How Ireland compares — and why we are all still in lockdown?

■ Didn’t someone say Covid-19 had been “virtually eliminated”? So why am I still stuck in lockdown?

That’s right, the HSE’s chief clinical officer Colm Henry told RTE’s Morning Ireland last week that “we’ve seen the virus beaten off the streets of our towns and cities into households”. The last part of his quote is important, because it shows while the spread is low, there are still infections. While infections are a feature precautions are still deemed necessary.

He did also say “virtually eliminated”, but this language is also regularly used by the World Health Organisation (WHO) about other diseases and viruses. People often question if they should vaccinate against a preventable disease if it has been “virtually eliminated” in their country, but the WHO advice is clear on the matter. It says small numbers of cases can rapidly grow, so the idea behind measures being in place is to prevent a second surge.

■ Are we likely to see a second surge?

Other countries have seen spikes in cases after easing lockdown measures. South Korea has been praised for its approach and response to the crisis but last month saw a jump in cases after visitors to a night club picked up an infection when life was being eased back to normal again. This is not an isolated jump.

Last Thursday, health officials in Seoul reported 79 new cases of the virus, the biggest daily increase since April 5. It was the third day in a row where there was an increased number of cases leading to fears of a second surge. The country’s health minister pleaded with people to avoid unnecessary gatherings and asked employers to keep sick employees away from work.

■ So they are back at work over there? Why aren’t we? South Korea is well ahead of us in its Covid-19 journey and appeared to be far better at keeping the virus in check. Its population is 10 times bigger than Ireland’s and had 269 deaths. We have seen 1,645 deaths here to date. South Korea had more than 11,000 cases, we are edging towards 25,000. Yet they still closed museums, parks, and art galleries last Friday for another two weeks to contain the spread of the virus again. Restrictions had initially been lifted on May 6.

■ OK, but what are other countries’ lockdowns like now? How do we compare? We are towards the stricter end of the scale when it comes to the number of people we can meet at one time or in terms of visiting amenities.

It should be noted though that our first cases came a little bit later than in other countries so we are always going to seem like we are following others.

Spain had one of the strictest lockdown regimes in the world at one point and is now easing measures on a gradual basis for different parts of the country depending on how they have been coping with the virus. Last Monday saw the reopening of the first beaches in the country while Madrid and Barcelona residents can now meet in groups of up to 10 people in their homes or on the terraces of bars and restaurants. The number of visitors to beaches is limited and boundaries spacing parasols four metres apart are in place.

Austria was one of the first to begin easing its restrictions. Gatherings of up to 10 people have been allowed for about a month now. Public parks, DIY stores and garden centres have been open since April but last week the country’s president Alexander Van der Bellen had to apologise after staying in a restaurant later than allowed under restrictions. Restaurants there reopened in mid-May but must close at 11pm. He had remained in a Vienna restaurant until midnight last week.

■ When are our restaurants reopening?

June 29 is the date earmarked for that, assuming the virus stays under control.

■ Why wouldn’t it stay under control?

Although the numbers are small people are still picking up the virus here, hence the caution. In the week to last Tuesday there were 17 more outbreaks in private homes.

Meat plants were badly hit and accounted for 103 cases up to Tuesday.

Between midnight Tuesday and the same time Wednesday night there were six new clusters of cases in the State. These include two or more positive cases, so the virus is still being passed on and the fear is complacency will not help.