May 1, 2020

Irish Government road map on easing the Covid-19 restrictions will start on 18 May.

At a glance: What restrictions are going to be lifted and when?

The Government road map on easing the Covid-19 restrictions will start on 18 May.

The plan sets out five stages for unlocking restrictions at three-week intervals.

From next Tuesday 5 May, people who have been cocooning can go outside their homes if they avoid all contact with other people.

The 2km limit that is currently in place for exercise for the general population is to be extended to 5km.

Phase One (18 May)

Outdoor workers like builders and gardeners will be able to return to work.
Some retail outlets - such as garden centres, hardware stores, electrical stores, homewares and repair shops - will reopen at this point.
Some outdoor sporting activities, in small groups with a maximum of four people, will also be allowed.
Outdoor public sports amenities such as football and rugby pitches, tennis courts and golf courses will be reopened where social distancing can be maintained
Outdoor public amenities and tourism sites where people are "non-stationary" and can maintain social distancing
It will also be possible to meet up to four friends and family from other households outdoors while maintaining strict social distancing

Phase Two (8 June)

Workers that can maintain a two-metre distance from colleagues constantly will be allowed to return to work
Remote working will be maintained for all those who can do so
Small retail outlets with small number of staff will be allowed reopen on the basis that the retailer can control the number of individuals that staff and customers interact with at any one time
Livestock marts where social distancing can be maintained will be reopened
Restrictions on exercise will be extended from within 5km of your home to 20km
Specific retail hours will be designated across all retailers for people who are cocooning. Visits to the homes of those who are cocooning will also be permitted where they involve a small number of people for a short period of time using personal protective equipment and observing social distancing
Up to four people will be allowed visit other households for a "short period" while maintaining social distancing
Public libraries will be reopened with limited numbers
People will be permitted to engage in outdoor sporting and fitness activities, involving small group team sports training (but not matches) where social distancing can be maintained and where there is no contact

Phase Three (29 June)

Organisations where employees have low levels of daily interaction with people and where social distancing can be maintained will be allowed reopen
Crèches, childminders and preschools will reopen for children of essential workers in phased manner with social distancing and other requirements applying
Phase in the opening of all other non-essential retail outlets on basis of restriction on the number of staff and customers per square metre so that social distancing can be maintained
This is to be limited to retail outlets with street-level entrance and exit, for example those which are not in enclosed shopping centres, due to higher risk
Open playgrounds where social distancing and hygiene can be maintained
Permit "behind closed doors" sporting activities events where arrangements are in place to enable participants to maintain social distancing
Open cafés and restaurants providing on-premises food and drink where they can comply with social distancing measures and strict cleaning in operation

Phase Four (20 July)

Commence loosening restrictions on higher-risk services like hairdressers and barbers that involve direct physical contact for periods of time between people and for which there is a population-wide demand GULP !!! Another 3 months for a haircut !!!
At this point, travel outside of your region will be permitted.
Slightly larger number of people may visit another household for a short period of time while maintaining social distancing
Small social gatherings by family and close friends limited to a maximum number of attendees for a limited period of time where social distancing can be maintained. For example this will cover small weddings and baptisms
Small social (non-family) gatherings will be allowed, limited to a maximum number of participants for a limited period of time where social distancing can be maintained
Re-opening of crèches, childminders and preschools for children of all other workers on a gradually increasing phased basis (for example one day per week) and slowly increasing thereafter
Organisations where employees cannot remote work to be considered first for return to onsite working arrangements
It is suggested that staggered hours should be operated to increase the number of workers available for work in any 24-hour period, as long as they can limit the number of workers interacting with each other
Museums, art galleries, and other cultural outlets where people are non-stationary, social distancing can be maintained and strict hand hygiene on entry
Religious and places of worship where social distancing can be maintained will be re-opened
Permit sports team leagues (for example football and GAA), but only where limitations are placed on the numbers of spectators and where social distancing can be maintained
Re-open public swimming pools where effective cleaning can be carried out and social distancing can be maintained
Re-opening of hotels, hostels, caravan parks, holiday parks for social and tourist activities initially on a limited occupancy basis (or number of people per square metre) and then increasing over time (and where social distancing is complied with). Hotel bars will remain closed

Phase Five (10 August)

This stage will see the lifting of almost all restrictions. However, "large social gatherings" such as large weddings will continue to be restricted due to risk
Pubs, bars, nightclubs and casinos, will be reopened where social distancing and strict cleaning can be complied with
Visiting rules for hospitals, residential healthcare centre and other residential settings, including prisons, will return to normal
Opening of enclosed shopping centres where social distancing can be maintained
Further loosening of restrictions on services involving direct physical contact for periods of time between people for which there is not a population-wide demand (such as tattooing and piercing)
Theatres and cinemas will re-open where social distancing can be maintained
Sports that involve close physical contact, like rugby, boxing and wrestling, will resume
Gyms, exercise, dance studios and sports clubs will be allowed reopen where regular and effective cleaning can be carried out and social distancing can be maintained
Spectator sporting events which involve mass gatherings will be allowed resume in accordance with both indoor and outdoor numbers restrictions and where social distancing can be complied with
Indoor recreational venues, such as roller skating rinks, bowling alleys and bingo halls, will be allowed reopen where numbers can be limited, cleaning can be maintained, restrictions where social distancing can be complied with
Festivals, events and other social and cultural mass gatherings will be allowed take place in accordance with both indoor and outdoor numbers and where social distancing can be complied with
Schools and universities will return at the beginning of the 2020/2021 academic year

https://www.rte.ie/news/2020/0501/1136167-road-map-details/

April 29, 2020

Why economics is not a cult, negative oil prices, Newcastle United, Altar boys, America's reckoning

David McWilliams podcast

This week he explains what happened with Saudi-Russia-Opec-US oil story, plus the 300th anniversary of Jonathan Swift speculating on the South Seas Bubble, which was caused by something eerily familiar.

This week we cover a wide array of subjects: from new Irish government to possible recession fixes (no disinfectant involved) and then talking to Frank Kane to get to the bottom of negative oil prices. All this and some history and craic along the way, hope you enjoy!

From 16:16 mark

What was the background with those negative Oil prices, the Trump encouraged deal between Russia and Saudis, and what effect it will have on the US Oil production ?

From 38:30 mark

America's reckoning, what this crisis reveals about the country, and its underlying illness.

From 47:26 mark

Europe thinks inequality is appalling, America thinks it's a fair reflection of your effort, yet America has the smallest social mobility in the world. Denmark has the highest social mobility in the world. Pandemics is one of the 4 events that change social mobility.

From 52:50 mark

The 300th Anniversary of the South Sea Bubble in Summer of 1720, and the lesson for now, as to what caused it.

April 13, 2020

Galway Team Designs Adjustable Ventilation System to Treat Two Patients from One Ventilator

They can't hold back the tide on innovation.

New system to safely deliver adjustable ventilation and will halve the number of ventilators needed for patients

Clinicians and members of the medical technology (MedTech) sector in Galway have designed a new ventilation system to maximise the usage of ventilators treating patients during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Inspire Team, based at NUI Galway, have designed a new system to support clinicians to safely split ventilation between two patients, while maintaining the ability to individualize the breath size and the pressure levels required by each. With health systems globally coming under significant pressure to ventilate COVID-19 patients, it is hoped this new system can help alleviate the pressure on resources in hospitals.

The system is being made available to health services globally on the website www.galwayventshare.com and it has been designed so that it can be replicated using medically approved ventilator equipment that already exists in most hospitals.

The system allows for delivery of the correct lung volume based on each patient’s requirements which can be adjusted as necessary. The amount delivered can be verified through a tablet connected to the ventilator, giving more confidence to the clinicians through individual patient monitoring. The design has been approached from a COVID patient perspective. Patient requirements can vary and the team have ensured that the volume can be adjusted for each patient to cater for this and adjust over time as needed. This is particularly effective for people with lung disease or respiratory illness.

Speaking today, alongside co-leads Jack Connolly and Atif Shahzad, Tim Jones, Enterprise Ireland funded commercial researcher and Co-Founder of SymPhysis Medical said: “The team has come together mindful of the need for speed in developing and sharing solutions that can treat the COVID-19 pandemic. We are making our findings available to colleagues worldwide to help alleviate some of the pressure on hospitals challenged by a shortage of ventilators. We are meanwhile moving to complete sensor and interface prototypes and rigorously test the full system, with all findings to be shared widely as soon as they’re available.”

More at

https://www.nuigalway.ie/about-us/news-and-events/news-archive/2020/april/galway-team-designs-adjustable-ventilation-system-to-treat-two-patients-from-one-ventilator-1.html