Essential service providers are keeping county going
IT is only in times of crisis when people’s health and lives are at risk that we realise the incredible contributions people are making within our communities. All of our lives have been turned upside down this past month since the coronavirus outbreak. Businesses have closed temporarily, routines have been upset, services reduced, but there are many businesses still open and services still operating, working to provide essential services to you and yours.
Doctors, nurses and all medical staff deserve huge praise for the work they have been doing in GP practices and in hospitals. So, too, do other front-line workers including people working in supermarkets, take-aways, delivery drivers, medical supply drivers, nursing homes, our farmers and fishermen and all of the voluntary, community groups assisting people.
The Government made a momentous decision in declaring that everyone should stay at home until April 12, except for the following situations:
to travel to and from work, or for purposes of work, only where the work is an essential health, social care or other essential service and cannot be done from home. to shop for essential food, beverage and household goods or collect a meal, to attend medical appointments and collect medicines and other health products, for vital family reasons, such as providing care to children, elderly or vulnerable people to take brief individual physical exercise within two kilometres of your home, which may include children from your household, as long as you adhere to strict three metre physical distancing for farming purposes, that is food production or care of animals.
Thankfully we can all access the essential services we need, especially when it comes to doing our weekly shop. Gardaí are assisting GAA clubs, soccer clubs, New Ross St Vincent De Paul, New Ross Meals on Wheels, the local ICA branch and farming groups who are doing amazing work bringing food and other supplies to elderly people within the community.
Although we are living through difficult times at the moment it is essential that we support our local service providers and never forget the contributions and sacrifices they have made, which, couple with the sacrifices all of us are making, will help to flatten the curve and ensure Ireland remains a shining example in the battle against coronavirus deaths.