Athlone virologist says a mask mandate now would scarcely reduce hospital overcrowding

A leading expert in virology from Athlone has said the reintroduction of mandatory mask-wearing in crowded settings would, at this stage, make little difference to the overcrowding currently being experienced in Irish hospitals.

Dr Gerald Barry, who grew up in Retreat Park and Barrymore, and who lectures in the School of Veterinary Medicine at UCD, was speaking on Midlands 103 this week in response to calls for the reintroduction of universal mask-wearing in crowded settings.

"In terms of the current surge that we're having, at this late stage, to introduce a mandatory mask rule I think would have relatively little impact on the current situation in the hospitals," he commented.

"Really, if you were going to do it, that should have been done a month ago, coming into this period, to try and prevent or at least reduce the surge."

Earlier this week, the general secretary of the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO), Phil Ní Sheaghdha, described the current conditions in hospitals as "inhumane and often unsafe," and called for the return of mandated mask-wearing in congregated settings.

The INMO's call for the return of mandatory mask wearing was supported by the Irish Congress of Trade Unions, but Health Minister Stephen Donnelly said yesterday (Wednesday) that he had no current plans to introduce a mask mandate.

"The public health advice to Government, and to me at the moment, is not to move to mask mandates," said Minister Donnelly.

He added that the situation would be kept "under review" on a regular basis.

According to the INMO, there were 27 patients waiting on trolleys in Portiuncula Hospital, Ballinasloe, this morning (Thursday), while six patients were on trolleys at the Midland Regional Hospital, Mullingar.