A chara, – There are many issues for our Covid inquiry to address. The efficacy of the public health restrictions is obviously one such issue. For example, was it really necessary to close our schools for 22 weeks? Was it really necessary to restrict movements to within two kilometres of one’s house?
I would suggest we already have answers to these questions by reference to the research published by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). The report’s findings in relation to Sweden are really extraordinary.
Sweden came in for a lot of negative commentary for its “laissez faire” approach during the pandemic; an approach which was the polar opposite to ours. The OECD report says that excess mortality in Sweden among the 65-plus age group was below the OECD average in 2020 and was negative in 2021 and 2022.
I am not sure if any Irish inquiry can give a more definitive conclusion than this and perhaps the inquiry should focus on other aspects of our pandemic preparedness, such as capacity in our healthcare system. – Yours, etc,
REAMONN O’LUAN,
Churchtown,
Dublin 14.
Sir, – Writing about an inquiry into Ireland’s handling of the Covid pandemic, Prof Hillary Humphreys suggests that it’s “long overdue” but that it should not be an “opportunity for scapegoating of politicians” as in the UK (Letters, January 5th).
While I’d agree that it might be timely to set up such an inquiry, it’s nonetheless fair to observe that the pandemic is ongoing. There are patients in intensive-care units in Ireland both with it, and due to it, at present. The disease is contributing to pressures in emergency departments nationally and, according to the World Health Organisation website, deaths in the last 28-day period reported were close to 4,000. That is an increase of about 1,000 over the previous update.
There are no doubt facts that will be lost due to the passage of time, importing a level of urgency to some such analysis. The idea that political finger-pointing can be avoided though while those who were leading the country are still in power seems unrealistic.
It is precisely the rapidity of the inquiries in the UK which produces the “scapegoating of politicians” Prof Humphreys describes.
It would seem clear that any report collated now is likely to be an interim one. It will likely be welcomed by Government, as it will probably reflect well on it given our lack of excess mortality.
It will probably ultimately raise the philosophical question of how society should value the quantity versus the quality of life, it being fairly clear we effectively chose to prioritise the former. Given our litigious nature, this was arguably a prudent strategy. – Yours, etc,
BRIAN O’BRIEN,
Kinsale,
Co Cork.
Sir, – Let us hope that the Covid inquiry will hear from the young people most affected by Covid restrictions, especially in terms of their education and social opportunities. – Yours, etc,
LIAM DORAN,
Clondalkin,
Dublin 22.