Dr. Kevin Kelleher:

If I could come back in, this session has discussed the infection rate among healthcare workers. One of the things we are well aware of is that a feature that historically people have been very good at, particularly healthcare workers, is that they come into work. They have such a work commitment that they come in regardless, sometimes, of their own health status. That has always been one of the great features and we know that is how our health service has continued; it has been one of the great things we have witnessed. I have done it in the past and l know that lots of other people have done it. However, in the current circumstances, actually having an infection and having the symptoms of an infection should mean that people do not come in to work. That is a big problem because that is not in the Irish healthcare workers' psyche. Their mindset is that they must come into work because they have patients to look after. How we get past that is a quandary. It is one of the biggest things we have to do.

Clearly a vaccine will make a difference but again we must ensure people take the vaccine. Getting people to understand has been a big issue for us. Members of the committee have heard us say repeatedly every winter that people should not come into work if they start having the signs of flu. I have been saying it for a decade or more. They should stay at home. It is the same here. I am not differentiating between the public and healthcare workers in those circumstances - everybody should stay at home and that goes for the healthcare workers too. It is a big problem for us however because there has been this great element of the Irish healthcare worker's approach that he or she comes in to work when not well enough. Unfortunately we must bridge that significant cultural issue as a consequence. It is a problem for us.