The Department of Public Health North East is appealing to the public to act responsibly this St. Patrick’s Day to protect our communities, keep our schools open, and prevent further pressure on our emergency services and hospitals.
St. Patrick’s Day celebrations are different this year because of COVID-19. Given the increasing transmissibility of the new variants, and the risks of potential spread of COVID-19 related to St. Patrick’s Day, everyone needs to follow the public health guidance to prevent further illness.
Dr Augustine Pereira, Director of Public Health, HSE North East, said:
“Our previous surges in COVID-19 including the latest surge in January in the North East that pushed our hospitals and ICUs to capacity was partly due to gatherings. We need to keep our guard up so this does not happen again. We need to ensure St. Patrick’s Day celebrations do not turn into super spreader events.”
“We are asking the public to act responsibly to protect themselves and their loved ones this St. Patrick’s Day. Attending gatherings of any size increases your risk of getting and spreading the virus and is against current government guidelines. We have seen individual cases rapidly lead to household outbreaks spreading to extended family, workplaces and further community clusters.”
“When new case numbers drop to single-digit figures after long periods of high incidence rates, it positively reflects the continued and sustained efforts in fighting the virus locally. However, we know that these positive steps can be undone and reversed very quickly when people drop their guard. I want to thank the public for their support and vigilance in keeping our communities safe. It is vital that we continue to adhere to public health advice to keep the case numbers down,” he added.
Enjoy St. Patrick’s Day at home with the people you live with or gather virtually with friends and family. The Department of Public Health North East have outlined safer ways to enjoy St. Patrick’s Day this year:
