The People’s Letters Page

Here is this week’s People’s Letters Page…

An open letter to those who’ve been vaccinated on what comes next – from Dr Tony Holohan, Chief Medical Officer

This pandemic has dealt each and every person in Ireland an unfair hand, in many different and diverse ways. Everyone has made difficult sacrifices; everyone has had one of the most uniquely challenging years of their lives. In that sense, we are all in this together.

However, there are some of us who were faced with more difficulties than others: firstly, those of you who have been bereaved by this disease and have experienced loss in a way that has been cruelly constrained by this disease and the restrictions it imposes on us. I would like to express my sincere condolences to each of you.

There are also those of you who at the outset were told you were medically vulnerable to the severe effects of this virus, either due to your underlying condition or your age. This pandemic has asked significant sacrifices from you and you have risen to this unprecedented challenge.

By protecting yourselves and staying at home, you also undoubtedly helped to suppress this disease which protected other people and saved many lives.

Those of you who are at lower risk of the disease have also followed the public health advice to a very high standard to keep the spread of cases low and to get cases numbers back under control quickly when necessary.

We all know the impact that living life to the full – in terms of socialising, exercise, family, work and travel – has on our physical and mental health. It is important to remember that basic individual behaviours that protect us all, individually and as a community, remain the most important and effective contribution that we can all make to preventing transmission of the disease, even when vaccinated.

These behaviours will continue to be a core feature of our ongoing response to COVID-19 as we begin to socialise more and look forward to seeing loved ones who we may not have seen for a very long time.

The COVID-19 Vaccination Programme offers great hope. Vaccination has enabled those most at risk to regain many freedoms that were taken from you by this virus. As more people are vaccinated, we are in a position to recommend some increases in lower risk social opportunities including family visits, personal services, non-essential retail and a return to religious services, in a safe and controlled manner.

Those of you who are vaccinated thus far are mostly those we recommended to cocoon at the outset of the pandemic. You can now get back out there and restart many things you used to do, once restrictions ease from May 10th. That might be visiting the seaside, a trip to a museum, a visit with a friend, or a trip to see your grandchildren at long last. It’s important that you look out for the public health advice that is relevant to you and to plan to do it safely – but it’s important to get on and do it!

I know that those of you who remained indoors, cut social contacts and continue to do everything to protect yourself from COVID-19 may be anxious at the idea of re-opening your social circle, even in a safe and controlled way and even though you have been vaccinated. While this anxiety is understandable, you can have confidence in your vaccine, no matter which one you received. And you can have confidence that the simple measures we recommend really do help to reduce your risk of picking up this disease.
A way to help manage anxiety is to plan your trip including what transport you will use, ensure you have a mask and hand sanitiser available to you, leave yourself additional time so you can avoid crowds, practise social distancing and make your way to and from your destination safely and comfortably. Risk assess your choices and your environments – if you feel uncomfortable or unsafe, feel empowered to walk away and come back another time. Encourage loved ones to feel similarly about prioritising their own safety.
For many people, the last year will not have allowed you to be as active as you were previously. This has likely negatively impacted on mobility and fitness, as well as on confidence. It is important to be aware of this and give your body time to readjust to being more active.
Now is the time to move forward, to go outdoors and to see one another again. As spring turns to summer, we should all take advantage of the bright evenings and warmer weather. Exercising outdoors is an important tool to protect our mental and physical health.
This is not a signal that the pandemic is over. We have all come a long way and things will improve further but there remains a risk that too much social mixing especially indoors, in houses and other settings will lead to a further surge of this disease. It is important that we keep up compliance with the restrictions and the public health advice. The more we do so the more we can avoid a dangerous surge in cases, which would require us to slow down the progress of easing of measures that is planned for the coming weeks and months.

Dear Editor

I am unsurprised that a large percentage of the Republic would vote for a United Ireland while it’s way more uncertain in Northern Ireland what way a vote would go! Where we do more agree, North and South, is most do not want to pay extra tax to pay for a United Ireland!
As a Republican I live for the day of a United Ireland! But it has to be United based on a majority, on respect and on trust! We cannot allow a return to violence on the streets! Many things need to be done to build up trust and respect i.e. greater cross border co-operation, A roadmap for change, much more cross border health and education, a budget cost and plan to how we afford it! An open and honest national and cross political divides debate, the full implementation of the Good Friday agreement.
Most importantly is the need to compromise and be open minded! For many this will be a challenge – are we willing to sacrifice our flag? Our National Anthem? Our Countries Name? The Dail? Names like Tánaiste and Taoiseach? Etc in the United Ireland cause?
Today 100 years ago Northern Ireland was divided from the Republic of Ireland, in all the years of the Troubles lives were lost on both sides as atrocities led to so many deaths! Can we forgive and live side by side? Can we heal old wounds and so much hate!
To me it’s very important that a United Ireland ensures that all the children of the nation are at last equal! That we deal with housing! That we deal with health! That we deal with mental health! That we deal with disability! Etc and that we build a United Ireland of opportunities for everyone! That we don’t miss out on opportunity to do things better for everyone!
The debate is starting, we need to be kind in our debate, in our words and progressive in our thoughts and deeds!

Go raibh maith agat,

Cllr Francis Timmons

Independent Dublin Mid West

Dear Editor

I would be grateful for the opportunity to inform readers of the Dublin People, particularly those who may have had a cancer diagnosis and who are interested in clinical trials, that Cancer Trials Ireland is hosting a Cancer Retreat on Friday May 21.

The virtual event, which coincides with International Clinical Trials Day, is aimed at the cancer research community.

However, conscious of the need to build awareness of clinical trials and to shed some light on how they work, we are opening up our first session to patients, advocates and members of the public. Cancer Trials Ireland is the national organisation responsible for overseeing cancer trials in Ireland. This initiative is part of our “Just Ask” campaign where we encourage people receiving cancer treatment to ask their oncologist or doctor if there is a cancer trial suitable for them.

Each year in Ireland, approximately 45,000 people are diagnosed with cancer and it is estimated that one in two people will develop cancer at some stage during their lifetime.
Clinical trials offer new ways to prevent, find and treat cancer.

They provide participants with access to treatments or procedures not available to other patients – treatments that are potentially better than those currently available, or treatments where there are no other options available. Cancer trials may provide benefit not only to those involved, but also help pave the way for others to access potentially life-saving therapies. There are currently 18 cancer trial centres across Ireland, including in Dublin.
People can view the Cancer Retreat programme and register their attendance free of charge at www.cancertrials.ie

Yours sincerely

Eibhlin Mulroe

CEO,Cancer Trials Ireland, Glasnevin

Dear Editor,

We’re inclined to take birds for granted, however much we might appreciate their life-enhancing presence in our gardens, in the trees, or traversing the skies above.

It’s time we took stock of the fact that many of our feathered friends may disappear forever from our lives, and from this country that has played host to them for millennia.

A recent report highlighted that fifty-four bird species are now on Ireland’s red list, meaning they are deemed to be of “highest conservation concern” and seventy-nine species have been added to the amber list, denoting “concern for populations.”

This should set alarm bells ringing as it provides further evidence of the increasing threat to our biodiversity.

Given the implications of these developments you’d think our politicians would be clamouring to do everything possible to stem the decline of affected species.

Unfortunately, politics and wildlife conservation don’t go well together. It has to do with votes, and the calculation as to what electoral advantage is to be gleaned from saying you’re “for the birds.”

Not only have successive governments failed to enact effective measures to protect them: the law continues to permit the targeting for “sport” of even the most vulnerable bird species.

Teal, Gadwall, Wigeon, Pintail, Tufted Duck and Greylag Goose are “amber” listed, yet are also listed in the annual Open Season Order for shooting.

Snipe were recently raised from the amber conservation status to red, with breeding populations in Ireland now “in severe decline.” But hunters remain free to shoot them for five months of the year.

Red listed Pochard and Goldeneye, both of which have experienced severe declines in their wintering populations, can also be shot.

Red listed Red Grouse can be shot anywhere in the state for the whole of September, while red listed Woodcock are fair game from November 1st to January 31st.

Mallards, whose status has gone from green to amber, also appear on the Open Season Order. You can legally kill them from September 1st to January 31st.

What possible justification can there be for allowing these already threatened species to be blasted out of the sky? We must lobby TDs of all parties on this issue, and make them aware that the protection of our wonderful wildlife heritage DOES matter. It belongs to all of us- not just to those whose idea of fun is to turn a graceful avian into a blood-spattered carcass.

Our leaders need to be told that hunters don’t have a divine right to kill everything with a pair of wings. At the very least, birds that are either red or amber listed should be removed from the Open Seasons Order.

Let’s act to preserve what remains of our diminishing bird life…before the gunmen finish it off.

Thanking you,

Sincerely

John Fitzgerald