AN outbreak of Covid-19, better known as the coronavirus, is inevitable in Ireland, especially since the first cases of it were confirmed in Belfast and Dublin, both those infected having returned last week on flights from Northern Italy. The closure, for a fortnight, of the school which the Dublin victim attends shows how seriously the threat is being taken.
Within a week, the number of cases was up to 18, including two in Cork, and is still rising.
By last weekend, some people were overwhelmed by the saturation coverage, given by our national broadcaster in particular, to the threat posed by Covid-19, but it is something that cannot and should not be ignored, with many stocking up oacially those with underlying medical conditions, so it should not be taken lightly.
There is no need to press the panic button, but even in advance of it becoming more widespread here as this month progresses, people should be taking individual responsibility for the greater good in order to minimise its spread as much as possible.
Forget about the drama of going around wearing surgical masks and just concentrate on practising good hand hygiene, something people should always be doing, but moreso now if you want to increase your chances of not contracting Covid-19. With cases across six continents, it hasn’t yet been declared a pandemic, but already there is a negative economic fall-out internationally.
Health is wealth, so that needs to be looked after first.
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