Cancel your foreign holidays: Dr. Tony Holohan warns holiday-goers not to take the risk

At yesterday’s press briefing, the Chief Medical Officer urged those wanting a holiday to remember the country’s ‘collective interest’.

It still may be too soon to consider a trip abroad, as Ireland’s Chief Medical Officer urged holiday makers to opt for a staycation instead.

At yesterday’s press briefing, Dr. Tony Holohan advised against all non-essential travel over the coming weeks and months, and said it would ‘make much more sense’ for those with bookings abroad to cancel them.

“It makes much more sense to not go ahead with that booking and to risk travelling abroad, picking up this infection, risk for you, for any family member you be travelling with or indeed any close contacts you have,” he said. “I think that would be not just in your individual interest but in our collective interest.”

Dr. Holohan added that he was “genuinely very concerned” at the prospect of Irish people heading abroad, as the HSE reported a further 24 new cases of Covid-19 as of yesterday, bringing the total to 25,462.

“We are starting to see a worrying trend, with the number of reported cases increasing, and some new clusters,” Dr Holohan said. According to the HSE, at least six of the new cases reported yesterday are associated with international travel.

“As restrictions are lifted and people move about more, it’s important that we use the tools that have helped us suppress the virus to date,” Dr. Holohan said.

When asked about those in Ireland who may think that Covid-19 is over, he added: “unfortunately, they are wrong”.

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