5) Lure of lobbyists and Martin’s failure to follow science puts nation’s health at risk

This article from October 2021: 

https://www.independent.ie/opinion/comment/lure-of-lobbyists-and-martins-failure-to-follow-science-puts-nations-health-at-risk/40991353.html

Excerpts

"A recent study in the Lancet found countries that followed scientific advice to suppress the pandemic fared best on measures of health, wealth and civil liberties. Ireland’s adoption of the UK’s Living with Covid (survival of the fittest) non-strategy is the antithesis of science and doesn’t hold up to scrutiny.

"Last week, Nphet’s modelling lead, Professor Philip Nolan, claimed: “All international evidence says children transmit much less than adults.” What evidence? The international scientific evidence, endorsed by the WHO and the ECDC, is incontrovertible: Children both catch and transmit Covid, and even asymptomatic children may develop long Covid."

"This month, the JAMA published research on the role of primary school children in the transmission of Covid and found that, where mitigations weren’t in place, not only did they spread the virus more efficiently than adults, but they are the main drivers in the pandemic. Most transmission occurred between teachers and children within school, with spillover into their households"

"Nphet’s denial of the international evidence led to flawed school guidance, which served to fuel the flames of rising cases".

"The Government has form regarding science denial. Last December, it dismissed the Independent Scientific Advisory Group’s (Isag) and Nphet’s warnings against easing restrictions as the voices of industry prevailed. Within weeks, Ireland ranked worst in the world as Covid incidence and deaths rocketed. School closures and lockdown ensued...."

"Covid is an airborne disease, so why wasn’t the reopening of indoor venues contingent on installing HEPA filtration and visible CO2 monitors"?

"Nphet’s expert advisory group on ventilation made recommendations for safe indoor air standards in February that weren’t adopted by the Government".

"Why have these inexpensive safeguards not been implemented? Living with Covid means accepting around 2,000 people a year will die from a preventable disease (compared to 150 road deaths deemed unacceptable), that children will become infected and potentially suffer multi-organ failure, that our vulnerable will be at risk indefinitely and our beleaguered health service, followed by the economy, will collapse.

That’s not science, that’s really bad politics, and the Irish public did not consent to that"