition to our neighbours in the UK and throughout the continent, adapt quickly to the lifestyle changes the spread of this virus has now forced upon us.
We cannot wait for someone else to lead that change for us. Politicians and clinicians should not have to press a rewind button to repeat what they have stressed since Thursday: as individuals, we must drive the necessary changes to safeguard our own health as best we can and save the lives of others in so doing.
Don’t take my word for it: consider the far weightier perspective of Doctor Giovanni Guaraldi, an infectious disease specialist working in the city of Modena (population: 185,000 approx) who spoke to RTE Radio One’s ‘This Week’ programme today.
“Initially people do not really understand the message,” said Dr Guaraldi. “We closed the schools but still people were gathering with one another.
“We had to take extreme measures, for example now you cannot walk near another person, they stop you and tell you, you need to stay at home.”
He continued: "We need to be clear, the only way to protect against the spread of the epidemic is stay at home and try not to meet other people. This is a very difficult message to tell people, but we also need to explain to people that they must not be scared and in time this epidemic will be over. We are near the summer time and of course the sun will reduce the transmission of this disease. We are able to control this issue with the right measures.”
Prior to making my way into a supermarket in Waterford this afternoon, I parked as far away from other vehicles as I could. I consciously avoided walking within relative proximity of anyone I met both inside and outside the store. I didn’t do what I so regularly do in a shop – dawdle, look at stuff I didn’t need, stop for chit chat, etc – I knew what I needed to buy and got out of there as quickly as I could. I’d never concentrated in such a manner for so menial and utterly ordinary a task.
But that’s what the time now demands: doing things in a more considered and utterly responsible way, not sitting around packed tables on Tramore’s Lower Prom. This isn’t holiday time. This isn’t a drill. We all need a dose of reality now more than ever and we all have to play our part. We need to listen to Dr Guaraldi and the many other Italian medical practitioners who are performing heroics in the face of enormous personal risk.
Said Dr Tony Holohan, the Department of Health’s Chief Medical Officer: “Today’s increase in cases reinforces the necessity of the measures put in place last week, including hand and respiratory hygiene, social distancing, school closures and limiting the size of mass gatherings. I urge every citizen to follow these measures to protect our people, especially the most vulnerable in our society.”
He added: “I note also the pressure our emergency services phonelines were under today. 112/999 should only be used for emergencies, when an ambulance is required. This is not an advice line.
“If you have flu like symptoms, self-isolate at home until Monday and visit hse.ie for advice. You can call your GP on Monday morning and they will decide if you need a test. Please only call 999 or GP out of hours for emergencies.”
Sounding a similar note, Dr Ronan Glynn, the Department’s Chief Medical Officer stated: “There are many anecdotal stories of people ignoring the social distancing guidelines laid out on Thursday. We are in an unprecedented global situation. Everyone in the country must play their part in protecting the most vulnerable and slowing down the spread of this disease.”
Each and every one us has a part to play. And if you’re proud to be Irish, now’s the time to prove it.
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