Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy. The short answer to the question on face coverings in financial institutions is "Yes", for the reasons the Deputy has outlined. As I am sure the committee will appreciate, I want to avoid sounding like I am the Chief Medical Officer by providing direct public health advice. I will do my best to paraphrase the advice of the acting Chief Medical Officer. The advice is essentially to use extreme caution right now. We know from the data that people who are more vulnerable to the virus, those over 70 or with underlying conditions, are being extremely careful. We know that because as the number of cases has gone up and up, the number of fatalities, hospital admissions and intensive care unit admissions has thankfully remained stable and very low. We know that people who are more vulnerable to this disease are already exercising their judgment very well and very effectively.

The message during this period, which will hopefully last just three and a half weeks, is to be even more careful. What does that mean? It means people should limit their number of social interactions and limit the number of people who come into their homes. Shopping should be done during the times designated for more vulnerable people, if that facility is available. If it is not, more vulnerable people should seek other ways to have shopping brought to their houses. People have asked me if they can still go on their holidays in Ireland. The answer is absolutely "Yes", but they should take all the precautions they would take at home. Social interactions should be limited, face coverings should be worn and others should be asked to wear them and so on and so forth.

This is not just up to people who are vulnerable. It is up to everybody else as well. We all have a role to play. The Chief Medical Officer spoke passionately this morning about the need for solidarity. The best way to protect people who are vulnerable to this disease is to suppress the disease in our community. That means keeping our distance, limiting the number of people we meet with, washing our hands, wearing face coverings and following the other measures. That is the message I want to send and which I hope everyone in this committee will relay. We have to do this together and we can do it together. We know that it works.

People can absolutely still go to Northern Ireland for health appointments. The Deputy had a final question about serial testing in meat processing plants.