Sir, – As the phone lines clog up at the general practice where I work with parents seeking an exemption for their children wearing masks at school, I see a glimmer of hope in the publication this week of William Reville’s examination of the limitations and fallibility of narrow scientific analysis (“‘Following the science’ is not enough in a pandemic”, December 2nd) along with Fintan O’Toole’s belated critique of the effective outsourcing of governmental authority to Nphet (Opinion, November 30th).
Doctors are trained to have a balanced and holistic understanding of the multiplicity of dimensions that define health and wellbeing, and also to determine when a health intervention is not worth the cost.
Children and younger adults have paid enough for the deficiencies of our health service over the past long months and should not be subject to any further steps which do not benefit them directly.
– Yours, etc,
Dr DAVID O’CONNELL
Phibsborough, Dublin 7