'Exclusion' from new Covid advisory group a mistake - INMO

The Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation has said it is a "mistake" for the Government not to include a nursing or midwifery representative on the new Covid-19 advisory body. "The total exclusion of the voice of the largest group of health professionals is a mistake," said INMO Deputy General Secretary Edward Mathews.

The Department of Health announced the members of the new body yesterday evening. It will replace the now-defunct National Public Health Emergency Team.

The new advisory panel will be chaired by Chief Medical Officer Dr Tony Holohan. Mr Mathews said: "It is particularly disappointing that there is no nursing or midwifery representative on the new Covid-19 Advisory Group. "Nurses have been sounding the alarm for months now of what exactly it is like to work in overcrowded hospitals while dealing with a highly transmissible virus. "Excluding nursing and midwifery from a panel that will advise Government going forward shows a distant and unrealistic approach to the pandemic which actually ignores the reality of the situation in the health services." Mr Mathews added: "Theoretical, research, and on the ground perspectives are essential and underrepresented in the membership of this new body - and will ensure a particular, but not particularly accurate picture as time moves forward." Meanwhile the number of people with Covid-19 in hospitals has decreased by over 100 in the last 24 hours.

This morning, there were 1,069 people in hospital who had tested positive for the virus, compared to 1,182 yesterday. There are also fewer patients with Covid in intensive care, down to 52 today from 58 yesterday.