theirishtimes--2020-05-07--Blood filtration device shows promise in coronavirus struggle

A new medical device that has shown promising results in early trials on coronavirus patients may be manufactured in Ireland after talks began on identifying potential sites here .
The Seraph 100 , a filtration device that removes viruses and bacteria from the blood , was granted emergency approval by US authorities last month for use in treating Covid-19 patients .
The technology received its European safety certification last year and is being used on Covid-19 patients in hospitals in Germany , Italy , Spain and the US .
Made in California by ExThera Medical Corporation , the pump-powered technology @ @ @ @ @ @ @ naturally occurring blood-thinner , to bind the virus and remove it from the bloodstream .
It had been in development as a treatment for blood infections for a number of years , but ExThera turned its focus to Covid-19 as the disease spread rapidly across the world earlier this year .
As part of its investment in the device , ExThera has agreed a deal with the Gorta Group , an Irish aid agency , for potential use of the Seraph 100 in the developing world .
The agreement allows Gorta to distribute @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 65 countries in Africa and Asia .
As a first step , a consignment of Seraph filters was due to be shipped on Wednesday from the Netherlands to a hospital in Kenya , where trials similar to those under way in Europe and the US will take place .
“ This partnership will enable us to save lives in Africa by strengthening public health systems ’ ability to respond to Covid-19 , ” said Gorta Group chief executive Ray Jordan .
The Seraph-100 does not cure Covid-19 .
Rather it aims to reduce @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the cytokine storm – a dangerous over-reaction of the immune system that is known to occur in severe cases .
That provides more time and better conditions for the immune system to clear the virus from the body .
The device has not yet been subjected to large-scale trials , but in pre-clinical testing and in limited clinical use it has been shown to reduce the bloodstream concentration of pathogens in some patients .
Prof Jan T Kielstein , director of nephrology , rheumatology and blood purification at Academic Teaching Hospital in Braunschweig @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deployment of the Seraph-100 in Europe , said he was pleased with the “ general improvement ” of Covid-19 patients during and after use of the treatment .
He said it had “ immediate and sustained effects ” on vital signs and laboratory parameters in the small number of patients who had received it .
Case reports on use of the device in Europe and the US have yet to be published .
However , ExThera chief executive Bob Ward said early results were “ very encouraging ” , with patients showing lower @ @ @ @ @ @ @ arterial pressure and oxygen saturation .
“ We have confidence that Seraph 100 treatment alone or in combination with available anti-viral drugs and vaccines could help curb the current epidemic and save lives , ” he said .
ExThera investors have initiated talks with the IDA to identify a manufacturing facility in Ireland that could produce the Seraph-100 .
It is understood that a number of sites throughout the country are being examined .
The device received its European CE certification in July 2019 , allowing its commercial use in Europe to treat @ @ @ @ @ @ @ On April 17th , the US Food and Drug Administration awarded ExThera an Emergency Use Authorisation to use the device in treating Covid-19 patients .
Gorta said its partnership with ExThera aimed to ensure that world-class medical devices were made accessible quickly and affordably in lower- and middle-income countries .
“ ExThera ’ s commitment to simultaneously deploy the Seraph 100 globally into both higher-income country healthcare systems at market prices and humanitarian led programmes at a significant discount should be a beacon for others to follow , ” Mr Jordan said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ is behind the link between Gorta and the company .
The Seraph-100 was designed to remove a variety of pathogens in patients with bloodstream infections .
As the patient ’ s blood flows through the Seraph filter , it passes over tiny beads with receptors that mimic the receptors on human cells that pathogens target when they infect the body .
The filter , using the same principle as kidney dialysis , then returns the blood to the patient with blood cells and proteins intact but having removed harmful substances .
When Covid-19 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an immune response , attracting immune cells to the region to attack the virus , resulting in localised inflammation .
But in some patients , excessive or uncontrolled levels of cytokines , a type of protein , are released .
This leads to activation of more immune cells , resulting in hyperinflammation .
The resulting cytokine storm might explain why some people have a more severe reaction to coronavirus while others experience only mild symptoms .
Dr Bairbre McNicholas , a critical care consultant and nephrologist at Galway University Hospital , said research @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by hemodialysis patients , and that it could quickly remove bacteria from blood .
While it was not clear yet that the filtration technique could be as effective with other conditions , it was necessary “ to go in with a fresh pair of eyes ” , she believed , because in severely sick patients Covid infection went beyond the lungs to affect kidneys as well .
She said the technology offered exciting possibilities , though she stressed the importance of generating data from larger clinical trials with control groups .
UCD professor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ kidney specialist at Dublin ’ s Mater and St Vincent ’ s hospitals , said blood filtration was used in ICUs and on renal patients ; the difference in this case was the use of heparin , a naturally occurring substance , normally used as a blood thinner .
“ The clever bit is using coated microbeads with heparin , ” he added .
This created a much bigger binding surface to remove the virus .
Randomised trials were needed to identify which patients were likely to benefit , and impact with different @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Prof John Laffey , an ICU doctor and anaesthesiologist at Galway University Hospital , also said the technology was showing some patient improvement , based on getting in at early stage of infection and removing cytokines , although more trials needed to be done to confirm its potential .

A new medical device that has shown promising results in early trials on coronavirus patients may be manufactured in Ireland after talks began on identifying potential sites here.
The Seraph 100, a filtration device that removes viruses and bacteria from the blood, was granted emergency approval by US authorities last month for use in treating Covid-19 patients. The technology received its European safety certification last year and is being used on Covid-19 patients in hospitals in Germany, Italy, Spain and the US.
Made in California by ExThera Medical Corporation, the pump-powered technology uses microbeads coated with heparin, a naturally occurring blood-thinner, to bind the virus and remove it from the bloodstream. It had been in development as a treatment for blood infections for a number of years, but ExThera turned its focus to Covid-19 as the disease spread rapidly across the world earlier this year.
As part of its investment in the device, ExThera has agreed a deal with the Gorta Group, an Irish aid agency, for potential use of the Seraph 100 in the developing world. The agreement allows Gorta to distribute the Seraph 100 for humanitarian purposes in 65 countries in Africa and Asia. As a first step, a consignment of Seraph filters was due to be shipped on Wednesday from the Netherlands to a hospital in Kenya, where trials similar to those under way in Europe and the US will take place.
READ MORE
"This partnership will enable us to save lives in Africa by strengthening public health systems' ability to respond to Covid-19," said Gorta Group chief executive Ray Jordan.
The Seraph-100 does not cure Covid-19. Rather it aims to reduce the viral load in patients and blunt the cytokine storm – a dangerous over-reaction of the immune system that is known to occur in severe cases. That provides more time and better conditions for the immune system to clear the virus from the body.
The device has not yet been subjected to large-scale trials, but in pre-clinical testing and in limited clinical use it has been shown to reduce the bloodstream concentration of pathogens in some patients.
Laboratory parameters
Prof Jan T Kielstein, director of nephrology, rheumatology and blood purification at Academic Teaching Hospital in Braunschweig, Germany, who is leading the deployment of the Seraph-100 in Europe, said he was pleased with the "general improvement" of Covid-19 patients during and after use of the treatment. He said it had "immediate and sustained effects" on vital signs and laboratory parameters in the small number of patients who had received it.
Case reports on use of the device in Europe and the US have yet to be published. However, ExThera chief executive Bob Ward said early results were "very encouraging", with patients showing lower blood pathogen levels and improvements in mean arterial pressure and oxygen saturation.
“We have confidence that Seraph 100 treatment alone or in combination with available anti-viral drugs and vaccines could help curb the current epidemic and save lives,” he said.
ExThera investors have initiated talks with the IDA to identify a manufacturing facility in Ireland that could produce the Seraph-100. It is understood that a number of sites throughout the country are being examined.
The device received its European CE certification in July 2019, allowing its commercial use in Europe to treat blood infections such as antibiotic-resistant bacteria. On April 17th, the US Food and Drug Administration awarded ExThera an Emergency Use Authorisation to use the device in treating Covid-19 patients.
Gorta said its partnership with ExThera aimed to ensure that world-class medical devices were made accessible quickly and affordably in lower- and middle-income countries.
“ExThera’s commitment to simultaneously deploy the Seraph 100 globally into both higher-income country healthcare systems at market prices and humanitarian led programmes at a significant discount should be a beacon for others to follow,” Mr Jordan said. An Irish entrepreneur and investor in ExThera is behind the link between Gorta and the company.
Tiny beads
The Seraph-100 was designed to remove a variety of pathogens in patients with bloodstream infections. As the patient’s blood flows through the Seraph filter, it passes over tiny beads with receptors that mimic the receptors on human cells that pathogens target when they infect the body. The filter, using the same principle as kidney dialysis, then returns the blood to the patient with blood cells and proteins intact but having removed harmful substances.
When Covid-19 virus enters the lungs, it triggers an immune response, attracting immune cells to the region to attack the virus, resulting in localised inflammation.
But in some patients, excessive or uncontrolled levels of cytokines, a type of protein, are released. This leads to activation of more immune cells, resulting in hyperinflammation. The resulting cytokine storm might explain why some people have a more severe reaction to coronavirus while others experience only mild symptoms.
Dr Bairbre McNicholas, a critical care consultant and nephrologist at Galway University Hospital, said research indicated the Seraph-100 treatment was well tolerated by hemodialysis patients, and that it could quickly remove bacteria from blood.
While it was not clear yet that the filtration technique could be as effective with other conditions, it was necessary “to go in with a fresh pair of eyes”, she believed, because in severely sick patients Covid infection went beyond the lungs to affect kidneys as well.
She said the technology offered exciting possibilities, though she stressed the importance of generating data from larger clinical trials with control groups.
UCD professor of clinical pharmacology Pat Murray, a kidney specialist at Dublin's Mater and St Vincent's hospitals, said blood filtration was used in ICUs and on renal patients; the difference in this case was the use of heparin, a naturally occurring substance, normally used as a blood thinner.
“The clever bit is using coated microbeads with heparin,” he added. This created a much bigger binding surface to remove the virus. Randomised trials were needed to identify which patients were likely to benefit, and impact with different viral loads needed to be evaluated.
Prof John Laffey, an ICU doctor and anaesthesiologist at Galway University Hospital, also said the technology was showing some patient improvement, based on getting in at early stage of infection and removing cytokines, although more trials needed to be done to confirm its potential.


theirishtimes--2020-05-07--Acorrd app helps treatment of Covid-19 patients

A new web-based app designed by clinicians to help hospitals cope with coronavirus cases is supporting more than 1,000 Covid-19 patients in Ireland after moving from concept to successful deployment in 10 days .
Known as Acorrd – Assessment of Covid-19 Risk of Respiratory Deterioration – it allows closer monitoring of seriously-ill Covid patients , and better anticipation of who might have to go to ICU due to deteriorating breathing difficulties .
It is also making hospital management easier , and ultimately leading to better patient outcomes in many cases .
Because of its effectiveness in helping medical teams determine @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as triage ) , in ongoing monitoring and in treatment , it is being rolled out in acute hospitals .
It was developed by respiratory consultants at the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland led by Prof Richard Costello at Beaumont Hospital , Dublin , and medtech firm S3 Connected Health with support from the Royal College of Physicians in Ireland .
After being granted a derogation from the Health Products Regulatory Authority and the Department of Health , Acorrd was developed initially at Beaumont Hospital , which has the largest cohort of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ major hospitals are currently using it , while more than 100 clinicians are piloting its use and , following a Health Service Executive review of clinical benefits , it will be deployed in all hospitals with Covid-19 patients .
“ Ireland ’ s hospitals are working tirelessly and doing a stellar job at looking after coronavirus patients .
However , with the number of cases rapidly increasing , we urgently needed to find a solution which enabled our hospital teams to cope with this crisis by optimising and scaling acute respiratory care delivery @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Prof Costello .
With additional clinical staff being pulled in from other departments to boost respiratory care teams , “ we also needed something to provide clinicians less experienced in this area with the critical knowledge and decision support to care for patients ” , he said .
In normal circumstances , Acorrd would take up to a year to develop from concept to deployment , said S3 Connected Health president Jim O ’ Donoghue .
“ However , as these are critical times , we managed to expedite the process .
.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ two weeks , thanks to our outstanding partners , ” he added .
Digital health solutions were becoming a vital part of healthcare , “ and the Covid-19 crisis underlines the importance of embracing digital solutions to improve patient outcomes and facilitate more efficient care ” , Mr O ’ Donoghue said .
Acorrd enables clinicians to quickly and appropriately triage Covid-19 patients using the web-based application on their smartphone – and measure patient status – the Covid critical care index ( CCCI ) .
This helps determine the best course of treatment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ including respiratory rate and oxygen-saturation levels in the lungs .
It also determines the mode of oxygen delivery .
“ CCCI assessments are repeated on an ongoing basis , enabling Acorrd to visualise trends , track disease progression , assist in the early identification of patient deterioration , and provide timely advice to the care team on the appropriate clinical considerations , ” Prof Costello explained .
They were also starting to see interesting clinical data , “ which is helping us better understand the trajectory of the disease and help plan for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ into the progression of this uncharted disease is invaluable ” .

A new web-based app designed by clinicians to help hospitals cope with coronavirus cases is supporting more than 1,000 Covid-19 patients in Ireland after moving from concept to successful deployment in 10 days.
Known as Acorrd – Assessment of Covid-19 Risk of Respiratory Deterioration – it allows closer monitoring of seriously-ill Covid patients, and better anticipation of who might have to go to ICU due to deteriorating breathing difficulties.
It is also making hospital management easier, and ultimately leading to better patient outcomes in many cases. Because of its effectiveness in helping medical teams determine the medical urgency of patients (known as triage), in ongoing monitoring and in treatment, it is being rolled out in acute hospitals.
It was developed by respiratory consultants at the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland led by Prof Richard Costello at Beaumont Hospital, Dublin, and medtech firm S3 Connected Health with support from the Royal College of Physicians in Ireland.
READ MORE
After being granted a derogation from the Health Products Regulatory Authority and the Department of Health, Acorrd was developed initially at Beaumont Hospital, which has the largest cohort of Covid-19 patients in Ireland.
Three more major hospitals are currently using it, while more than 100 clinicians are piloting its use and, following a Health Service Executive review of clinical benefits, it will be deployed in all hospitals with Covid-19 patients.
Respiratory care
“Ireland’s hospitals are working tirelessly and doing a stellar job at looking after coronavirus patients. However, with the number of cases rapidly increasing, we urgently needed to find a solution which enabled our hospital teams to cope with this crisis by optimising and scaling acute respiratory care delivery for all affected patients,” said Prof Costello.
With additional clinical staff being pulled in from other departments to boost respiratory care teams, “we also needed something to provide clinicians less experienced in this area with the critical knowledge and decision support to care for patients”, he said.
In normal circumstances, Acorrd would take up to a year to develop from concept to deployment, said S3 Connected Health president Jim O’Donoghue.
“However, as these are critical times, we managed to expedite the process . . . and deliver it in less than two weeks, thanks to our outstanding partners,” he added.
‘Digital solutions’
Digital health solutions were becoming a vital part of healthcare, “and the Covid-19 crisis underlines the importance of embracing digital solutions to improve patient outcomes and facilitate more efficient care”, Mr O’Donoghue said.
Acorrd enables clinicians to quickly and appropriately triage Covid-19 patients using the web-based application on their smartphone – and measure patient status – the Covid critical care index (CCCI).
This helps determine the best course of treatment based on key patient vital indicators, including respiratory rate and oxygen-saturation levels in the lungs. It also determines the mode of oxygen delivery.
“CCCI assessments are repeated on an ongoing basis, enabling Acorrd to visualise trends, track disease progression, assist in the early identification of patient deterioration, and provide timely advice to the care team on the appropriate clinical considerations,” Prof Costello explained.
They were also starting to see interesting clinical data, “which is helping us better understand the trajectory of the disease and help plan for future requirements; to have the insight into the progression of this uncharted disease is invaluable”.


theirishtimes--2020-05-08--College Green closure, wider restrictions on cars planned for Dublin

Dublin ’ s College Green is set to be pedestrianised – and cars restricted throughout the city – under plans to reopen the city centre as Covid-19 restrictions are lifted .
A joint report from Dublin City Council chief executive Owen Keegan and Brendan O ’ Brien of its traffic department said “ the same level of vehicular traffic can not be accommodated in the city as before ” , and in a number of locations “ motorised vehicles ” would have to banned after 11am each day .
The report describes the proposal as a “ temporary mobility plan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ next three to six months in line with the Government ’ s road map for reopening society , published last week .
However , it is understood the measures will remain in place for at least 12 to 18 months , with some likely to be retained on a permanent basis .
Some measures already undertaken by the council to increase space and social distancing for pedestrians , including priority setting on traffic lights to guard against footpath queueing , “ actually preclude a return to previous high levels of private car use @ @ @ @ @ @ @ year 46,000 private cars travelled into the city centre during typical morning peak times .
By March 31st that figure had dipped to around 14,000 .
However , the measures prioritising pedestrians at traffic lights would alone mean traffic would have to be reduced by 40 per cent on last year ’ s levels .
A council and National Transport Authority working group has been established to oversee the changes .
The report said changes may mean removing vehicles after 11am , “ which will assist businesses to reopen by allowing more on-street @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also for waiting areas ” .
“ The temporary closure of College Green and the temporary widening of footpaths along Dame Street would provide space within the city centre for pedestrians , cyclists and for businesses to be facilitated to reopen.
” A full report on the range and location of measures which will “ reflect the new reality ” will be published in the next two weeks .

It is understood the measures will remain in place for at least 12 to 18 months, with some likely to be retained on a permanent basis. Photograph: Cyril Byrne/The Irish Times
Dublin’s College Green is set to be pedestrianised – and cars restricted throughout the city – under plans to reopen the city centre as Covid-19 restrictions are lifted.
A joint report from Dublin City Council chief executive Owen Keegan and Brendan O'Brien of its traffic department said "the same level of vehicular traffic cannot be accommodated in the city as before", and in a number of locations "motorised vehicles" would have to banned after 11am each day.
The report describes the proposal as a “temporary mobility plan” which would be introduced over the next three to six months in line with the Government’s road map for reopening society, published last week.
However, it is understood the measures will remain in place for at least 12 to 18 months, with some likely to be retained on a permanent basis.
READ MORE
Some measures already undertaken by the council to increase space and social distancing for pedestrians, including priority setting on traffic lights to guard against footpath queueing, “actually preclude a return to previous high levels of private car use”, the report says.
Last year 46,000 private cars travelled into the city centre during typical morning peak times. By March 31st that figure had dipped to around 14,000. However, the measures prioritising pedestrians at traffic lights would alone mean traffic would have to be reduced by 40 per cent on last year’s levels.
Working group
A council and National Transport Authority working group has been established to oversee the changes. The report said changes may mean removing vehicles after 11am, " which will assist businesses to reopen by allowing more on-street space for tables and chairs, and also for waiting areas".
“The temporary closure of College Green and the temporary widening of footpaths along Dame Street would provide space within the city centre for pedestrians, cyclists and for businesses to be facilitated to reopen.”
A full report on the range and location of measures which will “reflect the new reality” will be published in the next two weeks. It will also include measures to widen footpaths on the main corridors, provide for cycling, ensure public transport is safe to use and providing increased space for boarding and alighting at bus stops in the city centre.
“The requirements of social distancing, the reduction of emissions and the encouragement of the active modes require that our temporary mobility plan for the city is not based around any increase in private car traffic,” the report said.
“The changes in our traffic light system to assist pedestrians and avoid build ups of pedestrians at crossings actually preclude a return to previous high levels of private car use.”


theirishtimes--2020-05-08--Coronavirus: New assessment hub to focus on disease ‘hot-spots’

Marginalised groups and other “ challenging ” sectors are to become a new frontline of the battle against Covid-19 .
While the overall daily number of new cases reported on Thursday fell to its lowest level in over six weeks , a greater focus is planned on areas where the virus continues to circulate at significant levels .
Minister for Health Simon Harris will on Friday open a new Covid-19 assessment hub at the Mater Hospital in Dublin to work specifically with marginalised groups in the inner city .
Some 58 per cent of Roma who have undergone testing , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have had a positive result , according to official figures .
The overall positivity rate for all people tested has fallen to under 4 per cent .
The new hub will include a mobile unit to test and treat marginalised groups across the inner city , and will be able to deliver test results in under an hour .
The situation in meat factories , detention centres and other locations where virus “ hot-spots ” have been identified will be examined by the National Public Health Emergency Team ( NPHET ) at its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ testing approach to that carried out on staff and residents in nursing homes may be taken in other settings with high concentrations of the disease .
There are now 176 cases among asylum seekers in direct provision centres , almost twice the previously disclosed figure , officials said .
Today ’ s meeting of NPHET will also consider whether to issue new recommendations in relation to passengers coming into the State .
Over one-third of passengers arriving at Dublin Airport and a quarter of those coming in at Dublin Port who were asked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ check calls , it emerged on Thursday .
Chief medical officer Dr Tony Holohan said that as the date of easing of restrictions from May 18th approaches , travel measures will become more important .
The deaths of another 29 patients were announced by NPHET at its briefing on Thursday .
There have now been 1,403 Covid-19 related deaths in the Republic .
The 137 new cases of the disease reported is the lowest daily figure since March 22nd .
They bring the total number of cases to 22,385 .
A large proportion @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nursing homes and other residential care facilities , where numbers rose 115 on the previous day .
The reproduction number of the disease , a measure of how many other people an infected person goes on to infect , now stands at 0.5-0.6 .
Dr Holohan said this showed the goal of suppressing the virus has been achieved .
Prof Philip Nolan , chair of the NPHET modelling advisory group , warned if the reproduction number were to rise again to 1.6 , “ we ’ d be back to 1,000 cases a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Dr Holohan played down suggestions by Taoiseach Leo Varadkar that the virus may have been circulating in Ireland as long ago as last December .
Almost 400 people had been tested before the first positive result came back , he pointed out .
If an appreciable level of virus had been circulating , “ it would have been picked up ” .

Safteynet is a Primary Care facility for those marginalised in society without access to healthcare and they've reconfigured to respond specifically to the coronavirus pandemic. Video: Enda O'Dowd
Marginalised groups and other “challenging” sectors are to become a new frontline of the battle against Covid-19.
While the overall daily number of new cases reported on Thursday fell to its lowest level in over six weeks, a greater focus is planned on areas where the virus continues to circulate at significant levels.
Minister for Health Simon Harris will on Friday open a new Covid-19 assessment hub at the Mater Hospital in Dublin to work specifically with marginalised groups in the inner city.
Some 58 per cent of Roma who have undergone testing, and 43 per cent of Travellers, have had a positive result, according to official figures. The overall positivity rate for all people tested has fallen to under 4 per cent.
READ MORE
The new hub will include a mobile unit to test and treat marginalised groups across the inner city, and will be able to deliver test results in under an hour.
The situation in meat factories, detention centres and other locations where virus “hot-spots” have been identified will be examined by the National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET) at its meeting on Friday.
Blanket testing
A similar blanket testing approach to that carried out on staff and residents in nursing homes may be taken in other settings with high concentrations of the disease. There are now 176 cases among asylum seekers in direct provision centres, almost twice the previously disclosed figure, officials said.
Today’s meeting of NPHET will also consider whether to issue new recommendations in relation to passengers coming into the State. Over one-third of passengers arriving at Dublin Airport and a quarter of those coming in at Dublin Port who were asked to self-isolate did not respond to follow-up check calls, it emerged on Thursday.
Chief medical officer Dr Tony Holohan said that as the date of easing of restrictions from May 18th approaches, travel measures will become more important.
The deaths of another 29 patients were announced by NPHET at its briefing on Thursday. There have now been 1,403 Covid-19 related deaths in the Republic.
Lowest daily figure
The 137 new cases of the disease reported is the lowest daily figure since March 22nd. They bring the total number of cases to 22,385. A large proportion of the new cases are occurring in nursing homes and other residential care facilities, where numbers rose 115 on the previous day.
The reproduction number of the disease, a measure of how many other people an infected person goes on to infect, now stands at 0.5-0.6. Dr Holohan said this showed the goal of suppressing the virus has been achieved.
Prof Philip Nolan, chair of the NPHET modelling advisory group, warned if the reproduction number were to rise again to 1.6, "we'd be back to 1,000 cases a day in three weeks' time."
Dr Holohan played down suggestions by Taoiseach Leo Varadkar that the virus may have been circulating in Ireland as long ago as last December.
Almost 400 people had been tested before the first positive result came back, he pointed out. If an appreciable level of virus had been circulating, “it would have been picked up”.


theirishtimes--2020-05-08--Asylum seekers who worked pre-pandemic not eligible for Covid-19 support

Asylum seekers living in direct provision who were in work before the pandemic but lost their jobs because of the health crisis have stopped receiving the Covid-19 unemployment payment .
Asylum seekers with permission to work who became unemployed following the coronavirus outbreak initially received the State ’ s Covid-19 pandemic unemployment payment of €350 per week .
However , it has emerged that those living in direct provision centres stopped receiving this welfare payment after a fortnight , and were put back on the €38.80 weekly allowance ( €155.20 per month ) for adults in the asylum system .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ continued to receive the payment .
Asked to clarify why the payment had stopped for those in the accommodation system , a spokeswoman for the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection said people in direct provision already had their “ accommodation and other basic needs met by the State , and the Covid-19 pandemic unemployment payment is not available to them ” .
Some 1,208 people living in direct provision were working at the end of 2019 , according to Department of Justice figures .
Fiona Finn , chief executive of migrant @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ deeply unfair ” that asylum seekers had stopped receiving the State Covid-19 support , and warned that those in self-employment , who must continue payment of rent and overheads , had been particularly affected .
“ It is unclear why such an unfair distinction has been made , ” said Ms Finn .
“ For other workers receipt of carer ’ s allowance or working family payment does not affect their eligibility to claim the Covid-19 payment .
There is no justifiable reason why a reduction of over €311 per week should @ @ @ @ @ @ @ direct provision.
” Nick Henderson , chief executive of the Irish Refugee Council ( IRC ) , said he had contacted Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection Regina Doherty on three occasions since late March requesting an explanation for why direct provision residents had stopped receiving the pandemic payment .
He has not received a response to date .
A letter was also sent to Ms Doherty this week , signed by more than 40 organisations working with asylum seekers including the IRC , expressing concern that people in direct provision were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and requesting that the weekly stipend be increased by €20 for both adults and children .
Minister for Health Simon Harris said on Thursday there were 164 confirmed cases of Covid-19 in direct provision centres , with nine clusters around the country and 10 people hospitalised with the virus .

Those living in direct provision centres stopped receiving the Covid welfare payment after a fortnight, and were put back on the €38.80 weekly allowance for adults in the asylum system
Asylum seekers living in direct provision who were in work before the pandemic but lost their jobs because of the health crisis have stopped receiving the Covid-19 unemployment payment.
Asylum seekers with permission to work who became unemployed following the coronavirus outbreak initially received the State’s Covid-19 pandemic unemployment payment of €350 per week.
However, it has emerged that those living in direct provision centres stopped receiving this welfare payment after a fortnight, and were put back on the €38.80 weekly allowance (€155.20 per month) for adults in the asylum system.
Asylum seekers living outside direct provision have continued to receive the payment.
READ MORE
Asked to clarify why the payment had stopped for those in the accommodation system, a spokeswoman for the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection said people in direct provision already had their “accommodation and other basic needs met by the State, and the Covid-19 pandemic unemployment payment is not available to them”.
Some 1,208 people living in direct provision were working at the end of 2019, according to Department of Justice figures.
Fiona Finn, chief executive of migrant rights group Nasc, described it as “deeply unfair” that asylum seekers had stopped receiving the State Covid-19 support, and warned that those in self-employment, who must continue payment of rent and overheads, had been particularly affected.
“It is unclear why such an unfair distinction has been made,” said Ms Finn. “For other workers receipt of carer’s allowance or working family payment does not affect their eligibility to claim the Covid-19 payment. There is no justifiable reason why a reduction of over €311 per week should be made because people are living in direct provision.”
No response
Nick Henderson, chief executive of the Irish Refugee Council (IRC), said he had contacted Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection Regina Doherty on three occasions since late March requesting an explanation for why direct provision residents had stopped receiving the pandemic payment. He has not received a response to date.
A letter was also sent to Ms Doherty this week, signed by more than 40 organisations working with asylum seekers including the IRC, expressing concern that people in direct provision were not receiving additional support during the pandemic, and requesting that the weekly stipend be increased by €20 for both adults and children.
Minister for Health Simon Harris said on Thursday there were 164 confirmed cases of Covid-19 in direct provision centres, with nine clusters around the country and 10 people hospitalised with the virus.


theirishtimes--2020-05-08--State takeover of private hospitals to be reviewed at end of May

The Government ’ s initiative to take over nearly 20 private hospitals will be reviewed before the end of the month to assess its effectiveness in supporting the public health system and in the context of the prevalence of Covid-19 , a confidential Department of Health/Health Service Executive paper has said .
The document , given to the National Public Health Emergency Team ( Nphet ) on Tuesday , stated , given the costs involved , any extension of the current agreement would require the approval of Minister for Public Expenditure Paschal Donohoe .
Taoiseach Leo Varadkar told the Dáil @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hospitals could cost €115 million per month .
In a report to Nphet on the provision of non-Covid care in hospitals , the Department of Health/HSE said that , subject to guidance on mitigating risk in carrying out procedures , it was envisaged the private hospitals would be used in support of the resumption of more routine scheduled care in order to tackle the increasing waiting lists for such care .
However , the paper warned that “ this may be dependent on the decision on whether or not to extend the arrangement @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the HSE and the private hospitals has been a slower process than originally anticipated .
The finalising of the service-level agreement with individual or groups of hospitals has proved to be more complicated than was originally envisaged .
However , it is expected that service-level agreements will be concluded with the hospitals shortly .
The process of offering the consultants who work wholly for the private sector locum public-only contracts for the duration of the arrangement has also proved to be complex.
” The Government ’ s deal with private hospital did not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ these facilities .
The Department of Health said that so far about 280 have signed a proposed contract which would see them treat public patients only .
Minister for Health Simon Harris is expected to meet private hospital consultants on Friday .
Mr Harris told the Dáil on Thursday that payments to the private hospitals “ will be a cost-only book model , whereby the hospitals will be reimbursed only for the operating costs property incurred for the period ” .
The costs covered will be limited to normal cost of operating the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also said the HSE had identified the need for “ significant additional investment ” to augment infection and prevention control ( IPC ) resources to sustain current services as hospitals return to normal activity , and for the rollout of an ICT system across all acute hospitals to increase efficiency in infection surveillance .
The paper also said the Department of Health would “ engage with [ the health safety watchdog ] Hiqa and the HSE in relation to the potential to undertake a review of IPC control capacity in private hospitals ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hiqa carried out a desktop review of infection control in acute hospitals and identified a number of potential risks .

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar told the Dáil in April the agreement with private hospitals could cost €115 million per month. Photograph: Cyril Byrne
The Government’s initiative to take over nearly 20 private hospitals will be reviewed before the end of the month to assess its effectiveness in supporting the public health system and in the context of the prevalence of Covid-19, a confidential Department of Health/Health Service Executive paper has said.
The document, given to the National Public Health Emergency Team (Nphet) on Tuesday, stated, given the costs involved, any extension of the current agreement would require the approval of Minister for Public Expenditure Paschal Donohoe.
Taoiseach Leo Varadkar told the Dáil in April the agreement with the private hospitals could cost €115 million per month.
In a report to Nphet on the provision of non-Covid care in hospitals, the Department of Health/HSE said that, subject to guidance on mitigating risk in carrying out procedures, it was envisaged the private hospitals would be used in support of the resumption of more routine scheduled care in order to tackle the increasing waiting lists for such care.
READ MORE
Service-level agreement
However, the paper warned that “this may be dependent on the decision on whether or not to extend the arrangement”.
“Implementing the arrangement between the HSE and the private hospitals has been a slower process than originally anticipated. The finalising of the service-level agreement with individual or groups of hospitals has proved to be more complicated than was originally envisaged. However, it is expected that service-level agreements will be concluded with the hospitals shortly. The process of offering the consultants who work wholly for the private sector locum public-only contracts for the duration of the arrangement has also proved to be complex.”
The Government's deal with private hospital did not encompass about 600 consultants who practise in these facilities. The Department of Health said that so far about 280 have signed a proposed contract which would see them treat public patients only.
Cost-only model
Minister for Health Simon Harris is expected to meet private hospital consultants on Friday.
Mr Harris told the Dáil on Thursday that payments to the private hospitals “will be a cost-only book model, whereby the hospitals will be reimbursed only for the operating costs property incurred for the period”.
The costs covered will be limited to normal cost of operating the hospital.
The paper given to Nphet also said the HSE had identified the need for “significant additional investment” to augment infection and prevention control (IPC) resources to sustain current services as hospitals return to normal activity, and for the rollout of an ICT system across all acute hospitals to increase efficiency in infection surveillance.
The paper also said the Department of Health would “engage with [the health safety watchdog] Hiqa and the HSE in relation to the potential to undertake a review of IPC control capacity in private hospitals”.
It is understood that in April Hiqa carried out a desktop review of infection control in acute hospitals and identified a number of potential risks.


theirishtimes--2020-05-08--Almost 300 social homes to be built on three Dublin sites under PPP deal

The construction of almost 300 social homes on three vacant sites in Dublin , including one bought by the Dublin Docklands Development Authority ( DDDA ) for €23 million , has been approved by the Department of Housing .
The homes will be part of a batch of 1,500 social houses and apartments , which it was announced five years ago would be built across the State using public-private partnerships ( PPPs ) at a cost of €300 million .
Dublin City Council has been approved to build the homes at the junction of Collins Avenue and Swords Road in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ apartments will be built , at Shangan Road , Ballymun , where 80-100 homes specifically for senior citizens will be located , and in East Wall , where the former Readymix company site can accommodate up to 90 apartments .
While the Collins Avenue and Ballymun sites have long been in the council ’ s ownership , the Readymix site came under its control four years ago following the dissolution of the DDDA .
The former Readymix concrete site on the East Wall Road was among a number of costly purchases made by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the site of the old Irish Glass Bottle Company in Ringsend that it bought as part of a consortium for €412 million .
While the Readymix site was substantially cheaper at €23 million , the DDDA still paid €7 million over the asking price for the plot , just behind the fire station , close to Fairview village .
The site was last valued in 2017 at €5.5 million .
While the site has remained undeveloped since it was bought by the DDDA , it was in 2015 used as a demonstration site @ @ @ @ @ @ @ homeless families living in hotels .
Six providers installed portable prefabricated units on the site , but none were chosen by the council , which instead built traditional two-storey houses .
The council is currently in the process of building social housing at two other sites using the PPP model ; at Scribblestown , west of Finglas where 70 homes are due to be finished by the end of this year , and Ayrfield in Coolock where 150 are expected to be completed by the middle of next year .
The social housing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ since the collapse of the developer-led social housing system nine years ago .
Developer Bernard McNamara backed out of a PPP deal to develop five city council sites for housing in 2008 , leaving council housing flat complexes derelict .
The Government ’ s Social Housing Strategy 2020 , published in 2014 , proposed returning to PPPs as an off-balance sheet mechanism to provide housing for local authority tenants .
In October 2015 , then minister for the environment Alan Kelly announced six locations had been chosen for the 500 homes , including @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Co Louth , Convent Lands in Wicklow town and Craddockstown in Naas , Co Kildare .
Unlike previous PPP models , the sites will stay in the ownership of the State and the developer will get payments for a 25-year period , after which the houses or apartments return to State ownership .
While the council has approval to go ahead with the next batch at the Readymix , Ballymun and Collins Avenue site , their development will require the approval of councillors .
Since the local elections last year , councillors have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ private developers .
However the council ’ s head of housing Brendan Kenny said he hoped the projects would have the “ strong support ” of councillors .
“ In view of the current housing crisis and the large waiting list for social housing in these particular areas , we would welcome strong support for the development of these sites for the provision of much-needed social housing , ” he said .

The former Readymix concrete site on East Wall Road. Up to 90 apartments are to be built on the land. Image: Google Maps
The construction of almost 300 social homes on three vacant sites in Dublin, including one bought by the Dublin Docklands Development Authority (DDDA) for €23 million, has been approved by the Department of Housing.
The homes will be part of a batch of 1,500 social houses and apartments, which it was announced five years ago would be built across the State using public-private partnerships (PPPs) at a cost of €300 million.
Dublin City Council has been approved to build the homes at the junction of Collins Avenue and Swords Road in Dublin 9, where up to 100 apartments will be built, at Shangan Road, Ballymun, where 80-100 homes specifically for senior citizens will be located, and in East Wall, where the former Readymix company site can accommodate up to 90 apartments.
While the Collins Avenue and Ballymun sites have long been in the council’s ownership, the Readymix site came under its control four years ago following the dissolution of the DDDA.
READ MORE
The former Readymix concrete site on the East Wall Road was among a number of costly purchases made by the DDDA in 2006, which included the site of the old Irish Glass Bottle Company in Ringsend that it bought as part of a consortium for €412 million.
While the Readymix site was substantially cheaper at €23 million, the DDDA still paid €7 million over the asking price for the plot, just behind the fire station, close to Fairview village. The site was last valued in 2017 at €5.5 million.
While the site has remained undeveloped since it was bought by the DDDA, it was in 2015 used as a demonstration site for the original modular housing planned for homeless families living in hotels. Six providers installed portable prefabricated units on the site, but none were chosen by the council, which instead built traditional two-storey houses.
The council is currently in the process of building social housing at two other sites using the PPP model; at Scribblestown, west of Finglas where 70 homes are due to be finished by the end of this year, and Ayrfield in Coolock where 150 are expected to be completed by the middle of next year.
The social housing projects are the first large-scale PPPs pursued since the collapse of the developer-led social housing system nine years ago. Developer Bernard McNamara backed out of a PPP deal to develop five city council sites for housing in 2008, leaving council housing flat complexes derelict.
The Government’s Social Housing Strategy 2020, published in 2014, proposed returning to PPPs as an off-balance sheet mechanism to provide housing for local authority tenants.
In October 2015, then minister for the environment Alan Kelly announced six locations had been chosen for the 500 homes, including Ayrfield and Scribblestown sites at Dunleer in Co Louth, Convent Lands in Wicklow town and Craddockstown in Naas, Co Kildare.
Unlike previous PPP models, the sites will stay in the ownership of the State and the developer will get payments for a 25-year period, after which the houses or apartments return to State ownership.
While the council has approval to go ahead with the next batch at the Readymix, Ballymun and Collins Avenue site, their development will require the approval of councillors. Since the local elections last year, councillors have resisted the development of council land by private developers.
However the council's head of housing Brendan Kenny said he hoped the projects would have the "strong support" of councillors.
“In view of the current housing crisis and the large waiting list for social housing in these particular areas, we would welcome strong support for the development of these sites for the provision of much-needed social housing,” he said.


theirishtimes--2020-05-07--VE Day 75: Haughey, FitzGerald and that ‘Irish Times’ front page

At 1.25pm on May 7th , 1945 Germany surrendered to the Allies in the town of Rheims in France , the headquarters of Allied supreme commander Dwight D Eisenhower .
The Second World War in Europe was over .
It has lasted 2,294 days and left much of the continent in ruins .
The news was greeted with jubilation across the world and even with some relief in vanquished Germany .
In London people congregated in Piccadilly Circus and danced around the Eros fountain .
Bonfires were lit along the River Thames that evening .
Prime Minister Winston Churchill declared @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Europe ( VE ) Day .
New York ’ s Times Square was filled with hundreds of thousands of people and on the Hudson River liners and tugs sounded their horns .
The news reached Ireland at 2pm via BBC radio .
By 3pm students at Trinity College Dublin ( TCD ) clamoured on to the roof of the building and raised the flags of the victors , the hammer and sickle of the Soviet Union , the French tricolour and at the top , and largest of all , the Union @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tricolour was at the bottom of the mast trailing on the floor of the roof .
The flag-raising ceremony attracted thousands of onlookers to College Green .
Carried away with the exuberance of it all , some of the students on the roof started singing God Save the Queen and Rule Britannia .
The four flags were taken down after a while and replaced with the Stars and Stripes .
The students on the roof burned the Irish tricolour and threw it on to the lawn beneath .
News of the burning spread @ @ @ @ @ @ @ TCD was regarded as a bastion of “ west Brit ” sentiment and of Protestantism , not helped by the prohibition on Catholics going to the college by the Catholic Archbishop of Dublin Dr John Charles McQuaid .
University College Dublin ( UCD ) , then based at Earlsfort Terrace , was its mirror opposite .
The overwhelming majority of its students were from a nationalist and Catholic background .
Among them was an 18-year-old commerce student from Donnycarney called Charles J Haughey who had won a scholarship to UCD .
Haughey was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reserve forces during the Emergency years .
The platoon he set up was named “ Haughey ’ s fusiliers ” .
Haughey is alleged to have been the ringleader of a counter demonstration which began in Middle Abbey Street at 8pm that evening .
On their way to the meeting , they tore down a Union flag hanging on a lamppost at the bottom of Grafton Street and set it alight .
After congregating in Middle Abbey Street , the mob then marched over O ’ Connell Bridge , breaking windows in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Street as they passed , the paper perceived to be pro-British .
The Irish Times reported that the crowd which descended on Trinity were led by a “ young man waving a large tricolour hoisted on the shoulders of his comrades ” - since identified by some of his friends as Haughey .
The gates of Trinity College were closed so the group tried to scale the railings of the university at which point they were set upon by gardaí who baton charged them and split more than a few heads .
A @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The mob dispersed down College Green and attacked the doors of the Wicklow Hotel shouting “ give us the west Britons ” and “ put out the traitors ” .
One of their number told The Irish Times : “ Trinity has insulted the country by burning the Tricolour .
We don ’ t mind Trinity flying the Union Jack because we all know the outlook of these people , but what we do object is to the flying of a number of Irish flags insultingly on the bottom ” .
According to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ familiar with the Haughey archive there is nothing specific in the papers relating to the VE incident beyond a cryptic line in a letter to his personal friend and Gate Theatre co-founder Micheál MacLiammóir just over 25 years later on September 22nd 1970 when Haughey was on trial for his alleged role in arms importation .
In turning down an invitation to dinner with MacLiammóir and his partner Hilton Edwards because of the trial , Haughey said “ I have been dining out on the Trinity incident myself - suitably embellished of course @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the events at Trinity College was Garret FitzGerald , another future taoiseach who would become Haughey ’ s long-time rival .
He was in town celebrating VE Day when he heard about what was going on in College Green .
He recalled Haughey escaping from gardaí by “ jumping over bicycles and going up Trinity Street .
My views and his views would have been different .
I was strongly pro-Allied ” .
Contrary to what has been reported since , Haughey never did get to the top of Trinity to run the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reports suggest that attempts by other students to storm the college were rebuffed successfully by gardaí .
The story made the front page of most Irish newspapers including The Irish Times .
The edition of The Irish Times published on May 8th , 1945 proved to be one of the celebrated in the history of the newspaper .
The editor Bertie Smyllie was strongly pro-British and chaffed against the strict Irish government censorship of newspapers , especially The Irish Times which was minutely scrutinised by censors .
He got his revenge by rearranging @ @ @ @ @ @ @ make a V for victory sign .
“ There was nothing the censor could do about it , ” wrote Tony Gray , then a junior leader writer in the paper , in his book , Mr Smyllie , Sir .
“ In the final moment of victory , Smyllie had played the trump card .
”

At 1.25pm on May 7th, 1945 Germany surrendered to the Allies in the town of Rheims in France, the headquarters of Allied supreme commander Dwight D Eisenhower.
The second World War in Europe was over. It has lasted 2,294 days and left much of the continent in ruins.
The news was greeted with jubilation across the world and even with some relief in vanquished Germany. In London people congregated in Piccadilly Circus and danced around the Eros fountain. Bonfires were lit along the River Thames that evening. Prime Minister Winston Churchill declared that the following day would be Victory in Europe (VE) Day.
New York’s Times Square was filled with hundreds of thousands of people and on the Hudson River liners and tugs sounded their horns.
READ MORE
The news reached Ireland at 2pm via BBC radio. By 3pm students at Trinity College Dublin (TCD) climbed on to the roof of the building and raised the flags of the victors, the hammer and sickle of the Soviet Union, the French tricolour and at the top, and largest of all, the Union flag. Underneath them, the Irish tricolour was at the bottom of the mast trailing on the floor of the roof.
The flag-raising ceremony attracted thousands of onlookers to College Green. Carried away with the exuberance of it all, some of the students on the roof started singing God Save the King and Rule Britannia.
The four flags were taken down after a while and replaced with the Stars and Stripes. The students on the roof burned the Irish tricolour and threw it on to the lawn beneath.
News of the burning spread across the city. At the time TCD was regarded as a bastion of “west Brit” sentiment and of Protestantism, not helped by the prohibition on Catholics going to the college by the Catholic Archbishop of Dublin Dr John Charles McQuaid.
University College Dublin (UCD), then based at Earlsfort Terrace, was its mirror opposite. The overwhelming majority of its students were from a nationalist and Catholic background.
Counter demonstration
Among them was an 18-year-old commerce student from Donnycarney called Charles J Haughey who had won a scholarship to UCD. Haughey was also a part-time second lieutenant in the reserve forces during the Emergency years. The platoon he set up was named "Haughey's fusiliers".
Haughey is alleged to have been the ringleader of a counter demonstration which began in Middle Abbey Street at 8pm that evening. On their way to the meeting, they tore down a Union flag hanging on a lamppost at the bottom of Grafton Street and set it alight.
After congregating in Middle Abbey Street, the mob then marched over O’Connell Bridge, breaking windows in the offices of The Irish Times in Fleet Street as they passed, the paper perceived to be pro-British.
The Irish Times reported that the crowd which descended on Trinity were led by a “young man waving a large tricolour hoisted on the shoulders of his comrades” - since identified by some of his friends as Haughey.
The gates of Trinity College were closed so the group tried to scale the railings of the university at which point they were set upon by gardaí who baton charged them and split more than a few heads. A dozen protesters were taken to hospital.
The edition of The Irish Times published on May 8th, 1945, with the story of the Trinity riots headlined ‘Baton Charges in Dublin’ next to the ‘V for victory’ picture arrangement.
The mob dispersed down College Green and attacked the doors of the Wicklow Hotel shouting "give us the west Britons" and "put out the traitors".
One of their number told The Irish Times: “Trinity has insulted the country by burning the Tricolour. We don’t mind Trinity flying the Union Jack because we all know the outlook of these people, but what we do object is to the flying of a number of Irish flags insultingly on the bottom”.
FitzGerald versus Haughey
According to Professor Gary Murphy of DCU who is familiar with the Haughey archive there is nothing specific in the papers relating to the VE incident beyond a cryptic line in a letter to his personal friend and Gate Theatre co-founder Micheál MacLiammóir just over 25 years later on September 22nd, 1970 when Haughey was on trial for his alleged role in arms importation. In turning down an invitation to dinner with MacLiammóir and his partner Hilton Edwards because of the trial, Haughey said “I have been dining out on the Trinity incident myself - suitably embellished of course”.
One of the eyewitnesses to the events at Trinity College was Garret FitzGerald, another future taoiseach who would become Haughey’s long-time rival. He was in town celebrating VE Day when he heard about what was going on in College Green. He recalled Haughey escaping from gardaí by “jumping over bicycles and going up Trinity Street. My views and his views would have been different. I was strongly pro-Allied”.
Contrary to what has been reported since, Haughey never did get to the top of Trinity to run the tricolour up the flagpole. Contemporary newspaper reports suggest that attempts by other students to storm the college were rebuffed successfully by gardaí.
The story made the front page of most Irish newspapers including The Irish Times.
The edition of The Irish Times published on May 8th, 1945 proved to be one of the celebrated in the history of the newspaper.
The editor Bertie Smyllie was strongly pro-British and bridled against the strict Irish government censorship of newspapers, especially The Irish Times which was minutely scrutinised by censors.
He got his revenge by rearranging the front page of the newspaper to make a V for victory sign.
"There was nothing the censor could do about it," wrote Tony Gray, then a junior leader writer in the paper, in his book, Mr Smyllie, Sir. "In the final moment of victory, Smyllie had played the trump card."


theirishtimes--2020-05-07--Will students be treated fairly under a predicted grades system?

Tens of thousands of students and their parents have been clamouring in recent days for the Leaving Cert exams to be cancelled and replaced with predicted grades .
It now looks like they will get their wish .
The Government looks set to scrap plans for exams during the summer and introduce a system where students will get grades or points based on a combination of their in-school assessments and class rankings .
It will be a huge wave of relief for Leaving Cert candidates who have been living under a cloud of uncertainty for months .
But will the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be penalised ?
Will students quickly change their mind about fairness if they lose out on their dream course by just a few points ?
And will it prompt a wave of legal actions from students and their families ?
These are all questions which remain to be answered over the coming days and months .
In the conservative world of Irish education , this is a huge leap in the dark .
The basic structure of the written Leaving Cert is strikingly similar to the first set of exams that were first @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is precious little research in Ireland to suggest that predicted grades can be done with any degree of accuracy .
Minister for Education Joe McHugh himself described the system of predicted grades as “ inherently biased ” just over a week ago .
The most significant research that has been done in the UK , where student receive university offers based on their predicted grades .
It has been widely criticised by policymakers and the media .
The biggest research study to date by Dr Gil Wyness of University College London .
She @ @ @ @ @ @ @ applicants achieved the grade points that they were predicted to achieve .
The vast majority – 75 per cent – were over-predicted .
The level of accuracy also varies dramatically between disadvantaged schools and independent schools .
Among high-achieving students , applicants from low-income homes are more likely to have their grades under-predicted compared with those from high-income backgrounds .
The Department of Education is doubtless aware of most of these arguments and unanswered questions .
That ’ s why it is keen to avoid using the term predicted grades – a term @ @ @ @ @ @ @ teachers – and will settle on another euphemism for that is , in essence , the same thing .
Instead , sources say it will refer to a national standardised grading system , where schools will award grades to students under the guidance of the department .
The plan will also involve giving students the option of appealing their results , according to sources .
In addition , unhappy students may also opt to take the written Leaving Cert exams , though this may not happen until late 2020 or early 2021 .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ student to take up their course in the coming academic year – but it may be just enough to head off legal actions from unhappy students .
Will the grading be fair and transparent ?
This is likely to be a key area of ongoing controversy .
The plans , say sources , involve using a combination of students ’ in-school assessments , Junior Cert exams and rank ordering in class .
The awarding of these results will likely to be overseen by school principals and senior management .
This , in turn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ final grades could be awarded using a “ bell curve ” and may also include a form of school profiling .
This bell curve refers to the practice of adjusting the marking process to ensure a similar proportion of students secure the same numbers of H1s , H2s and H3s each year .
School profiling relates to the average exam results produced by individual schools which , in itself , is controversial .
Will teachers buy into the new plan ?
Early indications are that they will .
The issue of teachers grading @ @ @ @ @ @ @ major opposition within teachers ’ unions in the past .
However , sources say unions recognise the urgent need for an alternative to the Leaving Cert and for unions to be seen to support students .
As for whether this latest move is the right call ?
In truth , the Minister was in a very tricky position , There were no good options .
Going ahead with the Leaving Cert exams was risky from a health point of view .
It was also wide open to criticism , given the digital divide @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tuition .
There ’ s little doubt , though , that the decision will cheered by the vast majority of students and families who have had to endure weeks of uncertainty .

The Leaving Certificate Exam has been postponed and pupils will be offered the option of receiving calculated grades, Minister for Education Joe McHugh has announced. Video: RTE News Now
Tens of thousands of students and their parents have been clamouring in recent days for the Leaving Cert exams to be cancelled and replaced with predicted grades.
It now looks like they will get their wish.
The Government looks set to scrap plans for exams during the summer and introduce a system where students will get grades or points based on a combination of their in-school assessments and class rankings.
It will be a huge wave of relief for Leaving Cert candidates who have been living under a cloud of uncertainty for months.
READ MORE
But will the system be fair?
Will troublesome students be penalised? Will those who feel they have underperformed in class assessments lose out? Will students quickly change their mind about fairness if they lose out on their dream course by just a few points? And will it prompt a wave of legal actions from students and their families?
These are all questions which remain to be answered over the coming days and months. In the conservative world of Irish education, this is a huge leap in the dark.
The basic structure of the written Leaving Cert is strikingly similar to the first set of exams that were first sat almost 100 year ago. There is precious little research in Ireland to suggest that predicted grades can be done with any degree of accuracy.
Minister for Education Joe McHugh himself described the system of predicted grades as “inherently biased” just over a week ago.
Predicted grades are used in the UK, where students receive university offers based on their predicted grades.
The biggest research study to date on how they operate is by Dr Gil Wyness of University College London.
She found that only 16 per cent of applicants achieved the grade points that they were predicted to achieve. The vast majority – 75 per cent – were over-predicted.
The level of accuracy also varied dramatically between disadvantaged schools and independent schools.
Among high-achieving students, applicants from low-income homes were more likely to have their grades under-predicted compared with those from high-income backgrounds.
The Department of Education is doubtless aware of most of these arguments and unanswered questions.
That’s why it is keen to avoid using the term predicted grades – a term which tends to raise the hackles of teachers – and will settle on another euphemism for that is, in essence, the same thing.
Instead, sources say it will refer to a national standardised grading system , where schools will award grades to students under the guidance of the department.
The plan will also involve giving students the option of appealing their results, according to sources.
In addition, unhappy students may also opt to take the written Leaving Cert exams, though this may not happen until late 2020 or early 2021.
This would be too late for a student to take up their course in the coming academic year – but it may be just enough to head off legal actions from unhappy students.
Will the grading be transparent?
This is likely to be a key area of ongoing controversy.
The plans, say sources, involve using a combination of students' in-school assessments, Junior Cert exams and rank ordering in class.
The awarding of these results will likely to be overseen by school principals and senior management.
Bell curve?
This, in turn, will feed into a process where final grades could be awarded using a “bell curve”. It may also include a form of school profiling, though this is not yet confirmed.
This bell curve refers to the practice of adjusting the marking process to ensure a similar proportion of students secure the same numbers of H1s, H2s and H3s each year.
School profiling relates to the average exam results produced by individual schools which, in itself, is controversial.
This relates to the average exam results produced by individual schools which, in itself, is controversial given the class gap in school achievement. For example, a glance at the annual feeder schools data in The Irish Times - which shows the proportion of students who progress to higher education broken down by individual school - is a graphic snapshot of the country’s educational divide.
Students from the most affluent schools are many times more likely to secure top university places the those from poorer areas
Will teachers buy into the new plan?
Early indications are that they will. The issue of teachers grading their students has been a source of major opposition within teachers’ unions in the past.
However, sources say unions recognise the urgent need for an alternative to the Leaving Cert and for unions to be seen to support students.
As for whether this latest move is the right call? In truth, the Minister was in a very tricky position,
There were no good options. Going ahead with the Leaving Cert exams was risky from a health point of view. It was also wide open to criticism, given the digital divide among students without proper access to online tuition.
Predicted grades - or whatever the department calls them - will likely be dogged by questions over fairness and transparency over the months ahead.
There’s little doubt, though, that the decision will cheered by the vast majority of students and families who have had to endure weeks of uncertainty.


theirishtimes--2020-05-07--Gardaí move against fraudsters engaged in Covid-19 scam

Gardaí have discovered evidence that Covid-19 payments are being abused by Dublin-based fraudsters involved in money laundering as a part of a wider European network of criminals .
Two men have been arrested as part of a Garda inquiry into “ money-mule ” bank accounts .
This is the use by criminals of third party , or bogus bank accounts , to conceal and launder money .
During the latest stage of the operation the duo were arrested when two properties were searched in Dublin 15 .
At both addresses evidence was found showing six people were claiming Covid-19 employment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ entitled to do so .
While the investigation relates to other , more serious , crime the Covid-19 payments have been stopped and were now being examined by the Garda .
The two arrests on Thursday formed part of an ongoing Garda inquiry during which 15 arrests have been made and 130 suspects identified .
The Irish-based organised crime gang using the mule accounts has recruited and paid people , sometimes cash-strapped students , in exchange for access to their bank accounts .
The fraudsters , who are primarily engaged in online frauds @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
By doing so they frustrate Garda efforts to link them to online crime and are also aided in concealing , laundering and moving the proceeds of crime .
The investigation resulting in the latest two arrests in Ireland has established that at least 70 of 130 suspects have opened bank accounts using false names or acting as money mules .
Almost €6 million has been laundered through accounts in Ireland .
Other members of the same criminal gang are under investigation in Germany , Holland , Portugal , Spain , Croatia , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ estimated the international network has laundered at least €22 million across the European Union over the past five years .
The money is the proceeds of selling non-existent goods online , targeting companies with false invoices , scams targeting pin numbers of bank cards and other cybercrimes .
Thursday ’ s searches in Dublin were carried out by the Garda National Economic Crime Bureau assisted by officers attached to the Special Investigations Unit of the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection and the Garda Dog Unit .
“ During the searches gardaí @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , cash in excess of €10,000 , account books and other financial documentation , ” said gardaí .
The arrested suspects , both in their 30s , have been taken for questioning to Blanchardstown and Ballymun Garda stations in Dublin .

Gardaí have discovered evidence that Covid-19 payments are being abused by Dublin-based fraudsters involved in money laundering as a part of a wider European network of criminals.
Two men have been arrested as part of a Garda inquiry into “money-mule” bank accounts. This is the use by criminals of third party, or bogus bank accounts, to conceal and launder money.
During the latest stage of the operation the duo were arrested when two properties were searched in Dublin 15. At both addresses evidence was found showing six people were claiming Covid-19 employment assistance payments, though they were not entitled to do so.
While the investigation relates to other, more serious, crime the Covid-19 payments have been stopped and were now being examined by the Garda.
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The two arrests on Thursday formed part of an ongoing Garda inquiry during which 15 arrests have been made and 130 suspects identified.
The Irish-based organised crime gang using the mule accounts has recruited and paid people, sometimes cash-strapped students, in exchange for access to their bank accounts. The fraudsters, who are primarily engaged in online frauds, use the accounts to receive money. By doing so they frustrate Garda efforts to link them to online crime and are also aided in concealing, laundering and moving the proceeds of crime.
The investigation resulting in the latest two arrests in Ireland has established that at least 70 of 130 suspects have opened bank accounts using false names or acting as money mules.
Almost €6 million has been laundered through accounts in Ireland.
Other members of the same criminal gang are under investigation in Germany, Holland, Portugal, Spain, Croatia, Poland and the UK.
Who laundered €22m?
It is estimated the international network has laundered at least €22 million across the European Union over the past five years.
The money is the proceeds of selling non-existent goods online, targeting companies with false invoices, scams targeting pin numbers of bank cards and other cybercrimes. Thursday’s searches in Dublin were carried out by the Garda National Economic Crime Bureau assisted by officers attached to the Special Investigations Unit of the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection and the Garda Dog Unit.
“During the searches gardaí seized false passports, fake personal ID, cash in excess of €10,000, account books and other financial documentation,” said gardaí. The arrested suspects, both in their 30s, have been taken for questioning to Blanchardstown and Ballymun Garda stations in Dublin.


theirishtimes--2020-05-07--Leaving Cert exams set to be cancelled and replaced with predicted grades

Leaving Cert exams are set to be cancelled and replaced with a “ Plan B ” in which students will be awarded grades based on their classwork , according to well-placed sources .
Students who are unhappy with their awarded grades will likely be given the option of sitting written exams at a much later date , possibly early next year .
The Department of Education plans are to come before Cabinet on Friday .
If approved they will come as a relief to tens of thousands of students and parents who have been craving certainty since the Covid-19 lockdown @ @ @ @ @ @ @ schools will play a key role in awarding students ’ grades based on a combination of their class rankings , performance in previous exams and assessments and other indicators .
While teachers will help determine these grades , the process will be technically overseen by school principals and senior management .
These grades would then likely feed into a process where final grades could be awarded by the department using a “ bell curve ” and school indicators .
This bell curve refers to the practice of adjusting the marking process to ensure @ @ @ @ @ @ @ same numbers of H1s , H2s and H3s each year .
Department officials are undertood to be keen not to refer to this process as predicted grades and , instead , are referring to it as an national standarised syststem .
Secondary teachers ’ unions have signalled that they would be willing to support such a measure , subject to a number of clarifications and assurances .
The Association of Secondary Teacher Ireland ( ASTI ) and the Teachers ’ Union of Ireland ( TUI ) held meetings on Wednesday night and on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ work .
Details such as when students ’ grades will be available and what the likely starting dates for students progressing to higher and further education are still being examined .
The move towards producing a “ Plan B ” comes amid a growing concern over the health risks of the department ’ s original plan in pressing ahead with the exams during the summer when the coronavirus would be still circulating .
Both unions are understood to have expressed grave concern over the safety of proceeding with two weeks of school in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ meeting with department officials on Wednesday .
These fears focused on what safety measures would be in place for social distancing , what hygiene practices would be required and whether teachers and staff would be required to wear personal protecting equipment , according to sources .
Taoiseach Leo Varadkar told the Dáil on Thursday the Government would “ try to bring a conclusion ” this week to the uncertainty surrounding the Leaving Cert .
He said it was possible to carry out the exam within existing public health guidelines “ but it would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ know it .
“ If it is cancelled we must make sure that we can put in place an alternative which would be fair , which is extremely difficult .
”

Teachers’ unions expressed concern about what safety measures would be in place for social distancing if the exams went ahead. File image: Frank Miller/The Irish Times
Leaving Cert exams are set to be cancelled and replaced with a “Plan B” in which students will be awarded grades based on their classwork, according to well-placed sources.
Students who are unhappy with their awarded grades will likely be given the option of sitting written exams at a much later date, possibly until later this year or early in 2021.
This, however, would be too late for students to take up their chosen courses in the coming academic year.
The Department of Education plans are to come before Cabinet on Friday. If approved, they will come as a relief to many of the tens of thousands of students and parents who have been craving certainty since the Covid-19 lockdown began.
Under the draft plan, schools will play a key role in awarding students’ grades based on a combination of their class rankings, performance in previous exams and assessments and other indicators.
READ MORE
While teachers will help determine these grades, the process will be technically overseen by school principals and senior management.
These grades would then likely feed into a process where final grades could be awarded by the department using a “bell curve” and school indicators.
This bell curve refers to the practice of adjusting the marking process to ensure a similar proportion of students secure the same numbers of H1s, H2s and H3s each year.
Department officials are undertood to be keen not to refer to this process as predicted grades and, instead, are referring to it as an national standarised syststem.
Secondary teachers’ unions have signalled that they would be willing to support such a measure, subject to a number of clarifications and assurances.
The Association of Secondary Teacher Ireland (ASTI) and the Teachers’ Union of Ireland (TUI) held meetings on Wednesday night and on Thursday to discuss how the system would work.
Details such as when students’ grades will be available and what the likely starting dates for students progressing to higher and further education are still being examined.
The move towards producing a “Plan B” comes amid a growing concern over the health risks of the department’s original plan in pressing ahead with the exams during the summer when the coronavirus would be still circulating.
Both unions are understood to have expressed grave concern over the safety of proceeding with two weeks of school in July and staging exams during a private meeting with department officials on Wednesday.
These fears focused on what safety measures would be in place for social distancing, what hygiene practices would be required and whether teachers and staff would be required to wear personal protecting equipment, according to sources.
Taoiseach Leo Varadkar told the Dáil on Thursday the Government would "try to bring a conclusion" this week to the uncertainty surrounding the Leaving Cert.
He said it was possible to carry out the exam within existing public health guidelines “but it would not be the Leaving Certificate as we know it.
“If it is cancelled we must make sure that we can put in place an alternative which would be fair, which is extremely difficult.”


theirishtimes--2020-05-07--Covid-19: Precision of tracing apps in doubt after TCD study

New research has cast doubts over the accuracy of contact tracing apps that use a phone ’ s Bluetooth technology which will be a core feature of the version being worked on by the Irish Government .
The study , by scientists at Trinity College Dublin , found that it is “ likely to be challenging to use Bluetooth to reliably detect when people using contact tracing apps are within 2m of one another.
” Bluetooth technology , according to briefing notes prepared for Minister for Health Simon Harris , will be used to allow phones with the app installed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which will be used to measure how close they are , and for how long .
This information will then aid contact tracers in determining who are the close contacts of a confirmed case of Covid-19 .
However , Prof Doug Leith and Dr Stephen Farrell of the School of Computer Science and Statistics took measurements at several locations around Dublin and found problems with measuring accurately social distancing using Bluetooth .
“ We found that the strength of the received Bluetooth signal can vary substantially depending on whether people walk side by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Whether they carry their phone in their back or front pocket , where they place it within their handbag , and so on.
” The TCD researchers also found that walls and furniture , especially metal objects such as shelves and fridges in a supermarket shopping aisle , or train or bus , could have “ a significant effect ” .
“ For example , for two people walking around a large supermarket we found that the Bluetooth signal strength is much the same when they walk close together and when they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a meeting table with phones in their pockets we measured the signal strength to be very low , even for people sitting next to one another , ” said Prof Leith .
He urged the Government to undertake extensive testing of the app before it is rolled out , to try and identify and correct issues .
“ Just collecting data is not enough ; you have to have it in a known context so you can calculate its accuracy , ” he said .
“ If you want to get high uptake @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and that ’ s partly to do with privacy and partly to do with whether it works.
” What are the Privacy concerns ?
The research found that certain behaviours by people can help the effectiveness of the Bluetooth function by , for example , placing phones on the table during meetings .
In areas where Bluetooth reception is problematic , they suggested entry or exit from the location should be logged by scanning a QR code , or similar , to enable another way of detecting times and places when people were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that contact tracing apps have to be accurate , not only to encourage use , but because false positives and false negatives “ reduce the effectiveness of contact tracing and so make it harder to quickly ease current lockdown restrictions ” , he said .
Privacy and civil liberties campaigners have also raised concerns around the app and reliability of the Bluetooth function .
Writing in The Irish Times this week , Elizabeth Farriesof the Irish Council for Civil Liberties argued that Bluetooth signals can cross walls , potentially alerting someone who may @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a confirmed case of a contact that never really took place .

The TCD research found that certain behaviours by people can help the effectiveness of the Bluetooth function. File photograph: Getty
New research has cast doubts over the accuracy of contact tracing apps that use a phone's Bluetooth technology which will be a core feature of the version being worked on by the Irish Government.
The study, by scientists at Trinity College Dublin, found that it is "likely to be challenging to use Bluetooth to reliably detect when people using contact tracing apps are within 2m of one another."
Bluetooth technology, according to briefing notes prepared for Minister for Health Simon Harris, will be used to allow phones with the app installed to make an anonymous "handshake" which will be used to measure how close they are, and for how long.
This information will then aid contact tracers in determining who are the close contacts of a confirmed case of Covid-19.
READ MORE
However, Prof Doug Leith and Dr Stephen Farrell of the School of Computer Science and Statistics took measurements at several locations around Dublin and found problems with measuring accurately social distancing using Bluetooth.
“We found that the strength of the received Bluetooth signal can vary substantially depending on whether people walk side by side, or one behind the other. Whether they carry their phone in their back or front pocket, where they place it within their handbag, and so on.”
The TCD researchers also found that walls and furniture, especially metal objects such as shelves and fridges in a supermarket shopping aisle, or train or bus, could have “a significant effect”.
“For example, for two people walking around a large supermarket we found that the Bluetooth signal strength is much the same when they walk close together and when they walk 2m apart. When sitting around a meeting table with phones in their pockets we measured the signal strength to be very low, even for people sitting next to one another,” said Prof Leith.
He urged the Government to undertake extensive testing of the app before it is rolled out, to try and identify and correct issues.
“Just collecting data is not enough; you have to have it in a known context so you can calculate its accuracy,” he said. “If you want to get high uptake, people have to trust the app and that’s partly to do with privacy and partly to do with whether it works.”
What are the Privacy concerns?
The research found that certain behaviours by people can help the effectiveness of the Bluetooth function by, for example, placing phones on the table during meetings. In areas where Bluetooth reception is problematic, they suggested entry or exit from the location should be logged by scanning a QR code, or similar, to enable another way of detecting times and places when people were in close proximity.
Prof Leith emphasised that contact tracing apps have to be accurate, not only to encourage use, but because false positives and false negatives “reduce the effectiveness of contact tracing and so make it harder to quickly ease current lockdown restrictions”, he said.
Privacy and civil liberties campaigners have also raised concerns around the app and reliability of the Bluetooth function. Writing in The Irish Times this week, Elizabeth Farriesof the Irish Council for Civil Liberties argued that Bluetooth signals can cross walls, potentially alerting someone who may have been in a neighbouring room to a confirmed case of a contact that never really took place.


theirishtimes--2020-05-07--Woman says cancer treatment she had to fund herself has helped tackle her disease

A mother of three who was forced to fund her own treatment with a cancer drug that is available free to other patients says it has helped in tackling the disease .
Maria Waters , from Killiney , Co Dublin , has spent over €21,000 to treat her head and neck cancer with the immunotherapy drug pembrolizumab after the Health Service Executive and her health insurer Irish Life refused to fund the treatment .
About €16,000 of this was raised through charity after her case was highlighted in The Irish Times at the start of February .
Last week , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ pembro ” and chemotherapy , “ the tumour in my stomach has shrunk to the point that it is no longer evident on the scan ” , Ms Waters says .
“ What does this mean ?
Well , it shows that the combination therapy of chemo and pembrolizumab did the job in eradicating the cancer.
” As the scan can not show which therapy worked better , “ going forward the only way to know for certain is to pause one therapy and continue with the other and hope that the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ says .
“ I feel it ’ s like a game of ‘ whack-a-mole ’ as you whack one beast down , it has the tendency to pop up somewhere else.
” Her consultant , Dr David Gallagher at St Vincent ’ s University Hospital , has now advised she stop having chemo , which she was having difficulty tolerating , and continue with immunotherapy using a different drug , nivolumab .
Pembro has helped extend cervical cancer advocate Vicky Phelan ’ s life ; initially she funded it herself , until the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Health Simon Harris then agreed to provide it to women affected by the CervicalCheck controversy and , after coming under political pressure , to all women with cervical cancer whose doctors recommended the treatment .
This was despite it not being licensed for this form of the disease anywhere in Europe , and despite evidence that it has limited effectiveness in treating cervical cancer .
The drug has been approved for melanoma and a small number of other cancers , but not the head and neck cancer Ms Waters has .
The “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ her with chemo was also not covered by her health insurance .
However , the “ second-line ” treatment plan now proposed by Dr Gallagher is covered .
“ We will know within a few months if this is the right approach and if not then I will revert back to chemotherapy .
Of course , I hope this is not the case.
” Thanking Dr Gallagher and those who contributed to her fundraiser , she says the money raised alleviated “ a massive amount of stress ” from her husband Robert .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ would not have been able to concentrate on getting better and beating this disease once and for all .
”

Maria Waters: a patient with head and neck cancer, she paid for her own treatment. About €16,000 was raised through charity. Photograph: Nick Bradshaw
A mother of three who was forced to fund her own treatment with a cancer drug that is available free to other patients says it has helped in tackling the disease.
Maria Waters, from Killiney, Co Dublin, has spent over €21,000 to treat her head and neck cancer with the immunotherapy drug pembrolizumab after the Health Service Executive and her health insurer Irish Life refused to fund the treatment.
About €16,000 of this was raised through charity after her case was highlighted in The Irish Times at the start of February.
Last week, an MRI showed that after treatment with “pembro” and chemotherapy, “the tumour in my stomach has shrunk to the point that it is no longer evident on the scan”, Ms Waters says.
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Combination therapy
“What does this mean? Well, it shows that the combination therapy of chemo and pembrolizumab did the job in eradicating the cancer.”
As the scan cannot show which therapy worked better, “going forward the only way to know for certain is to pause one therapy and continue with the other and hope that the tumour does not return”, she says.
“I feel it’s like a game of ‘whack-a-mole’ as you whack one beast down, it has the tendency to pop up somewhere else.”
Her consultant, Dr David Gallagher at St Vincent’s University Hospital, has now advised she stop having chemo, which she was having difficulty tolerating, and continue with immunotherapy using a different drug, nivolumab.
Pembro has helped extend cervical cancer advocate Vicky Phelan’s life; initially she funded it herself, until the State agreed to pay. Minister for Health Simon Harris then agreed to provide it to women affected by the CervicalCheck controversy and, after coming under political pressure, to all women with cervical cancer whose doctors recommended the treatment.
Head and neck
This was despite it not being licensed for this form of the disease anywhere in Europe, and despite evidence that it has limited effectiveness in treating cervical cancer. The drug has been approved for melanoma and a small number of other cancers, but not the head and neck cancer Ms Waters has.
The “first-line” administration of the drug to her with chemo was also not covered by her health insurance. However, the “second-line” treatment plan now proposed by Dr Gallagher is covered.
“We will know within a few months if this is the right approach and if not then I will revert back to chemotherapy. Of course, I hope this is not the case.”
Thanking Dr Gallagher and those who contributed to her fundraiser, she says the money raised alleviated “a massive amount of stress” from her husband Robert. “Without this financial help, I would not have been able to concentrate on getting better and beating this disease once and for all.”