Marc MacSharry (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister, Dr. Holohan and his team for their presentation. The Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy, CIDRAP, at the University of Minnesota has just advised the CDC and the World Health Organization, WHO, that the aerosol transmission of small or large particles is possible. The WHO has stated that face masks should be worn and the Department has sent those to GPs. During the 1998 situation, however, the WHO called for the use of respirators, in particular powered air purifying respirators. We know of some definite means of transmission, but we do not know them all. Increasingly, CIDRAP's research is showing that aerosol transmission is possible. Have we powered air purifying respirators? How many do we have? Where are they? If we have none, how much are they and should we be buying some? CIDRAP has advised the US Government to make resources available immediately so that such respirators can be on hand. The WHO has stated on its website that standard masks are okay when dealing with viral haemorrhagic fevers, but it also recommends the use of respirators.

I accept that we are somewhat prepared for the unlikely event of an infection happening here. If it did, how prepared are we in terms of respirators and other things? Let us say this has evolved from the Zaire strain which was the first, through the Congo and now we have today - call it what one will - the Liberia strain. Has it evolved to the extent that it is much more infectious from aerosol? For example, sneezing or even flushing a toilet can put pathogen-laden aerosols into the air.

While I do not want to go into crude detail, the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy suggests that a health professional without a respirator attending an infected patient who has had an episode of diarrhoea is not safe. Albeit unlikely, and as Senator Crown has said and the Minister has agreed with him, let us see what the risks are and go one step further. Maybe we need to go a few steps further. I ask for a response on the respirator issue.