Contagion risk means it’s time to back the collective good over individualism

NOT unexpectedly, the cases of Covid-19 have climbed to 19 on this island at time of going to print — and I have no doubt they will rise further in the coming week.

Covid-19 is relatively easily transmissible — more so than SARS, less so than measles. We cannot stop it coming here. We cannot stop it existing. All we can do now as a community, as a people, is slow down and minimise its spread. And that is vitally important.

Coronavirus won’t hit all groups equally. You can be reassured that our kids will be fine. Coronavirus in children and adolescents — in the main — seems to present as nothing more than a mild cold or flu.

There have been no child fatalities and kids seem to get over it relatively easily. You don’t have to worry unduly about them.

Who will be badly affected, are elderly people. The risks go up hugely over the age of 65. Smokers are also in trouble and if you could do anything to instantly lower your risk of becoming seriously unwell — give up smoking TODAY.

And those with other underlying medical conditions. Like most infectious diseases — this one attacks the vulnerable. We can’t change people’s vulnerability. But we can all do our bit to slow down and limit the spread.

I said children are largely unaffected — but they remain important in this particular battle. Children spend a lot of their time together in large groups; schools and childcare facilities. They get very close to each other on a regular basis and they are often not the cleanest members of society.

This is said with affection — but it’s true. Just think of the spread of coughs and colds among kids normally — or even nits! Every person reading this needs to sit their kids down and tell them very carefully, clearly and with major emphasis the importance of the big three.

1. Always cough or sneeze into the crook of your elbow — nowhere else.

2. Do not touch your face. Become aware of doing it and stop yourself!

3. Wash your hands with hot water and soap, after every time you use the bathroom. And vitally BEFORE you eat! And regularly at other times throughout the day.

Using tissues and discarding them is also acceptable for coughing. Using hand sanitizer — where hand washing is unavailable is OK, too.

But these are the big ones. Otherwise schools will be like Petri dishes — a breeding ground for this infection.

So we need to make sure our children are not adding to, or amplifying its spread. Most schools don’t have hot water in their taps currently, due to ‘health and safety’ reasons and expense.

I would argue the balance of health and safety has shifted now and I believe all school children should have access to hot water in their bathrooms. And show your kids how to properly wash them — palms, backs of hands, between the fingers, finger tips, thumbs, wrists for at least 20 seconds. (I have a helpful video up on my Twitter account at the address below).

Of course, these same basic hygiene instructions apply to all of us. I’m only emphasising children here, because we exist in an era where giving children responsibility is seen as an alien concept but in this context it’s hugely important — so they don’t act as an uncontrolled conduit of infection.

But we adults need to practice the above as well. A top tip to stop touching your face is for woman to wear a lipstick they’re afraid to smudge — like a red one — or for men to wear lip balm that they are aware of being there.

Anything that makes you more conscious of it, so you don’t do it, is good.

Other things we all now need to stop are social kissing or hugging on greeting someone and also shaking hands. The sign of peace in Mass needs to become a nod of acknowledgement.

We will have to reconsider our position on mass gatherings and that needs to be done before the horse has bolted, not after.

It would be almost impossible for the Paddy’s Day celebrations — where over 100,000 people from all over gather in close proximity — not to spread coronavirus to some extent.

If the actual outdoors on the streets part isn’t high risk, the indoors rammed into heaving, sweaty pubs’ part certainly is. And calling it sooner rather than later would probably be helpful.

And for those demanding to know the exact location of cases, the truth is it may well end up in all communities — just like the flu when it spreads. The best thing you can do is exercise good infection control wherever you are now.

The truth is we need to pull together calmly — without scaremongering or panicking — to contain, delay and mitigate the spread of this.

Now is a time for cool heads and everyone playing their part — doing what they can do to limit its hold here.

And I believe we will.

Travelling by public transport earlier this week I noticed people coughing into elbows, using tissues and hand sanitizers — something I’ve never witnessed before — but something we all need to actively do going forward.

We are part of a team now. A collective. Our safety is in each other’s hands. When this infection first started to spread, each case was infecting two to three others. Towards the end of this week in Wuhan — the epicentre — there were no new cases at all. We will see cases climb here, there is no doubt. We are near the 20s now, but by the end of next week that may quadruple. The actions that we — not just the HSE — take now will determine how many people are affected in the end.

Almost 800 coronavirus tests have been carried out here so far. Contact tracing is thorough and ongoing. And self-isolation works. Some cases will get through that net but let’s try and limit that number. If you are concerned you might be infected ring your doctor — don’t just turn up at the surgery.

We are used to individualism nowadays — but this calls for collectivism. We are a tribe. We need to act like one.

For daily updates on the coronavirus, please go to www.hse.ie/coronavirus

Don’t get your information from unreputable sources.

‘It would be almost impossible for Paddy’s Day celebrations not to spread the virus...’