Evidence emerging of ”high risk” of transmission of COVID-19 in Limerick region as people return to workplace

A SENIOR department of health official has warned that her team of contact tracers are seeing evidence of people returning to work while infectious or showing symptoms of COVID-19, which is potentially leading to “high risk” transmission of the virus in Limerick, Clare and north Tipperary.

Dr Mai Mannix, Director of Public Health Mid West, said her team have seen a recent worrying trend emerge as people start return to workplaces in line with the present phased reopening of society.

“We are seeing evidence of more people working for days while infectious, or showing symptoms of COVID-19, causing a significant number of staff being identified as close contacts. This is extremely high-risk, and I urge businesses to facilitate workers to encourage safe practices in the workplace, the resumption of all retail means employers need to increase their efforts to protect their staff and customer,” Dr Mannix said.

She urged the public “to be extra vigilant and act responsibly, in order to minimise the spread of COVID-19 in the community as activities and services start to resume”.

As of last Monday, all retail could reopen nationwide as part of the government’s plans for a phased reopening as covid-19 vaccinations continue to be rolled out.

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“This is a welcome phase that reflects and rewards the diligent efforts of the people of Limerick, Clare, and North Tipperary to stamp out this virus in the community. However, this increased level of activity increases our collective exposure to risk of infection, and our team continues to monitor and manage worrying trends of new cases entering workplaces, causing some onward transmission in households, schools, and other workplaces,” added a spokesman for Public Health Mid West.

Dr Mannix explained that “once onward transmission spreads to one or more settings, clusters become increasingly more difficult and complex to manage, rendering communities vulnerable to outbreaks”.

She said that, despite the rate of infection remaining stable in the region, “there is potential for Covid to spread in the community”.

“Throughout this period of reopening, the public can optimise its protection against COVID-19 by following the Public Health guidelines while shopping, meeting others, and in the workplace,” Dr Mannix said.

Following the recent significant ransomware attack on the HSE’s IT system, Public Health Mid-West has confirmed that while it has limited access to telephone and email communication, it’s team of contact tracers “is able to continue monitoring and managing complex COVID-19 cases and outbreaks in the region”.

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