Blackpool Shopping Centre, #Cork. What does it say when there are no signs for pedestrians to walk or cycle from Blackpool village, not even to indicate the way in? And where the path is up steep steps, straight into a car park with no footpath to the entrance?
Cork University Hospital. There are no signs marking the bus stop, it takes nearly 4 minutes to cross a dual carriageway, with limited space for wheelchairs or walking frames. There are no signs for walkers, who have to navigate steep steps and cross busy internal roads.
If you can find the South Infirmary Victoria University Hospital, #Cork on a map, the old entrance is not for pedestrians, and there are no signs to the new entrance. It is truly cars-only, and a hostile environment to anyone walking or cycling in.
The South Infirmary #Cork does not even pretend to welcome walkers - there are no pavements, and no signs other than for car drivers. Getting to the colposcopy clinic or regional dental hospital are a trial on foot.
Mahon Point Shopping Centre is fenced off from the residents of Mahon. There is no entry, requiring a long walk around the shopping centre, navigating dual carriageways and car parks with poor footpaths. Mahon Point is inaccessible to all except cars, by design.
Mahon Point by bike: battlefield tank traps on the pavement, a ramp with a turn narrower than many bikes (so you have to pick up one end, to make the turn), and gates across the kerb drops.
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Covid-19 infection levels in Ireland have reached a minimum and are now rising toward a new wave, unless vigilant action reverses growth.
About 17,000 people are currently infectious, a high initial level of infection (higher than any wave before last winter).
The reproduction number is greater than 1.0 (in the range 1.2-1.3), and the period of reducing rates has not been sustained long enough to reduce widespread community transmission.
According to Harvard (one of the few live data dashboards remaining, despite the widespread Covid-19 apathy) the reproduction number in Ireland is 1.81 metrics.covid19-analysis.org
The Covid-19 hub data with hospitalisation and cases by age group has been updated.
There was a large rise in hospitalisation of children and young people, peaking at 151 children under 5 years admitted per 14 days, 135 children aged 5-14 years and 198 aged 15-24 years.
Childhood admissions continue at 188 people under 25 years admitted to hospital per 14 days.
If there is a total - 1.5 million new patients waiting - there must be a breakdown by specialty etc. The pandemic magnified pre-existing inequalities in many areas.
It would be reasonable to assume that CAMHS, psychiatry and other groups are disproportionately affected here.
Waiting for detail on Robert Watt's statement that "1.5 million will be added to waiting lists this year". Each year of Covid-19 is adding 18%, or about 100,000 additional patients. That leaves 1.2 million...
Covid-19 infections, as reported by PCR & antigen positive tests, have plateaued at an extremely high level of 10,000 cases per day. Around 0.1% of all cases subsequently die from Covid-19, with over 200 deaths from Covid-19 every month for 5 consecutive months.
It's not over.
The reproduction number is close to 1.0, maintaining the plateau at an exceptionally high level. The data is an unreliable and volatile underestimate, with weekend PCR results added to Monday, and reliant on self-reported antigen results. The data is poor for planning.
On the basis of reported PCR and antigen results, we have plateaued at around 100,000 actively infectious people - 2% of the entire population.
Clinically vulnerable, old, pregnant and unvaccinated people remain at high risk of exposure until we ACTIVELY reduce infection levels.
Cllr Derry Canty is describing enforced dependency of older and #disabled people. Not just car-dependency, but dependency on goodwill of neighbours and relatives who drive.
We should be building streets where people can age with dignity, and reach shops independently.
There has been a mass decline in elderly people living in #CorkCity, forced out by lack of resources, hostile streets and inadequate housing. The absolute number and proportion of people over 65 living in the city has fallen census by census.
In net change terms, there are more working age people, especially men. Lack of family housing has forced out families with children, in addition to older people.
There has been a massive increase in younger men.
"56% of hospitalised cases were categorised as hospitalised for COVID-19, with the remaining 44% categorised as asymptomatic COVID-19 cases and potentially infectious."
(NOT "asymptomatic and non-infectious", as almost every news outlet claimed).
Few children, but big increase in oldest hospitalisation:
"As of 18th January 2022, age breakdown of hospitalised cases: 374 (34%) aged 80 and older, 335 (30%) aged 65-79, 176 (16%) aged 50-64, 196 (18%) aged 15-49, and 27 (2%) aged 0-14 years old."