Rory O' Hanlon Profile picture
Sep 8, 2020 19 tweets 5 min read Read on X
1/ Sometimes I wonder are the debates on twitter a reflection on how the wider population feel. Is there such a degree of anger and divergent opinions regarding Covid and our response? It seems to be one camp or another.
2/ I usually try to see if there is merit/data/scientific fact in both sides of an argument. I start off by taking the approach that the opinion of the person is correct and then work back from there.
3/ Often, as for all opinions or arguments, there are valid statements and then other statements which seem less factually correct or backed up with evidence. And everyone is fully entitled to their opinions.
4/ So for me the challenge is to determine who or what facts are correct. I have found @ConorRiordan2 data over the months very useful, factual and unbiased. Seven and fourteen day averages for case numbers I think are a fair way to portray cases and our responses.
5/ I also find @Care2much18 gives very convincing data on trends around Europe. Trends that should cause us to be sensible. And then there is a counter viewpoint by the Ivor Cummins @FatEmperor with data which also seems quite valid and scientific.
6/ So I like many others find myself in a predicament- is the truth somewhere in the middle, and who to believe.
I think it’s straight forward to accept that as cases increase in the community then cases will eventually arise again in the elderly and vulnerable.
7/ I don’t believe that lockdowns will work or be acceptable, and indeed we will see major health events with lockdowns/recessions that will outnumber Covid by many multiples.
8/ Cancer, heart disease, stroke, depression have not gone away and in fact may be worsening in the community due to the restrictions, job losses, stress, and fear of attending GPs and hospitals with symptoms. But yet we all fear a situation where hospitals and ICUs are overrun.
9/ We don’t want a loved one to die alone, unable to have a child, spouse or sibling at their beside. We don’t want our health care staff to break down through the stress and pressure of working in such an environment.
10/ So how do we balance the fear of “getting it wrong” with the need to live with the virus. Maybe there is too much faith being put in having a vaccine early next year.
11/ Maybe we feel we are much better now at treating Covid patients since we have learnt so much first time around.
12/ Emerging data talks about a degree of cross immunity in T cells in people who have been exposed to other coronaviruses (the common cold)- some suggest there may be a degree of “herd” immunity out there already. Then there are cases of reinfection (Hong Kong)- so what is true?
13/ So we are trying to anticipate the future and take steps to prevent a terrible outcome. I have believed for many months that we are now in a better situation- masks, hand washing, distancing, etc.
14/ We are without doubt better set up to reduce community spread. Of course we can’t become complacent, things can’t and won’t go back to normal for some time. But maybe we are ok at the moment watching sport with no crowds.
15/ Just to have sport back is fantastic, and like many things, we are appreciating many things now that we perhaps took for granted before.
16/ So maybe my suggestion is for us to tell ourselves that we have done well so far, we have done what was needed of us and what was asked of us, but we must stay the course, let’s not get complacent.
17/ Hopefully we can continue to live with the virus, albeit with some restrictions, but restrictions that are sensible, acceptable and in as much as possible based on science and fact.
18/ And hopefully there can be an emerging balance in the arguments back and forth.

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More from @ohanloncmr

Jan 3, 2022
1/ Recurrent self isolation for Omicron. This is a worry. @CMOIreland @DonnellyStephen @HSELive @merrionstreet. How often and for how long ?
2/ I think we had a good strategy that if vaccinated (and now indeed boosted), that we weren’t to be considered in need of self isolation as close contacts in the strictest sense and didn’t have to self isolate for days and days.
3/ This was a decision made when the belief was that the risk of catching covid between two vaccinated people was low. With Omicron, it appears to be a milder shorter illness, and many cases in that picked up in asymptomatic people.
Read 9 tweets
Jan 1, 2022
My concerns regarding recurring self- isolating as close contacts @DonnellyStephen @CMOIreland @HSELive 🧵
1/ So I’m assuming my interpretation is correct that a household must all self isolate for a minimum of 5 days for those that are fully vaccinated and boosted, and 10 days for those that aren’t if they have a case of COVID at home.
2/ And while there will be cases where people are quite sick, the data currently suggest that Omicron is less severe, and positive cases are now frequently being picked up as —
Read 7 tweets
Jul 8, 2021
1/ I’m worried about a cycle of events which may occur in the coming months. We have postponed reopening and the use of antigen testing until we “see how things unfold in other European countries regarding the delta variant” or while we “await more data”.
2/ Our leaders and nphet are worried about case numbers increasing due to delta variant. Their worry is that if case numbers increase then hospitalisations/ICU admissions will also surge and we end up back at square one with huge numbers of elective healthcare being cancelled.
Read 13 tweets
Jul 6, 2021
Perhaps I’m looking at things too simply for COVID, variants and re opening @DonnellyStephen @CMOIreland @ronan_glynn @HSELive @MichealMartinTD @LeoVaradkar
1/ It is a fact that when we or any country begins to lift restrictions that case numbers will increase. Cases of all viruses will increase in fact.
2/ Just think of kids for the first week or two in school/crèche/day care. Lots of sniffles, temperatures, runny noses, etc. Often they bring these home to mum and dad too. When any groups are together indoors for periods of time then viruses will transmit.
Read 15 tweets
Jun 26, 2021
Maybe some balance and less sensationalism for the delta variant is needed @rtenews @GeorgeLeeRTE @DonnellyStephen @RiochtConor2 @sailorrooscout @CMOIreland
1/ Last nights RTÉ broadcast on the delta variant was in my humble opinion misleading and fear inducing. Presenting the data without context or balance was wrong.
2/ The facts are that vaccination is protecting again delta variant and should also protect other new variants as they arise
Read 12 tweets
Jun 25, 2021
We need to be rational with how we approach new COVID 19 variants @DonnellyStephen @CMOIreland @ronan_glynn @merrionstreet @HSELive @PatKennyNT @NTBreakfast #antigen
1/ We have a choice to make. We have to stop saying all public health choices around COVID are choices between life and death. That defeats the argument.
2/ It polarises the discussion too much and people in fact make risk choices everyday (smoking, alcohol, diet, exercise, attending for routine health check ups). We balance risk everyday of our lives.
Read 14 tweets

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