Virus is finding fertile ground in workplaces and beyond during a ‘phoney lockdown’

IT’S been called a phoney lockdown for many employers who have insisted their staff stay in the workplace – even when they could do the job from home.

Now it seems that workplaces, not all essential, are featuring significantly in outbreaks of the virus since the beginning of the year.

Furthermore, the overall number of outbreaks spanning not just workplaces but private houses, nursing homes, hospitals, childcare facilities and other settings increased by 73 to 293 last week. This compares to the first week of January, giving a picture of places where the virus is finding fertile ground.

NEW INSIGHTS

Yet more research sheds light on how Covid-19 can pass from one person to another. Cambridge University researchers found that it is far more likely to spread through chatting than coughing. It can travel further than two metres within seconds in a poorly ventilated room. When we speak, we exhale smaller droplets or aerosols which can easily spread around a room and they can remain in the air for more than an hour.

It underlines the importance of wearing a mask in an indoor workplace. Five of the workplace outbreaks last week were in offices. Four were associated with the commercial sector.

Others involved defence, justice and emergency services, where nine outbreaks were reported.

These workers are essential with no choice but to work. Meat and food production and processing centres accounted for nine outbreaks. Others happened in manufacturing and construction.

HOSPITALS

As hospitals battle with record admissions of Covid-19 patients, they suffered 37 new outbreaks last week, leading to 116 more cases.

Another 65 new outbreaks were reported in residential institutions, most in centres for people with a disability, and six in mental health facilities.

The numbers reflect the ongoing risk of transmission in these congregated settings, including to staff and patients.

CHILDCARE FACILITIES

There were 14 outbreaks in childcare facilities where there were 35 positive cases of the virus.

Childcare services are open for vulnerable children and the children of essential workers.

FAMILY OUTBREAKS

People’s own homes will continue to be the scene of members of the household passing the virus on to others.

Doctors have spoken of instances of multiple members of the same family being treated for the virus in hospital. There were 10 family outbreaks last week but this is likely to be underestimated. Another 10 were found in extended family.

MUTANT STRAIN

Behind the surge in cases of the virus and the ongoing high level of infection is the UK variant, which has now spread to 60 countries across the world.

The World Health Organisation reported that is 10 more than a week ago.

The aim here, as in other countries, is to slow the spread of this variant, and others, that arrive here, while the vaccine is being rolled out.

The European Union said it hoped 70pc of the population would have received the vaccine by the end of August this year.

QUARANTINE

Epidemiologist and dean of the School of Public Health at University College Cork, Professor Ivan Perry has said the recent coverage of tennis players in quarantine in Australia should be seen as an example for Ireland to follow in its battle against Covid-19. He said a quarantine for all incoming travellers is necessary to help suppress the spread of Covid19.

“Given the current rates of Covid-19 transmission in the community and the increasing concerns about Covid-19 variants, the Government should move to implement hotel quarantine for 14 days for all incoming travellers,” Prof Perry said.

“We have heard in recent days about the travails of tennis stars in quarantine in advance of the Australian Open. Do we imagine that Australia is dealing with a different virus?

“We keep hearing that Australia is different. And yes, Australia is different.

“From the outset of the pandemic, they have pursued a strategy of aggressive suppression of the virus based on core infectious disease control strategies, including an effective system of quarantine.”

The EU hopes 70pc of people will get the vaccine by the end of August