Covid-19: Statement from the Mayor of the County of Cork Cllr Ian Doyle

The word unprecedented has been used a lot lately.  And yes, our way of living over the last few weeks has been unprecedented.  Now we are being asked to do something which none of us could have even imagined when we first started hearing about these unprecedented times.

The ask is restrictive and challenging.  The ask is to stay at home.  Stay at home and restrict our movement to 2 kilometers for 2 weeks. The only travel being for essential work and services. By staying at home we can control the spread of this virus and we can beat this.

While such restrictions are unfamiliar and unnatural to us, the request is for the most important of causes.  A cause to protect our family, our friends, our society at large.  To this end, I am asking, in fact I am pleading with you all, the people of Cork County to adhere to this request.

While I know this is a difficult ask, it is a simple request.  Please stay at home.  Protect our way of life by adhering to this request. Many people have already made huge sacrifices, both emotionally and economically. Please do not let these sacrifices be in vain.

The request is to cooperate with our Government, to shrink our way of living for 2 weeks, 14 days.  These 14 days can and will save lives.  By doing something simple you can achieve something immense.  You can and will be a life saver.

This is a critical time in our lifetimes.  This is a critical time for our loved ones.  We want to protect what we love most, our friends, family and way of living.  We can do this by complying with the request from Government.

I am urging the citizens of Cork County to adhere to this request.  I am urging each and every citizen to play your part and help save lives. Your actions, or should I say inaction by being at home, will save lives, will enable our health service manage and will ultimately enable us to return to our wonderful way of living.

This is a simple request but a request for you and you alone. Play your part and help save lives by staying at home.  Please support our Government in what they have achieved to date.  Their actions have helped reduce the impact of this pandemic. Stay at home and support our HSE who go to work and help the sick. By your complying with this request you can play your part in this battle and drive this virus out of our lives.

We will see this through and we will come through this together.  By being physically apart we will demonstrate our unity.