The Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO) has called for stronger advice on mandatory masks after a surge in the spread of RSV and other respiratory illnesses.
Nurses union representatives said the Chief Medical Officer should issue "strong" public health advice on mask-wearing and handwashing in order to ease the pressure on the health services.
This comes as 534 patients were left waiting on trolleys for a bed in Irish hospitals today. Last Tuesday, that number reached a record high of 931 patients as overcrowding in hospitals reached crisis level.
INMO General Secretary, Phil Ní Sheaghdha, said today that advice on masks should be brought back to help curb the spread of RSV, as cases are rising in Ireland, particularly in the Midwest.
Ms Ní Sheaghdha said: “We are once again calling on the Chief Medical Officer to issue stronger public health advice in relation to mandated mask-wearing. It is or view that it is the responsible thing for policymakers and Government to do at this vital juncture when hospitals are not coping and people’s lives are at a higher risk.
“We know that there is a surge in the spread of RSV, particularly in the Midwest. Our hospitals, especially those in the Midwest and on the Western seaboard, cannot sustain additional pressure from avoidable illnesses.
“It is time for stronger advice on simple and inexpensive measures such as mask-wearing and handwashing. It shouldn’t be this difficult to issue strong advice in this regard when we are being warned about rising cases of flu, RSV and new COVID variants. Recent evidence from the USA has confirmed that new COVID variants are leading to increased hospitalisations.
She said that while hospital trolley numbers have eased in larger Irish hospitals, smaller hospitals are still under "acute" pressure that is having a "devastating impact" and is expected to last until the end of February.
This comes after the IMNO said they would begin to consult nurses and midwives on possible strike action this week in response to the overcrowding crisis because their working conditions are "so bad".
Ms Ní Sheaghda told RTE’s This Week programme on Sunday: “We’re not going to hang around, we’ll be meeting members this week, next week and the week after."
She continued: "It is simply not acceptable that every single year around this time, we have this crisis because the effects of the crisis for patients actually is that they’re dying unnecessarily, if that isn’t a stark enough issue to get all of government action, we don’t know what is."
READ NEXT :
Met Eireann forecasts washout week ahead with frequent showers and rain
Missing Amy Fitzpatrick's mother says she knows in her gut she is dead
INMO says hospital overcrowding should be treated as 'national crisis'
Woman spends less than €30 a week on food shopping with one thrifty tip
Woman saves €450 on her bill by turning off one energy draining appliance
Get breaking news to your inbox by signing up to our newsletter
