Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputies for their contributions this evening. I acknowledge the broad support for an approach in Ireland which is led by public health and by evidence. I acknowledge the broad support for vaccines, the broad support in the House for boosters, the broad support in the House for testing, both for PCR testing and for antigen testing, and the broad support for an approach to Covid-19 where the benefits of us all following the public health advice are so important. It is supported by not all but most Members of this House, both in government and in opposition. I acknowledge that and I thank colleagues for that.

The public health advice right now is as important as ever. If any of us are symptomatic, we should stay at home and get a test. If we are going out, we should use the layers of protection we have all become used to and, indeed, that we use here in the House. These are hand hygiene, cough etiquette, masks, ventilation and so forth. For a few weeks, we should reduce our discretionary social contacts, particularly in the higher risk areas, which we are aware of. Finally and probably most importantly, we should get vaccinated and, indeed, get a booster vaccine when it becomes available.

Right now, approximately half of the Covid-19 hospitalisations and approximately half of our Covid-19 patients are from the small group of people who have to date chosen not to get vaccinated. Approximately half of the patients in ICU who have Covid-19 are from this group who have to date chosen not to get vaccinated. It is a horrific illness. I have spoken to ICU nurses who have many years of experience. They have seen much more than we hope most or all of us in the House will ever see in terms of human struggle and people dying in difficult ways. An ICU nurse with decades of experience has told me they are traumatised and are suffering from post-traumatic stress because of how horrific Covid-19 has been for the patients in their care in the ICU wards. I appeal to anyone who is still considering whether to get vaccinated to do so to protect themselves, first and foremost, and second, to protect those around them.

I thought it was interesting and I wanted to share with colleagues that now about two thirds of our hospital patients are Covid-19 patients, whether they are in a hospital ward bed or in ICU. Approximately two in every three of these patients are now under the age of 45. That is relevant as well. We should engage with younger people. Not every person under the age of 45 is necessarily younger, but there has been understanding that those who are older-----

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