HSE Cork/Kerry issues update in wake of Storm Ophelia

THE HSE in Cork and Kerry has issued an update for those attending its services, as Storm Ophelia makes landfall in the region. 
It has issued the following statement:

'We wish to reiterate that all routine and non-urgent appointments have been cancelled today.
We would like to remind the public that at this time, only urgent travel should be undertaken.
There is a “shelter in place” warning in-situ, and that means that staff should not be moving and should stay indoors for the next number of hours.  Any staff who were working out in the community this morning have been recalled.
We would now like to repeat our earlier message to the public that any non-essential clinics and  appointments today have been cancelled.
The National Ambulance Service will as always prioritise emergency calls during this weather event but is urging the general public to think carefully before calling. The response to emergency calls may be hindered by road conditions and the number of emergency calls at any particular time. Personnel will do their utmost to reach those in greatest need of our emergency services.
We would appeal to the public to pass this information on to friends, families and neighbours so that where possible, travel can be avoided.
We would like to reassure the public that every effort possible is being made to ensure that staff and those who use our services are kept safe, and that essential services are maintained.
Work is underway to plan for the rescheduling of appointments, but our current priority is the safety of the public and of staff.
 
We have had a number of queries about the use of nebulisers in the event of power outages.
For now, our advice is as follows:
-          If power goes down to their nebuliser, peopled should use inhalers in the short-term.
-          They should only contact the emergency services in an emergency situation.
-          We will keep the situation under review as we become aware of power outages and how long they may last.'