“I think our government are taking a more pragmatic and cautious approach which we in the HSE certainly welcome.”
HSE Chief Paul Reid has said that there are “real concerns” over the reopening of society in the UK as Ireland is taking a “more cautious approach” to the easing of Covid-19 restrictions.
Speaking on Highland Radio on Thursday, the HSE CEO said that he anticipates the UK reopening next Monday (19 July) will have a negative impact on the “most vulnerable populations”.
“We would have obvious concerns over what is happening in the UK, and it’s not just ourselves, over 122 prominent scientists have written out that they have real concerns over what is happening,” he said.
“A wide-scale reopening like that, it hits the most vulnerable populations – it hits education, it hits young people and schools.”
Reid added that the HSE “would certainly welcome” the approach that the Irish government have been taking to the reopening of the country.
“I think our own government are taking a more pragmatic and cautious approach which we in the HSE would certainly welcome,” he said.
On Wednesday, Reid said that Ireland’s vaccine rollout will “outmanoeuvre” the Covid-19 virus and the Delta variant.
He also confirmed that five million vaccines will have been administered in the country by the end of this week as 58% of the adult population is now fully vaccinated.
“Our vaccine programme will ultimately outmanoeuvre the virus and Delta. Later this week five million vaccines will have been administered,” he said.
“Today over 58% of adults are fully vaccinated. So let’s protect all of this, by being cautious, as Delta will have an impact for a few weeks.”
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