Tag Archives: Covid-19

GARDAÍ in Clare have issued warnings about various scams currently in operation. The scams vary from fraudsters trying to find out bank account details to sending fake messages about the Covid-19 vaccine to gain personal information. Clare Crime Prevention Officer Sergeant Triona Brooks has confirmed a number of incidents which have occurred in the county in recent times. “During the week a lady received a text purporting to be from her bank – she logged on and entered her account details and then realised that money had been taken from her account,” she said. Gardaí also received a report from a man in North Clare who received a phone call from a male with a foreign accent telling him that he needed to pay money so that his parcel from Amazon could be delivered. “Thankfully this man never ordered anything and terminated the phone call”, said Sergeant Brooks. While another lady received a phone call to say that her Amazon …

CLARE people have been asked to continue strictly adhering to public health guidelines combating the spread of Covid-19, despite a major drop in the 14-day incidence of the virus throughout the Mid-West. This come as official statistics show the 14-day incidence of the virus in the Banner has fallen recently from 1,386% to 536%. Interestingly, the 14-day incidence rate in Tipperary at 559% is now higher than Clare, but is much lower than Limerick, which stands at 781%. According to figures produced by the Health Protection Surveillance Centre, there were 1,647 new cases of Covid-19 in Clare, 3,325 in Limerick and 1,558 in Tipperary from January 12 to January 25. The five-day moving average from January 21 to 25 is 62 in Limerick, 25 in Clare and 44 in Tipperary. The Department of Public Health Mid-West and HSE Mid-West Community Healthcare are urging people in the Mid-West to not get distracted by the gradual decrease in Covid-19 cases, and to …

A MERE 1,461 passengers arrived into Ireland through Shannon Airport between November 30 and January 3, according to figures presented to the Dáil by Minister Eamon Ryan. The number doesn’t include passengers who were on flights that stopped over at Shannon, before going on to other destinations. The majority of the passengers, 1032, came from the UK. Another 213 came from Poland, 78 from Italy, 45 from France, and the remainder from a large number of countries. December would traditionally be a rather busy month at Shannon, but even before the recent Covid wave, traffic had almost completely ceased. Speaking in the Dáil after presenting the figures, Minister Ryan said, “The extent to which the public, including arriving passengers, are advised to either restrict movement, adhere to other public health measures or undertake Covid-19 testing is based on the advice of the public health authorities. My Department assists with the implementation of public health measures in relation to international travel, …

CLONLARA Development Group has issued an appeal for people in the Mid-West to search for old photographs, stories and press cuttings in connection with “Pattern Day” at St Senan’s Holy Well in Clonlara. The group are in the process of compiling a display for National Heritage Week 2021 Exhibition, which runs from August 21 August to August 2nd. It believes that the current lockdown to minimise the spread of Covid-19 provides the ideal opportunity for people to go through old albums and momentoes to help preserve these memories from days past. The 2021 “Pattern Day” exhibition will follow the successful 2020 exhibition, a two-day event held at local Kiltenanlea Church. For those who are not familiar with “Pattern Day”, the word pattern is derived from the Irish word patrun or English word patron. In olden days most Irish parishes would honour and celebrate their patron saint. Only parishes with a holy well or shrine typically had a pattern day. Prayers …

A MEMBER of a small group, who engage in weekly demonstrations in Scariff, has taken issue with the characterisation of their protests as ‘anti-mask’. In a letter to The Champion, Seán MacLeod denied the group are showing disregard for frontline workers and rejected suggestions that they are an intimidating presence for older people. The letter follows widespread condemnation of the group’s activities by the local community, a furious debate on social media, and a counter-demonstration highlighting the importance of the public health guidelines. While the protests have been peaceful, The Champion understands that local Gardaí are keeping the situation under review and have advised people that they must not breach the Covid-19 restrictions. In an email, Mr MacLeod said: “I would like to assure you that it is not the intention of anyone standing in the square to upset or intimidate anyone and also to say that many of us standing in the square are in the ‘vulnerable’ group of …

A NURSING union has made a written request to a local hospital group to ensure a respirator face mask (FFP2) is provided to any nurse or health care worker who deems it essential for their own health and safety. This coincides with new guidance from the national HSE concerning the use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), which has been the source of a dispute between the INMO and the UL Hospitals’ Group. According to the INMO, frontline hospital staff in Limerick, Ennis, Nenagh, and Croom have been told they could face disciplinary action if they upgrade to a safer standard of face mask following a recent memo. However, this was disputed by the UL Hospitals’ Group, who stated nothing in the memo restricts staff from wearing FFP2 face masks where appropriate and in line with national infection prevention and control guidelines. It has also emerged the number of health care staff off on Covid-19-related leave in the group has fallen …

“NOT only are we frightened for our exams, but we are frightened for our lives, and the lives of those around us.” Those are the words of Ennis Leaving Certificate student Jake O’Loughlin who is pleading with the Taoiseach Mícheál Martin and the Minister for Education Norma Foley to listen to students’ worries about how Covid-19 will affect this year’s state examinations. The Gaelcholáiste an Chláir student believes that the government have up until now “been extremely hesitant to listen to the pleas of my fellow students” and he is calling for clarity on plans for the Leaving Cert this year. He says there is “intense worry” among students. He expresses appreciation to the Taoiseach and Minister for Education for “finally addressing the physical health of me, my fellow students and our families, by not forcing us to return to school on January 11”. However, he insists that the government needs to address the mental health of students immediately. “The …

THE Irish Defence Forces and the HSE Covid-19 Support Team are providing significant external support to an Ennis community hospital, which has been severely hit by staff defections following a major Covid-19 outbreak. It is the first time that the Irish Defence Forces has provided non-medical logistical assistance to a long-stay residential facility in Clare since the start of the pandemic. There were 20 confirmed cases of Covid-19 in Cahercalla Community Hospital and Nursing Home  earlier this week. According to SIPTU, more than half of Cahercalla’s 60 healthcare assistants (HCA) 36, were out as positive cases or close contacts. The union has outlined 12 out of the hospital’s 28 nurses were also off work and one nurse left. One kitchen attendant and one cleaner were also off work. However, the HSE has provided a total of 18 nurses and healthcare assistants and ten agency staff, which varies on a daily basis. SIPTU health official, Mark Quinn has confirmed staff are …