‘Keep up your guard as Covid restrictions come down’

WITH the first phase of the gradual easing of coronavirus restrictions due to begin next Monday, Dingle GP Dr Conor Brosnan is cautioning people not to let down their guard in the battle against the deadly virus.

After nearly two months of severe restrictions Ireland’s coronavirus figures are heading in the right direction, but according to Conor there is now a risk of lockdown fatigue and undue optimism, both of which could result in people taking a more easy-going approach to social distancing requirements as the ‘reopening Ireland’ programme begins.

Conor said easing restrictions as quickly as it is safe to do so is essential because people have to see as result for “the immense sacrifice they have made over the past two months”. But he added: “People have to be cautious. Adhering to national guidelines will continue to be important as the reopening gets underway.”

Conor said that amid the national focus on dealing with the coronavirus emergency there was also a largely unseen problem of mental health issues arising from the ongoing lockdown and of non- Covid medical issues being delayed.

He said the mental health impact related largely to people aged under 30 whose lives and livelihoods are hugely disrupted even though they are in the group least at risk from coronavirus.

“They are shouldering a huge burden for another age group and you’d have to be worried about the impact this is having on them,” he added.

Conor advised people who have any concerns about mental health issues to contact their GP who would be in a position to offer counselling or refer them on to other services if necessary.

Meanwhile, The Kerryman understands that all staff and patients in West Kerry Community Hospital in Dingle were found to be free of Covid-19 after tests were conducted there recently. A spokesperson for the HSE confirmed that tens of thousands of Covid-19 tests were undertaken in all public and private residential facilities in Cork and Kerry in recent weeks. However, in line with HSE policy, the spokesperson was unwilling to confirm the results of the tests conducted in Dingle.