Too Fast 2 Spurious

1, Professor warns of haste in ‘political’ move from lockdown2, He says Irish people should wear masks to prevent spread

- Ailbhe Daly And Sylvia Pownall

Ireland is moving too fast in its haste to emerge from lockdown and lives could be at risk, a leading immunologist warned yesterday.

Professor Tomas Ryan made the claim as the World Health Organisation changed its advice on wearing face masks in public.

The WHO said face coverings should be worn where social distancing is not possible as they provide “a barrier for potentially infectious droplets”.

Some countries already recommend or mandate face coverings in public – but they are optional in Ireland.

Dr Ryan, a biochemistry and immunology professor at Trinity College, said he feared we don’t have containment measures in place to deal with another wave of Covid 19. He added: “Well it seems clear that this accelerated plan is entirely a political decision.

“I can’t see a public health decision for accelerating the plan. At the same time, I think that the original plan was in a sense both too slow and too fast.