theirishtimes--2020-10-21--Fifty nurses contracting Covid-19 per week, Dáil committee to hear

There are 50 nurses in the Irish health service per week contracting Covid-19 , an Oireachtas committee will hear on Wednesday .
The Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation ( INMO ) will also tell the Oireachtas health committee that student nurses are being “ exploited ” in hospitals .
The union will say that as of October 17th there were 9,917 cases of Covid-19 among health care workers .
The union said in an opening statement to the committee that of these a quarter were nurses .
The INMO urged the Government to put in place “ a review of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ removal of the policy introduced , which allows managers to derogate health care workers to return to work , although they are a close contact ” .
The union said that there was a worldwide shortage of nurses and Ireland must aim to become self-sufficient .
Separately doctors told the committee that an additional 2,000 medical specialists will be needed if a consultant – provided hospital service is to be introduced .
The Irish Medical Organisation ( IMO ) said despite the current pandemic affecting every aspect of our health service , nothing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ to address the contractual issues and working conditions that have left us unable to recruit and retain doctors across our system ” .
The INMO said in its opening statement that while it welcomed the Government ’ s commitment in the Budget to increase significantly capacity in hospitals , the additional beds that were promised “ must be adequately staffed by nurses and midwives ” .
It said the additional 67 critical care beds planned would require about 435 whole time equivalent nursing posts .
It said these positions must be secured @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and safe staffing levels are essential to the lives of patients across the country ’ s ICU settings , as exposing critically ill patients to high workload/staffing ratios is associated with a substantial reduction in the odds of survival.
” The union will also criticise what it described as “ exploitation “ of student nurses working in hospitals .
“ There are currently 3,400 ( approx . )
students on placements in hospitals across Ireland .
These students are facing additional Covid risks and are effectively being asked to work as staff .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ most students get either no payment or an allowance of just €50.79 per week .
A HSE scheme to pay many students healthcare assistant salaries was used at the start of the pandemic in March , but it is no longer operating .
“ The reality of service provision currently is that inadequate registered nurse staffing levels are requiring students throughout their clinical placements to undertake work over and above that expected of their undergraduate status and the failure to remunerate them amounts to exploitation.
” The INMO said for two decades Ireland @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nurses and midwives but now faced strong competition internationally for this workforce while travel restrictions would impact on the movement of such personnel .
“ Ireland must become better at retaining Irish trained nurses and midwives in our public health service .
Self-reliance , in this crucial workforce area , is essential against the background of the global shortage of nurses and midwives and is an internationally recognised ethical imperative.
“ “ We currently have under 1,800 undergraduate places , but over 5,000 Leaving Cert students put nursing or midwifery as their first @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have both a need and demand for these courses , which would guard against future shortages.
“ The INMO said the recruitment of nurses and midwives “ must be easier , and the bureaucratic processes of sign-off at national level to commence the process of recruitment must cease ” .
“ Directors of nursing and midwifery must have authority to recruit , and place recruited nurses/midwives on the payroll .
“ The Irish Medical Organisation said HSE ’ s national doctor training and planning exercise had estimated that a minimum of 2,536 additional @ @ @ @ @ @ @ over the next eight years , including 646 in hospital-based specialties and 1,674 in general practice .

The union says that of these a quarter of healthcare workers who contracted Covid-19 were nurses. Photograph: Alan Betson
The new National Children's Hospital will not be able to open all its beds when completed due to shortages of nurses, an Oireachtas committee has been told.
The Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO) said the new hospital would need 300 additional nurses to operate.
INMO general secretary Phil Ni Sheaghdha said "we are already short, we are down below that 300 number".
Hospital Report
“That means when the children’s hospital begins to open its service, it cannot open all its beds. It simply will not have the nursing numbers.”
READ MORE
Representative bodies for doctors and nurses told the committee that the Government needed to increase the number of undergraduate and specialist training places.
Organisations also said the process for recruiting medical and nursing staff needed to be streamlined.
Chief executive of the Irish Medical Organisation (IMO) Susan Clyne said it could currently take 20 months or even up to two years to recruit a consultant.
Ms Ni Sheaghdha said where a nurse left a post it could take eight weeks for a director of nursing to receive approval to advertise for a replacement and up to six months for a post to be filled.
The INMO said there was a worldwide shortage of nurses and Ireland must aim to become self-sufficient.
The IMO said an additional 2,000 medical specialists will be needed if a consultant – provided hospital service is to be introduced.
Shortage of consultants
President of the Irish Hospital Consultants' Association Prof Alan Irvine said there was a severe shortage of hospital consultants and the results for patients were very damaging.
“In Cork about 35 per cent of all acute trauma cannot get listed in orthopaedics because they do not have (sufficient) consultants to do it. In Cork and Kerry there are the same number of opthalmologists as they had in the mid 1970s ,” he said.
The INMO said while it welcomed the Government’s commitment in the Budget to increase significantly capacity in hospitals, the additional beds that were promised “must be adequately staffed by nurses and midwives”.
It said the additional 67 critical care beds planned would require about 435 whole time equivalent nursing posts.
Ms Ni Sheaghdha criticised what she described as “exploitation “ of student nurses working in hospitals.
“There are currently 3,400 (approximately) students on placements in hospitals across Ireland. These students are facing additional Covid risks and are effectively being asked to work as staff.”
“Before their final year internship, most students get either no payment or an allowance of just €50.79 per week. A HSE scheme to pay many students healthcare assistant salaries was used at the start of the pandemic in March, but it is no longer operating.
“The reality of service provision currently is that inadequate registered nurse staffing levels are requiring students throughout their clinical placements to undertake work over and above that expected of their undergraduate status and the failure to remunerate them amounts to exploitation.”
The INMO said for two decades Ireland had relied heavily on international recruitment of nurses and midwives but now faced strong competition internationally for this workforce while travel restrictions would impact on the movement of such personnel.
Nurse retention
“Ireland must become better at retaining Irish trained nurses and midwives in our public health service. Self-reliance, in this crucial workforce area, is essential against the background of the global shortage of nurses and midwives and is an internationally recognised ethical imperative.”
“We currently have under 1,800 undergraduate places, but over 5,000 Leaving Cert students put nursing or midwifery as their first preference in the 2019 CAO. We have both a need and demand for these courses, which would guard against future shortages.”
Ms Clyne said 600 GPs were due to retire in the coming years. She said it was imperative that 350 GP training posts were funded.
She said 50 per cent of public health specialists were also scheduled to retire in the next five years and there were insufficient trainees to match this level of retirement let alone to deal with any expansion of the workforce.
In the current pandemic public health specialists were "like gold dust", Ms Clyne said . She said Irish public health specialists were being offered positions, particularly in Wales and Scotland that would allow them to continue to work from Ireland.
The INMO also told the committee that there were 50 nurses in the Irish health service per week contracting Covid-19.
The union said that as of October 17th there were 9,917 cases of Covid-19 among health care workers and a quarter were nurses.
The union urged the Government to put in place “a review of the occupational health supports required and the removal of the policy introduced, which allows managers to derogate health care workers to return to work, although they are a close contact”.
It said despite the current pandemic affecting every aspect of our health service, nothing had been done over the last year “to address the contractual issues and working conditions that have left us unable to recruit and retain doctors across our system”.


theirishtimes--2020-10-21--More than 200 of Ireland’s birds of prey were poisoned, finds study

The vast majority of Ireland ’ s birds of prey killed by human attacks or other activity were poisoned , according to a detailed new report spanning more than a decade .
Just over 300 were found to have been poisoned or suffered some form of unnatural death between 2007 and 2019 .
New details have been collated by the Raptor Protocol ( Recording and Addressing Persecution and Threats to Our Raptors ) , a collaborative approach between the National Parks & Wildlife Service ( NPWS ) , the Veterinary Laboratory Service and State Laboratory , published on Wednesday .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ back of an EU pilot set up in response to a lack of formal investigation protocols in Ireland for death and injury to birds of prey .
The work involved collecting carcasses and injured birds , carrying out X-rays , postmortems , DNA sampling , toxicology , follow-up investigations and data analysis .
Although established in 2011 , the Protocol includes incidents between 2007 and 2019 , when a total of 338 incidents were confirmed and recorded on its database .
These included 214 incidents involving poison , 58 involving shootings , one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 57 road collision incidents , six wind turbine strikes and three unspecified “ traumatic deaths ” .
Some individually recorded incidents included multiple causes of physical harm , and some included a number of birds .
Of a total of 338 incidents , however , 294 involved birds of prey , affecting 301 individual birds .
Poisoning incidents accounted for 71.5 per cent of cases , shootings for 28 per cent and trapping or mutilation for 0.5 per cent .
“ All regularly breeding native Irish raptor species were confirmed to have suffered @ @ @ @ @ @ @ other direct anthropogenic non-habitat related cause of injury or mortality , ” the report found .
However , despite an average of 26 separate incidents a year , investigators believe the actual number of birds affected to be far greater .
“ It is clear … that human , non-habitat related threats to Irish raptors are widespread , with incidents recorded in every county of Ireland , ” the report notes .
“ There are notable blackspots for such incidents throughout the country , and particular risk periods , namely springtime for illegal/misuse @ @ @ @ @ @ @ winter for shooting incidents.
” Most deaths occurred in the east of the country with Wicklow recording by far the greatest level at 57 .
The species most affected were , in order of frequency , the Common Buzzard ; Red Kite ; Barn Owl ; Peregrine Falcon ; White-tailed Eagle ; Hen Harrier ; Sparrowhawk ; Kestrel ; Long-eared Owl ; Golden Eagle ; Merlin ; and Short-eared Owl .
Aside from birds of prey , investigators found other wildlife such as crows and pigeons were illegally poisoned or persecuted , while @ @ @ @ @ @ @ poisoned dogs .
The aim of the Raptor Protocol is to build a database of such incidents that will take into account species , modus operandi of harmful acts , and the timing and hotspots of such incidents .
“ Continuing to record confirmed and possible events in a systematic fashion will build on the database and provide stronger background information to target illegal activity through enforcement and education.
” Commenting on the issue , Minister of State Malcolm Noonan noted in particular the poisoning of 23 Buzzards in West Cork in early @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an eye opener for many ” .
“ But this comprehensive report shows that poisoning and persecution incidents are happening annually , ” he said .
“ The intelligence gathered by those coordinating Raptor will serve very usefully to inform approaches to tackling these incidents .
”

The peregrine falcon: Just over 300 bird of prey were found to have been poisoned or suffered some form of unnatural death between 2007 and 2019
The vast majority of Ireland’s birds of prey killed by human attacks or other activity were poisoned, according to a detailed new report spanning more than a decade.
Just over 300 were found to have been poisoned or suffered some form of unnatural death between 2007 and 2019.
New details have been collated by the Raptor Protocol (Recording and Addressing Persecution and Threats to Our Raptors), a collaborative approach between the National Parks & Wildlife Service (NPWS), the Veterinary Laboratory Service and State Laboratory, published on Wednesday.
It was developed in 2011 on the back of an EU pilot set up in response to a lack of formal investigation protocols in Ireland for death and injury to birds of prey.
READ MORE
The work involved collecting carcasses and injured birds, carrying out X-rays, postmortems, DNA sampling, toxicology, follow-up investigations and data analysis.
Although established in 2011, the Protocol includes incidents between 2007 and 2019, when a total of 338 incidents were confirmed and recorded on its database.
Most deaths occurred in the east of the country with Wicklow recording by far the greatest level at 57
These included 214 incidents involving poison, 58 involving shootings, one trapping and one mutilation. There were 57 road collision incidents, six wind turbine strikes and three unspecified “traumatic deaths”.
Some individually recorded incidents included multiple causes of physical harm, and some included a number of birds.
Of a total of 338 incidents, however, 294 involved birds of prey, affecting 301 individual birds. Poisoning incidents accounted for 71.5 per cent of cases, shootings for 28 per cent and trapping or mutilation for 0.5 per cent.
“All regularly breeding native Irish raptor species were confirmed to have suffered some form of poisoning, persecution or other direct anthropogenic non-habitat related cause of injury or mortality,” the report found.
However, despite an average of 26 separate incidents a year, investigators believe the actual number of birds affected to be far greater.
“It is clear … that human, non-habitat related threats to Irish raptors are widespread, with incidents recorded in every county of Ireland,” the report notes.
“There are notable blackspots for such incidents throughout the country, and particular risk periods, namely springtime for illegal/misuse of poison incidents and late summer/autumn and winter for shooting incidents.”
Most deaths occurred in the east of the country with Wicklow recording by far the greatest level at 57.
The species most affected were, in order of frequency, the Common Buzzard; Red Kite; Barn Owl; Peregrine Falcon; White-tailed Eagle; Hen Harrier; Sparrowhawk; Kestrel; Long-eared Owl; Golden Eagle; Merlin; and Short-eared Owl.
Aside from birds of prey, investigators found other wildlife such as crows and pigeons were illegally poisoned or persecuted, while there were five individual cases of illegally poisoned dogs.
The aim of the Raptor Protocol is to build a database of such incidents that will take into account species, modus operandi of harmful acts, and the timing and hotspots of such incidents.
“Continuing to record confirmed and possible events in a systematic fashion will build on the database and provide stronger background information to target illegal activity through enforcement and education.”
Commenting on the issue, Minister of State Malcolm Noonan noted in particular the poisoning of 23 Buzzards in West Cork in early 2020 which he said had been “an eye opener for many”.
“But this comprehensive report shows that poisoning and persecution incidents are happening annually,” he said. “The intelligence gathered by those coordinating Raptor will serve very usefully to inform approaches to tackling these incidents.”


theirishtimes--2020-10-21--Covid-19 Explainer: Why is the contact tracing system getting swamped?

Too many daily cases , too many contacts , not enough contact tracers .
This is what the problem boils down and why the HSE had to skip calling between 2,000 and 2,500 newly infected Covid-19 cases to chase down their close contacts .
Quickly calling people who test positive for the coronavirus disease and getting their close contacts , and getting those people in turn isolated and tested , is a key part of fighting the virus .
The HSE ’ s unprecedented decision to send a second text message to the 2,000 to 2,500 cases from last weekend @ @ @ @ @ @ @ contacts to call their GPs immediately and to arrange tests shows how the tracing system has become swamped by a surge in cases .
The first text , sent over the weekend , told them they had tested positive .
The second will be sent today .
Three days in all were affected : Friday , Saturday and Sunday .
There were about 3,600 cases in all over the three days but the HSE sifted out the elderly and the school children to be contacted directly ( via parents in the case of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to 2,000 to 2,500 .
People have , on average , about five close contacts so that would normally leave between 10,000 and 12,500 people but directly contacting school children , who have higher numbers of contacts on average , means that the HSE estimates it is skipping calls to about 8,000 close contacts .
By relying on most of last weekend ’ s positive cases to alert their own close contacts , the health service has effectively outsourced the work of contact tracers to the infected themselves .
This is how strained @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of crisis management measures being taken in response to a virus that is out of control in the community .
Until this recent surge in cases , contact tracers were not even allowed , under data protection rules protecting a person ’ s privacy , to tell close contacts who they might have infected by .
Now the HSE is telling the infected to inform their close contacts themselves .
It is extraordinary to expect the positive cases themselves , some of whom are sick with the disease , to take on this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ may already know as family members .
The State ’ s chief medical officer Dr Tony Holohan said on Tuesday night that the HSE was “ continuing to contact trace as much as it possibly can ” but the exponential spread had made this process a “ huge challenge ” .
He even went so far as to say that , under Level 5 restrictions , many people are in effect being asked to behave as if they are close contacts and to stay at home .
Those in charge of contact tracing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ skip contact tracing on up to 2,500 cases .
If they did not take this action , the backlog would have grown and a backlog is hard to clear when a case load remains so high every day .
It risked the entire tracing system .
The problem has arisen because the system could not keep up with the number of cases coming in with a staff of 400 people .
The case load they were having to deal with jumped from 500 to 1,000 on October 7th and 8th and has averaged @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Given that Level 3 restrictions did not work to reduce social contacts between people , contact tracers were having to make up to 10,000 calls on some recent days to track down close contacts .
This would have required almost three times the number of contact tracers to manage .
Still , it is hard to understand why the HSE did not staff up more substantially during the summer lull when daily cases fell to single figures some days .
To put it in perspective , on the busiest day in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were 5,250 calls made by contact tracers to infected cases and close contacts .
It is clear we are in the midst of the second wave .
In response , the HSE is having to change quickly how tracing works .
From today , people will receive a text as soon as they are identified as a close contact of a Covid-19 cases in order to get them tested and isolating as quickly as possible .
Call protocols are changing so newly infected cases will receive just one call instead of two to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ contacts .
The number of new tracers being hired is doubling to 1,000 .
Given the likely yo-yo effect of moving in and out lockdowns , planning has started for when the Level 5 restrictions are lifted in December and how contact tracing might keep case numbers down from then .
There is even talk among health officials about how to manage a third wave .

Too many daily cases, too many contacts, not enough contact tracers.
This is what the problem boils down and why the HSE had to skip calling between 2,000 and 2,500 newly infected Covid-19 cases to chase down their close contacts.
Quickly calling people who test positive for the coronavirus disease and getting their close contacts, and getting those people in turn isolated and tested, is a key part of fighting the virus.
Hospital Report
The HSE’s unprecedented decision to send a second text message to the 2,000 to 2,500 cases from last weekend to ask them to tell their close contacts to call their GPs immediately and to arrange tests shows how the tracing system has become swamped by a surge in cases. The first text, sent over the weekend, told them they had tested positive. The second will be sent today.
READ MORE
Three days in all were affected: Friday, Saturday and Sunday. There were about 3,600 cases in all over the three days but the HSE sifted out the elderly and the school children to be contacted directly (via parents in the case of school children), reducing the number to 2,000 to 2,500.
People have, on average, about five close contacts so that would normally leave between 10,000 and 12,500 people but directly contacting school children, who have higher numbers of contacts on average, means that the HSE estimates it is skipping calls to about 8,000 close contacts.
Strained system
By relying on most of last weekend’s positive cases to alert their own close contacts, the health service has effectively outsourced the work of contact tracers to the infected themselves.
This is how strained the system has become and the scale of crisis management measures being taken in response to a virus that is out of control in the community.
Until this recent surge in cases, contact tracers were not even allowed, under data protection rules protecting a person’s privacy, to tell close contacts who they might have been infected by.
Now the HSE is telling the infected to inform their close contacts themselves. It is extraordinary to expect the positive cases themselves, some of whom are sick with the disease, to take on this responsibility, even though some close contacts may already know as family members.
The State's chief medical officer Dr Tony Holohan said on Tuesday night that the HSE was "continuing to contact trace as much as it possibly can" but the exponential spread had made this process a "huge challenge". He even went so far as to say that, under Level 5 restrictions, many people are in effect being asked to behave as if they are close contacts and to stay at home.
Those in charge of contact tracing felt they had no choice but to skip contact tracing on up to 2,500 cases. If they did not take this action, the backlog would have grown and a backlog is hard to clear when a case load remains so high every day. It risked the entire tracing system.
Case load
The problem has arisen because the system could not keep up with the number of cases coming in with a staff of 400 people. The case load they were having to deal with jumped from 500 to 1,000 on October 7th and 8th and has averaged around 1,200 a day over recent days.
Given that Level 3 restrictions did not work to reduce social contacts between people, contact tracers were having to make up to 10,000 calls on some recent days to track down close contacts. This would have required almost three times the number of contact tracers to manage. Still, it is hard to understand why the HSE did not staff up more substantially during the summer lull when daily cases fell to single figures some days.
To put it in perspective, on the busiest day in the early stages of the pandemic, there were 5,250 calls made by contact tracers to infected cases and close contacts. It is clear we are in the midst of the second wave.
In response, the HSE is having to change quickly how tracing works.
From today, people will receive a text as soon as they are identified as a close contact of a Covid-19 cases in order to get them tested and isolating as quickly as possible. Call protocols are changing so newly infected cases will receive just one call instead of two to discuss their infection and to capture their contacts. The number of new tracers being hired is doubling to 1,000.
Given the likely yo-yo effect of moving in and out lockdowns, planning has started for when the Level 5 restrictions are lifted in December and how contact tracing might keep case numbers down from then.
There is even talk among health officials about how to manage a third wave.


theirishtimes--2020-10-20--Educate Together secondary schools ‘more diverse’ than others, finds ESRI study

Educate Together secondary schools are more diverse on average than the typical Irish post-primary school , according to new research by the ESRI .
The study is based on surveys of students and interviews with school staff at 11 out of Educate Together ’ s 19 second-level schools .
The schools , which describe themselves as equality-based , are multi-denominational and relatively new to the second-level school sector .
The ESRI study found that the degree of linguistic and ethnic diversity was broadly similar to the wider school community .
However , the range of beliefs was more diverse with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that they did not have a religion .
A further 35 per cent identified as Christian , 8 per cent as Catholic , 6 per cent as atheist , 5 per cent as Muslim , and an additional 4 per cent identify as other .
Survey responses and focus groups also indicate there is a higher proportion of students with additional needs at Educate Together secondary schools .
The research found that alongside this diversity , students expressed strong feelings of inclusivity and belonging within their schools , and very high self-reported rates @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The research also found a strong culture of respect at the core of relationships between students and teachers , supported by the use of restorative practices to behaviour and discipline .
The study concluded that teaching practices were in strong alignment with progressive approaches at the core of the new Junior Cycle .
Within the boundaries of the national curriculum , it said teachers provided student-centred and differentiated education while making extensive use of active learning methodologies and technology .
However , it raised concern that many new or “ starter ” schools @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and , at times , unsuitable accommodation .
This created high pressure on providing sufficient resources to support students with additional needs , and sometimes constrained schools in offering full-time contracts to teachers .
Despite these challenges , it said students described school environments where their well-being was strongly supported .
The schools have also proved able to attract teachers and school leaders committed to the Educate Together ethos , and to creating school communities in which very diverse students say they belong .
The findings of the report suggest that the inclusive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ welcoming environment for all students , regardless of background or need .
The study ’ s authors said Department of Education policy measures should better monitor and address the disproportionate level of student need at some schools and ensure new schools receive the resources they need to ensure students with additional needs are fully supported .
It added that starter schools can face significant delays in securing appropriate accommodation for their students and that interim arrangements were not satisfactory at some schools and , at times , worsened the student experience .
ESRI @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of respecting diversity was evident at the second-level schools visited as part of this study .
“ As the sector continues to grow , it is well-positioned to serve as an example of how schools can increase their democratic practices and better support the increasingly diverse population of Ireland , ” she said .
Co-author Selina McCoy aid Educate Together second-level schools have attracted dedicated and progressive school leaders and staff .
However , she said the demands placed on school leaders , particularly in newly established schools , were considerable .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ administrative , mentoring and other supports , as well as the efficient and timely progression of school building planning .
Educate Together chief executive Dr Emer Nowlan said it was heartening to see the quality of student-teacher relationships in particular and students ’ strong sense of ballooning .
These , she said , were crucial to ensuring every student reaches their full academic and social potential .
She added that the research also provided stark evidence of the challenges faced by new schools in temporary accommodation and highlighted the need for significant improvements @ @ @ @ @ @ @ types .

File photograph: Students from North Wicklow Educate Together Secondary School protest outside Leinster House, Dublin last year over the lack of suitable long-term school accommodation. Photograph: Dara Mac Dónaill
Educate Together secondary schools are more diverse on average than the typical Irish post-primary school, according to new research by the ESRI.
The study is based on surveys of students and interviews with school staff at 11 out of Educate Together’s 19 second-level schools.
The schools, which describe themselves as equality-based, are multi-denominational and relatively new to the second-level school sector.
The ESRI study found that the degree of linguistic and ethnic diversity was broadly similar to the wider school community.
READ MORE
However, the range of beliefs was more diverse with almost 40 per cent of students stating that they did not have a religion.
A further 35 per cent identified as Christian, 8 per cent as Catholic, 6 per cent as atheist, 5 per cent as Muslim, and an additional 4 per cent identify as other.
Survey responses and focus groups also indicate there is a higher proportion of students with additional needs at Educate Together secondary schools.
The research found that alongside this diversity, students expressed strong feelings of inclusivity and belonging within their schools, and very high self-reported rates of respecting people from other cultures.
The research also found a strong culture of respect at the core of relationships between students and teachers, supported by the use of restorative practices to behaviour and discipline.
The study concluded that teaching practices were in strong alignment with progressive approaches at the core of the new Junior Cycle.
Within the boundaries of the national curriculum, it said teachers provided student-centred and differentiated education while making extensive use of active learning methodologies and technology.
However, it raised concern that many new or “starter” schools included in the study were in temporary and, at times, unsuitable accommodation.
Pressure
This created high pressure on providing sufficient resources to support students with additional needs, and sometimes constrained schools in offering full-time contracts to teachers.
Despite these challenges, it said students described school environments where their well-being was strongly supported.
The schools have also proved able to attract teachers and school leaders committed to the Educate Together ethos, and to creating school communities in which very diverse students say they belong.
The findings of the report suggest that the inclusive ethos of the second-level schools creates a welcoming environment for all students, regardless of background or need.
The study’s authors said Department of Education policy measures should better monitor and address the disproportionate level of student need at some schools and ensure new schools receive the resources they need to ensure students with additional needs are fully supported.
It added that starter schools can face significant delays in securing appropriate accommodation for their students and that interim arrangements were not satisfactory at some schools and, at times, worsened the student experience.
ESRI author Georgiana Mihut said a strong culture of respecting diversity was evident at the second-level schools visited as part of this study.
"As the sector continues to grow, it is well-positioned to serve as an example of how schools can increase their democratic practices and better support the increasingly diverse population of Ireland, " she said.
Co-author Selina McCoy aid Educate Together second-level schools have attracted dedicated and progressive school leaders and staff.
However, she said the demands placed on school leaders, particularly in newly established schools, were considerable.
The evidence gathered pointed to the importance of administrative, mentoring and other supports, as well as the efficient and timely progression of school building planning.
Educate Together chief executive Dr Emer Nowlan said it was heartening to see the quality of student-teacher relationships in particular and students' strong sense of ballooning.
These, she said, were crucial to ensuring every student reaches their full academic and social potential.
She added that the research also provided stark evidence of the challenges faced by new schools in temporary accommodation and highlighted the need for significant improvements in planning for developing schools of all types.


theirishtimes--2020-10-22--Covid-19: Pressure over breakdown in tracing system intensifies as State enters Level 5

Severe restrictions on commercial and social life came into operation for the second time this year at midnight on Wednesday , as political pressure on the Government over a breakdown in the Covid tracing system intensified .
The restrictions , which will be in place for the next six weeks and are among the most severe in Europe , will be enforced by new powers for gardaí which are expected to be in place by next week , according to the Government .
Thousands of retail premises and other businesses shut their doors on Wednesday night , while hundreds of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to work from home from Thursday .
Amid criticism from the Opposition , both Taoiseach Micheál Martin and Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly admitted that they learned of the breakdown in tracing only when they read The Irish Times story published on Tuesday night .
The Irish Times reported that thousands of close contacts of positive Covid-19 cases from over a three-day period would not be contacted by the HSE because the contact tracing system was overwhelmed by cases last weekend .
Instead , the HSE on Wednesday asked 2,000-2,500 people who had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ close contacts to contact their GPs immediately to seek a test .
On Wednesday night , in a sign of further tensions between politicians and officials , Tánaiste Leo Varadkar told Fine Gael TDs that it was “ very unfair ” of the HSE to “ dump ” on general practitioners the responsibility to resolve the tracing controversy .
At a meeting of the Fine Gael parliamentary party , Mr Varadkar said that while the testing capacity was holding up well , the contact tracing side of the system was not going so @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Tánaiste said he was disappointed to hear a HSE spokesman “ dumping this all on them ” .
But a senior HSE source disputed Mr Varadkar ’ s characterisation and said GPs ’ organisations had been involved in discussions on how to resolve the difficulties .
“ GPs are not being asked to find contacts , they are being asked to answer calls , ” the source said .
Once close contacts are phoned by the person who has had a positive test , they are asked to contact their GPs to arrange @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the gap in contact tracing was not considered a “ major operational issue ” and had not come to light when Ministers and senior officials were discussing the new lockdown , announced on Monday night .
On Wednesday , the National Public Health Emergency Team announced a further three deaths from Covid-19 and an additional 1,167 cases .
The North recorded five deaths and 1,039 cases .
Separately on Wednesday night , the Cabinet approved the publication of a Bill to ban evictions for the period of the Level 5 restrictions .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Dáil on Thursday .
And the Department of Finance confirmed that the costs to the exchequer of the six-week lockdown would be added to this year ’ s budget deficit .
An additional €1.25 billion will be borrowed following the lockdown announcement , moving the deficit from 6.2 per cent of GDP to 6.5 per cent .
The Department of Finance insisted on Wednesday that the movement in the deficit was “ still well in the range of other countries ” .
The budget deficit this year is now expected to be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , an increase on the €21.6 billion estimated in last week ’ s budget .
The Government will spent about €80 billion running the State this year .

Severe restrictions on commercial and social life came into operation for the second time this year at midnight on Wednesday, as political pressure on the Government over a breakdown in the Covid tracing system intensified.
The restrictions, which will be in place for the next six weeks and are among the most severe in Europe, will be enforced by new powers for gardaí which are expected to be in place by next week, according to the Government.
Hospital Report
Thousands of retail premises and other businesses shut their doors on Wednesday night, while hundreds of thousands of workers will now be obliged to work from home from Thursday.
Amid criticism from the Opposition, both Taoiseach Micheál Martin and Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly admitted that they learned of the breakdown in tracing only when they read The Irish Times story published on Tuesday night.
READ MORE
The Irish Times reported that thousands of close contacts of positive Covid-19 cases from over a three-day period would not be contacted by the HSE because the contact tracing system was overwhelmed by cases last weekend. Instead, the HSE on Wednesday asked 2,000-2,500 people who had tested positive for Covid to tell their close contacts to contact their GPs immediately to seek a test.
Further tensions
On Wednesday night, in a sign of further tensions between politicians and officials, Tánaiste Leo Varadkar told Fine Gael TDs that it was “very unfair” of the HSE to “dump” on general practitioners the responsibility to resolve the tracing controversy.
At a meeting of the Fine Gael parliamentary party, Mr Varadkar said that while the testing capacity was holding up well, the contact tracing side of the system was not going so well. One person present said the Tánaiste said he was disappointed to hear a HSE spokesman “dumping this all on them”.
But a senior HSE source disputed Mr Varadkar’s characterisation and said GPs’ organisations had been involved in discussions on how to resolve the difficulties.
“GPs are not being asked to find contacts, they are being asked to answer calls,” the source said. Once close contacts are phoned by the person who has had a positive test, they are asked to contact their GPs to arrange a test.
The HSE source said the gap in contact tracing was not considered a “major operational issue” and had not come to light when Ministers and senior officials were discussing the new lockdown, announced on Monday night.
On Wednesday, the National Public Health Emergency Team announced a further three deaths from Covid-19 and an additional 1,167 cases. The North recorded five deaths and 1,039 cases.
Separately on Wednesday night, the Cabinet approved the publication of a Bill to ban evictions for the period of the Level 5 restrictions. The proposals are due to be debated in the Dáil on Thursday.
Lockdown costs
And the Department of Finance confirmed that the costs to the exchequer of the six-week lockdown would be added to this year’s budget deficit.
An additional €1.25 billion will be borrowed following the lockdown announcement, moving the deficit from 6.2 per cent of GDP to 6.5 per cent. The Department of Finance insisted on Wednesday that the movement in the deficit was “still well in the range of other countries”.
The budget deficit this year is now expected to be about €23 billion, the department confirmed, an increase on the €21.6 billion estimated in last week’s budget. The Government will spent about €80 billion running the State this year.


theirishtimes--2020-10-22--Pope must follow through on support for same-sex civil unions, says McAleese

Catholic Church teaching on homosexuality must now be revised as a matter of urgency , former president Mary McAleese has said following comments by Pope Francis in support of civil unions for same-sex couples .
In a documentary , Francesco , premiered at the Rome film festival on Wednesday he said : “ Homosexual people have a right to be in a family .
They are children of God and have a right to a family .
Nobody should be thrown out or be made miserable over it .
What we have to create is a civil union law .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ I stood up for that.
” As Archbishop of Buenos Aires , Francis endorsed civil unions for gay couples .
In 2015 , following the referendum which legalised same-sex marriage in Ireland , Catholic primate Archbishop Eamon Martin said the church felt a sense of “ bereavement ” .
Then Vatican secretary of state Cardinal Pietro Parolin described it as a “ defeat for humanity ” .
In a 1986 document retired pope Benedict XVI described homosexuality as “ a more or less strong tendency ordered toward an intrinsic moral evil ; and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as an objective disorder.
” Responding last night to the civil union comments by Pope Francis , Mrs McAleese said that if his words were “ as quoted and attributed , it means that church teaching in relation to homosexuals and homosexuality requires , urgently , to be revised ” .
Mrs McAleese campaigned for same-sex marriage in the 2015 referendum campaign .
But , she pointed out “ the church does not prepare dogma or doctrine via documentaries .
That happens when the pope sits down behind his desk.
” The pope @ @ @ @ @ @ @ misery and homophobia suffered by LGBTIQ people who , with the Catholic people , have turned the tide , ” she said .
“ The pope has seen that tide .
Let him now follow through .
”

Former president Mary McAleese campaigned in favour of same-sex marriage during the 2015 referendum. File photograph: Dara Mac Dónaill
Catholic Church teaching on homosexuality must now be revised as a matter of urgency, former president Mary McAleese has said following comments by Pope Francis in support of civil unions for same-sex couples.
In a documentary, Francesco, premiered at the Rome film festival on Wednesday he said: “Homosexual people have a right to be in a family. They are children of God and have a right to a family. Nobody should be thrown out or be made miserable over it. What we have to create is a civil union law. That way they are legally covered. I stood up for that.”
As Archbishop of Buenos Aires, Francis endorsed civil unions for gay couples.
In 2015, following the referendum which legalised same-sex marriage in Ireland, Catholic primate Archbishop Eamon Martin said the church felt a sense of "bereavement". Then Vatican secretary of state Cardinal Pietro Parolin described it as a "defeat for humanity".
READ MORE
In a 1986 document retired pope Benedict XVI described homosexuality as “a more or less strong tendency ordered toward an intrinsic moral evil; and thus the inclination itself must be seen as an objective disorder.”
Responding last night to the civil union comments by Pope Francis, Mrs McAleese said that if his words were “as quoted and attributed, it means that church teaching in relation to homosexuals and homosexuality requires, urgently, to be revised”. Mrs McAleese campaigned for same-sex marriage in the 2015 referendum campaign.
But, she pointed out “the church does not prepare dogma or doctrine via documentaries. That happens when the pope sits down behind his desk.”
The pope’s comments “follow years of misery and homophobia suffered by LGBTIQ people who, with the Catholic people, have turned the tide,” she said.
“ The pope has seen that tide. Let him now follow through.”


theirishtimes--2020-10-22--Contact tracing must improve if third Covid-19 wave is to be avoided

The process of tracing contacts of cases with Covid-19 is rightly attracting much attention now , though much of the commentary misunderstands just how much it can achieve at a time when case numbers are soaring .
The real point of talking about contact tracing now is to get it right after Level 5 restrictions end and , hopefully , cases have stabilised , rather than to expect miracles in the current surge .
Contact tracing is a vital element of the public health response to the virus and one that Ireland has not yet got right .
Up to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ slow and unambitious , poorly resourced and have not been backed up by proper quarantining and enforcement .
As World Health Organisation guidance points out , contact tracing may be “ difficult ” when transmission of the virus is intense – as at present .
It should still be carried out as much as possible , with the focus on households , healthcare workers , risky settings such as nursing homes and vulnerable contacts , the WHO advises .
Contact tracing is a great tool , but was “ never , ever designed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Australia-based Irish public health doctor Niall Conroy points out .
“ The important interventions at this level of cases are population level restrictions , ie , people limiting their contacts , ” he says .
Speed is of the essence in contact tracing , so people who have mingled with cases and may therefore have the virus are identified before they become infectious .
In the “ test , trace , isolate ” process , the clock starts when a person develops symptoms and ends when they have been effectively isolated .
We @ @ @ @ @ @ @ passes from symptom onset to seeing a GP , while isolation is largely left to the discretion of the person involved .
As a result , what limited figures we have for the performance of the service are incomplete .
At the moment , these suggest it takes 0.8 days on average from GP referral to swabbing , and 1.3 days from swabbing to test results .
The average time to complete all contact tracing calls is given as 3.8 days at present , but this is for all calls , not just @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ones of interest ) , which take longer .
It is hard to make sense of the figures provided , which tell us the number of contact tracing calls made but not the average length of calls or how fast they are made .
What matters is that it probably takes at least a week between the time a person starts to feel symptoms and the time most of their contacts are quarantined or isolated .
That ’ s a full week in which infected people can , unknowingly , spread the disease @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the time from symptom development to isolation is within two to three days and 80 per cent of close contacts are quarantined , according to an Australian study found last month .
Delays of over four days , or failure to quarantine more than 60 per cent of contacts – the Irish situation – “ may not meaningfully control transmission ” , it found .
Some of the problems with Irish contact tracing are down to a lack of resources ; many teams were stood down last spring as cases ebbed , when @ @ @ @ @ @ @ further on extant community transmission .
A lack of automation is also a factor , with laborious transcription of spreadsheets inevitably leading to errors .
Ireland is a something of a world leader in call centre provision , so it is surprising more synergies with the private sector have not been established during this crisis .
All of these shortcomings need to be rectified urgently if Ireland is to avoid a third wave of Covid-19 next year .

A contact tracing call centre in UCD. Some of the problems with Irish contact tracing are down to a lack of resources. File photograph: Enda O’Dowd
The process of tracing contacts of cases with Covid-19 is rightly attracting much attention now, though much of the commentary misunderstands just how much it can achieve at a time when case numbers are soaring.
The real point of talking about contact tracing now is to get it right after Level 5 restrictions end and, hopefully, cases have stabilised, rather than to expect miracles in the current surge.
Contact tracing is a vital element of the public health response to the virus and one that Ireland has not yet got right. Up to now, our efforts have been too slow and unambitious, poorly resourced and have not been backed up by proper quarantining and enforcement.
Hospital Report
As World Health Organisation guidance points out, contact tracing may be "difficult" when transmission of the virus is intense – as at present.
READ MORE
It should still be carried out as much as possible, with the focus on households, healthcare workers, risky settings such as nursing homes and vulnerable contacts, the WHO advises.
Contact tracing is a great tool, but was "never, ever designed for 1,000+ cases a day", Australia-based Irish public health doctor Niall Conroy points out.
“The important interventions at this level of cases are population level restrictions, ie, people limiting their contacts,” he says.
Defence Forces cadets undertaking HSE training at Dr. Steevens’ Hospital for contact tracing. File photograph: Alan Betson
Speed is of the essence in contact tracing, so people who have mingled with cases and may therefore have the virus are identified before they become infectious.
In the “test, trace, isolate” process, the clock starts when a person develops symptoms and ends when they have been effectively isolated.
We don’t measure the time that passes from symptom onset to seeing a GP, while isolation is largely left to the discretion of the person involved.
It probably takes at least a week between the time a person starts to feel symptoms and the time most of their contacts are quarantined or isolated
As a result, what limited figures we have for the performance of the service are incomplete. At the moment, these suggest it takes 0.8 days on average from GP referral to swabbing, and 1.3 days from swabbing to test results.
The average time to complete all contact tracing calls is given as 3.8 days at present, but this is for all calls, not just the positive ones (ie, the ones of interest), which take longer.
It is hard to make sense of the figures provided, which tell us the number of contact tracing calls made but not the average length of calls or how fast they are made.
What matters is that it probably takes at least a week between the time a person starts to feel symptoms and the time most of their contacts are quarantined or isolated. That’s a full week in which infected people can, unknowingly, spread the disease.
Contact tracing is most effective when the time from symptom development to isolation is within two to three days and 80 per cent of close contacts are quarantined, according to an Australian study found last month.
Delays of over four days, or failure to quarantine more than 60 per cent of contacts – the Irish situation – “may not meaningfully control transmission”, it found.
Some of the problems with Irish contact tracing are down to a lack of resources; many teams were stood down last spring as cases ebbed, when their tracing skills could have been honed further on extant community transmission. A lack of automation is also a factor, with laborious transcription of spreadsheets inevitably leading to errors.
Ireland is a something of a world leader in call centre provision, so it is surprising more synergies with the private sector have not been established during this crisis.
All of these shortcomings need to be rectified urgently if Ireland is to avoid a third wave of Covid-19 next year.


theirishtimes--2020-10-22--Spit not yet polished for coronavirus testing

There can be few people who like having a swab pushed up their nose to get a test for the Covid-19 virus , SARS-CoV-2 .
Wouldn ’ t it be easier if we could have our saliva tested for the virus instead ?
Several projects in Ireland are looking at using saliva for screening ( to identify people who may need a more definitive diagnostic test ) but the “ messy ” nature of saliva means it ’ s not always as easy as it sounds .
“ We don ’ t routinely use saliva to test for respiratory viruses @ @ @ @ @ @ @ de Gascun , who directs the National Virus Reference Laboratory at University College Dublin .
“ That ’ s partly because saliva can be a messy sample to work with .
It contains enzymes that can impact on PCR – the method that amplifies genetic material from the virus in a sample , so it can be more easily measured – and saliva can be quite viscous and gloopy , so it is difficult for some of the automated liquid-handling machines in the lab to handle.
” There ’ s another issue too @ @ @ @ @ @ @ At the moment we believe that saliva testing would be less sensitive than the current swabs we are taking [ to test for the Covid-19 virus ] , ” he says .
“ So I don ’ t envisage saliva replacing swab samples , but saliva testing might be useful for particular situations , such as testing children , people in nursing homes or where a person needs to take serial tests .
If saliva has an acceptable sensitivity , it might be an additional specimen type to consider , given that it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all.
” Prof Cliona O ’ Farrelly sees value in saliva testing , with the emphasis on screening .
“ We need to screen lots of people , lots of the time , many , many times , ” says O ’ Farrelly , professor of comparative immunology at Trinity College Dublin .
“ So we need something much quicker , simpler and cheaper than swabs and PCR .
This is where saliva can come in .
Then we will need to diagnose a small proportion of all the people we screen , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be negative .
This is when swabs and PCR can come in useful for diagnosis.
” Despite its limitations , Prof Kingston Mills at Trinity College Dublin believes saliva could be used to screen and perhaps even diagnose large numbers of people .
“ The big benefit of saliva would be that it obviates the need for testing centres , because a person could drool into a tube and send that off for analysis , ” he says .
Mills leads the Trinity Covid-19 Immunology Project , where Prof Orla Sheils is screening @ @ @ @ @ @ @ isothermal amplification ( LAMP ) rather than PCR .
“ The LAMP assay is quick , it takes 30 minutes , it doesn ’ t require sophisticated equipment and if there is virus present it shows up as a colour change , ” says Mills .
“ The test we are carrying out is not a diagnostic test , but I think the LAMP assay could be a game changer , especially using saliva , to diagnose as well as screen.
” One way to preserve a saliva sample is to store and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the virus but preserves the genetic material .
Dr John Mac Sharry from APC Microbiome Ireland and colleagues were recently awarded Science Foundation Ireland funding to explore the impact of detergent on SARS-CoV-2 in saliva samples .
“ My area of research is lung microbiology , and before Covid-19 we had been looking at levels of bacteria and fungi in the saliva of patients with asthma , ” explains Mac Sharry , a lecturer in medical microbiology at University College Cork .
“ Then , when the pandemic started , we decided to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are adding detergent to the saliva when it is collected , to see what happens to the virus .
Accumulated scientific knowledge through history suggests the detergent will help to preserve the genetic material [ of ] SARS-CoV-2 , but we need the evidence.
” The project will also compare saliva samples and swabs from the same patients to see how the saliva test protocol matches up , though he admits the saliva specimens have their limitations .
“ No test is perfect , ” he says .
“ And it ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or drink anything or smoke for a period before the test is taken , as this can introduce more variability into the sample.
” Dr Niamh Gilmartin , a biochemistry lecturer at TU Dublin , echoes the need for saliva to be as “ clean ” as possible when providing a sample .
“ Food particles in saliva are a big problem , ” she says .
“ And there is probably more sample preparation needed compared to , say , blood or urine , which are easier samples to handle from a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Meaney and colleagues are developing a colour-based kit to immediately screen for the virus in saliva .
AptaGold uses aptamers – short pieces of DNA – that have been designed to bind to a protein on the surface of SARS-CoV-2 .
The aptamers are coated onto nanoparticles of gold , then if they bind to the virus in a sample , the particles clump and change the colour of the liquid from blue to red .
The technology looks for a protein on the virus , rather than for genetic material that can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ anticipates the sensitivity level of the AptaGold assay will be fit for purpose .
“ The idea is to make Covid-19 screening accessible outside of a lab , ” she explains .
“ But the emphasis is on screening , this would not be a diagnostic test.
” Not the optimum for diagnosis While the Covid-19 pandemic is changing how we do many things , de Gascun does not believe it will push saliva testing beyond the realm of screening and into routine diagnostics .
“ It is not like people haven ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there are logisitic and sensitivity reasons why saliva is not the optimum specimen for definitive diagnosis , ” he says .
“ [ Saliva ] may have a role to play in certain situations , but I don ’ t see it changing the way we do diagnostics for respiratory viruses , and in 12 months ’ time , next winter , I would be surprised if we are using saliva as the preferred specimen type for routine diagnostic testing .
”

There can be few people who like having a swab pushed up their nose to get a test for the Covid-19 virus, SARS-CoV-2. Wouldn’t it be easier if we could have our saliva tested for the virus instead?
Several projects in Ireland are looking at using saliva for screening (to identify people who may need a more definitive diagnostic test) but the "messy" nature of saliva means it's not always as easy as it sounds.
Messy specimens
"We don't routinely use saliva to test for respiratory viruses," says medical virologist Dr Cillian de Gascun, who directs the National Virus Reference Laboratory at University College Dublin.
“That’s partly because saliva can be a messy sample to work with. It contains enzymes that can impact on PCR – the method that amplifies genetic material from the virus in a sample, so it can be more easily measured – and saliva can be quite viscous and gloopy, so it is difficult for some of the automated liquid-handling machines in the lab to handle.”
READ MORE
There’s another issue too, according to de Gascun. “At the moment we believe that saliva testing would be less sensitive than the current swabs we are taking [to test for the Covid-19 virus],” he says.
“So I don’t envisage saliva replacing swab samples, but saliva testing might be useful for particular situations, such as testing children, people in nursing homes or where a person needs to take serial tests. If saliva has an acceptable sensitivity, it might be an additional specimen type to consider, given that it would be better than no sample at all.”
Saliva screens
Prof Cliona O'Farrelly sees value in saliva testing, with the emphasis on screening. "We need to screen lots of people, lots of the time, many, many times," says O'Farrelly, professor of comparative immunology at Trinity College Dublin. "So we need something much quicker, simpler and cheaper than swabs and PCR. This is where saliva can come in. Then we will need to diagnose a small proportion of all the people we screen, as most [people] will likely be negative. This is when swabs and PCR can come in useful for diagnosis."
Despite its limitations, Prof Kingston Mills at Trinity College Dublin believes saliva could be used to screen and perhaps even diagnose large numbers of people. "The big benefit of saliva would be that it obviates the need for testing centres, because a person could drool into a tube and send that off for analysis," he says.
Mills leads the Trinity Covid-19 Immunology Project, where Prof Orla Sheils is screening saliva samples from students by using loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) rather than PCR.
“The LAMP assay is quick, it takes 30 minutes, it doesn’t require sophisticated equipment and if there is virus present it shows up as a colour change,” says Mills. “The test we are carrying out is not a diagnostic test, but I think the LAMP assay could be a game changer, especially using saliva, to diagnose as well as screen.”
Detergent to preserve
One way to preserve a saliva sample is to store and transport it in a detergent that inactivates the virus but preserves the genetic material. Dr John Mac Sharry from APC Microbiome Ireland and colleagues were recently awarded Science Foundation Ireland funding to explore the impact of detergent on SARS-CoV-2 in saliva samples.
"My area of research is lung microbiology, and before Covid-19 we had been looking at levels of bacteria and fungi in the saliva of patients with asthma," explains Mac Sharry, a lecturer in medical microbiology at University College Cork.
“Then, when the pandemic started, we decided to look for viruses in saliva. We are adding detergent to the saliva when it is collected, to see what happens to the virus. Accumulated scientific knowledge through history suggests the detergent will help to preserve the genetic material [of] SARS-CoV-2, but we need the evidence.”
The project will also compare saliva samples and swabs from the same patients to see how the saliva test protocol matches up, though he admits the saliva specimens have their limitations.
“No test is perfect,” he says. “And it’s important that people don’t eat or drink anything or smoke for a period before the test is taken, as this can introduce more variability into the sample.”
On-the-spot colour change
Dr Niamh Gilmartin, a biochemistry lecturer at TU Dublin, echoes the need for saliva to be as "clean" as possible when providing a sample. "Food particles in saliva are a big problem," she says. "And there is probably more sample preparation needed compared to, say, blood or urine, which are easier samples to handle from a laboratory perspective."
Gilmartin, Dr Steve Meaney and colleagues are developing a colour-based kit to immediately screen for the virus in saliva. AptaGold uses aptamers – short pieces of DNA – that have been designed to bind to a protein on the surface of SARS-CoV-2. The aptamers are coated onto nanoparticles of gold, then if they bind to the virus in a sample, the particles clump and change the colour of the liquid from blue to red.
The technology looks for a protein on the virus, rather than for genetic material that can be amplified by PCR. But Gilmartin anticipates the sensitivity level of the AptaGold assay will be fit for purpose. “The idea is to make Covid-19 screening accessible outside of a lab,” she explains. “But the emphasis is on screening, this would not be a diagnostic test.”
Not the optimum for diagnosis
While the Covid-19 pandemic is changing how we do many things, de Gascun does not believe it will push saliva testing beyond the realm of screening and into routine diagnostics. “It is not like people haven’t thought of this before, and there are logisitic and sensitivity reasons why saliva is not the optimum specimen for definitive diagnosis,” he says.
“[Saliva] may have a role to play in certain situations, but I don’t see it changing the way we do diagnostics for respiratory viruses, and in 12 months’ time, next winter, I would be surprised if we are using saliva as the preferred specimen type for routine diagnostic testing.”


theirishtimes--2020-10-22--Nearly 400 Brazilians have tested positive for Covid-19 in Ireland, data shows

Brazilians living in Ireland have become the foreign community most affected by the spread of coronavirus followed by Nigerians and people from the United Kingdom , new data shows .
Some 397 Brazilians living in Ireland tested positive for the virus between March and early October , with 300 Nigerians , 241 people from the UK and 233 Moldovans also testing positive , according to figures seen by The Irish Times .
The Health Protection Surveillance Centre ( HPSC ) , which released the numbers , said ethnicity data was “ not always available ” when collecting information from coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ individuals caught up in community outbreaks “ may not always be completed ” .
The data made available is based on the country of birth of patients .
“ Regional departments of public health are striving to improve the quality of these data and we may revise these figures in the future , ” said the statement .
The HPSC coronavirus data on foreign nationals living in Ireland also shows 229 Poles , 220 Indians , 218 Romanians , 162 Lithuanians , 134 Filipinos and 66 Congolese people tested positive for the disease @ @ @ @ @ @ @ members of Ireland ’ s Roma community have tested positive with five deaths reported to the HPSC .
In direct provision centres , 314 people had tested positive by early October , with fewer than five deaths among asylum seekers in these centres .
Some 66 Pakistanis , 60 Latvians and 51 South Africans living in Ireland have also tested positive with fewer than five Syrians contracting the virus , according to the HPSC .
Sixteen foreign nationals who were born outside Ireland but live in the State died of the virus between @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of 50,993 people in Ireland have tested positive for the virus with 1,852 deaths to date .
With high rental prices pushing foreign students from Latin America , Asia and Europe into overcrowded housing , where they often share with up to a dozen other people , it ’ s not surprising the virus has spread among Brazilians .
The Brazilian Left Front campaign group warned earlier this year that Brazilian students in Irish cities were “ in a more vulnerable health position ” as many have survived during the pandemic by working @ @ @ @ @ @ @ understood that large numbers of Nigerians work as home carers , leaving them at greater risk of contracting the virus , while many Moldovans work in meat plants where a number of coronavirus clusters have occurred .
While the number of Filipinos who have tested positive for the virus appears quite low down on the HPSC list , the Filipino Consul has warned that its community is being “ disproportionately affected ” by the virus given the large numbers working in hospitals and as carers .
About 16,000 Filipinos live in Ireland with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Teresa Buczkowska , from the Immigrant Council of Ireland , said migrants were continuing to provide many essential services in this country and “ pay the price of being at the front line ” .
“ Migrants are producing our food and are delivering it to our doorsteps .
They are caring for our elders , keeping our hospitals clean and are providing essential medical care ” .
Migrants are also more likely to live in overcrowded conditions where they can not practise social distancing or self-isolation , said Ms Buczkowska .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ communities ” during the coronavirus crisis , saying Irish lives would have been “ much more affected by the pandemic if not for the migrants who stepped up ” .
There are 14,910 Brazilians ( including 1,270 Irish-Brazilians ) living in Ireland , according to the 2016 census .
However , the actual figure is believed to be much higher when taking into account the large number of students who have come here to learn English in recent years .
Many Brazilians in Ireland also have dual nationality and may be registered as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ including 6,995 Irish-Nigerians ) , 103,113 people from the UK and just 1,987 Moldovans living in Ireland , according to census figures .

Teresa Buczkowska, from the Immigrant Council of Ireland, said migrants were continuing to provide many essential services in this country and ‘pay the price of being at the front line’. Photograph: Crispin Rodwell
Brazilians living in Ireland have become the foreign community most affected by the spread of coronavirus followed by Nigerians and people from the United Kingdom, new data shows.
Some 397 Brazilians living in Ireland tested positive for the virus between March and early October, with 300 Nigerians, 241 people from the UK and 233 Moldovans also testing positive, according to figures seen by The Irish Times.
The Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC), which released the numbers, said ethnicity data was “not always available” when collecting information from coronavirus patients and warned that the ethnicity of individuals caught up in community outbreaks “may not always be completed”. The data made available is based on the country of birth of patients.
Hospital Report
“Regional departments of public health are striving to improve the quality of these data and we may revise these figures in the future,” said the statement.
READ MORE
The HPSC coronavirus data on foreign nationals living in Ireland also shows 229 Poles, 220 Indians, 218 Romanians, 162 Lithuanians, 134 Filipinos and 66 Congolese people tested positive for the disease by October.
Deaths
One hundred and nineteen members of Ireland's Roma community have tested positive with five deaths reported to the HPSC. In direct provision centres, 314 people had tested positive by early October, with fewer than five deaths among asylum seekers in these centres.
Some 66 Pakistanis, 60 Latvians and 51 South Africans living in Ireland have also tested positive with fewer than five Syrians contracting the virus, according to the HPSC.
Sixteen foreign nationals who were born outside Ireland but live in the State died of the virus between March and early October.
A total of 50,993 people in Ireland have tested positive for the virus with 1,852 deaths to date.
With high rental prices pushing foreign students from Latin America, Asia and Europe into overcrowded housing, where they often share with up to a dozen other people, it’s not surprising the virus has spread among Brazilians. The Brazilian Left Front campaign group warned earlier this year that Brazilian students in Irish cities were “in a more vulnerable health position” as many have survived during the pandemic by working informally through food delivery.
It is understood that large numbers of Nigerians work as home carers, leaving them at greater risk of contracting the virus, while many Moldovans, as well as Brazilians, work in meat plants where a number of coronavirus clusters have occurred.
While the number of Filipinos who have tested positive for the virus appears quite low down on the HPSC list, the Filipino Consul has warned that its community is being “disproportionately affected” by the virus given the large numbers working in hospitals and as carers. About 16,000 Filipinos live in Ireland with the majority working in healthcare and hospitality.
Front line
Teresa Buczkowska, from the Immigrant Council of Ireland, said migrants were continuing to provide many essential services in this country and “pay the price of being at the front line”.
“Migrants are producing our food and are delivering it to our doorsteps. They are caring for our elders, keeping our hospitals clean and are providing essential medical care”. Migrants are also more likely to live in overcrowded conditions where they cannot practise social distancing or self-isolation, said Ms Buczkowska. She criticised the “backlash against migrant communities” during the coronavirus crisis, saying Irish lives would have been “much more affected by the pandemic if not for the migrants who stepped up”.
There are 14,910 Brazilians (including 1,270 Irish-Brazilians) living in Ireland, according to the 2016 census. However, the actual figure is believed to be much higher when taking into account the large number of students who have come here to learn English in recent years. Many Brazilians in Ireland also have dual nationality and may be registered as European.
There are 13,079 Nigerians (including 6,995 Irish-Nigerians), 103,113 people from the UK and just 1,987 Moldovans living in Ireland, according to census figures.


theirishtimes--2020-10-22--Coronavirus still ‘untreatable’ for some elderly nursing home residents

Nursing homes are better able to cope with coronavirus outbreaks than earlier in the year , but for frail , vulnerable and elderly residents Covid-19 remains a “ potentially lethal , untreatable condition ” , a consultant geriatrician said .
Dermot Power , a consultant at the Mater Hospital in Dublin and a clinical adviser to Nursing Homes Ireland , the representative group for private nursing homes that makes up 80 per cent of the sector , said that it would be “ wrong to pretend ” that nursing home residents are “ any more resilient ” to the disease @ @ @ @ @ @ @ grown and threatens nursing homes .
“ The virus hasn ’ t changed .
The virus is still an untreatable cause of death in some people .
You throw that virus into a mix of patients who are by definition frail , vulnerable and elderly and inevitably a number of deaths are going to occur , ” he said .
He said that mass screening of nursing home employees would help prevent staff shortages that hindered the management of coronavirus outbreaks in the early days of the pandemic .
The passage of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had “ diminished significantly ” since the first wave because asymptomatic staff infections were being picked up by serial testing .
But he warned that nursing homes might not have access to the same back-up staff support from hospitals during this wave of infection as the healthcare system will not be shut down again .
Concerns have been expressed by the State ’ s chief medical officer , Dr Tony Holohan , that the widespread community transmission of the disease poses an “ existential risk ” to older people living in nursing homes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Dr Power said that nursing homes could be “ bubble-wrapped ” from the wider community if low-paid care facility staff were paid adequately so they would not have to take second jobs .
However , he said that completely isolating nursing homes was not possible and would be damaging to the care and wellbeing of nursing home residents isolated from family and friends .
“ It is nearly impossible to completely isolate a nursing home ; certainly within a city environment it becomes even harder as there are multiple points of contact @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said that while outbreaks were occurring again , he was not seeing the same severe infections .
This might be due to staff wearing masks more now , meaning they are not transmitting a heavy “ viral load ” , which can determine the severity of an infection , he suggested .
Dr Power said that nursing homes had more personal protective equipment this time around , testing was better and nurses and healthcare workers were better able to manage outbreaks , while infection prevention and control protocols have improved in facilities since @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also works at Fairview Community Unit , the Mater ’ s post-acute care facility for elderly and other patients , said that the pandemic had exposed public expectations that nursing homes were more of a clinical setting when in fact they were largely a social care model .
“ There is a discussion that needs to happen : what do people want from their nursing homes ?
As a social care entity , they can only do so much , ” he said .
He acknowledged the “ brutal situation ” facing families @ @ @ @ @ @ @ homes at a time when they are restricted from visiting them under Covid-19 restrictions .
Dr Power said that one family he met recently compared the decision to move their mother into a nursing home to someone emigrating to Australia in the 1850s : “ You know they are alive out there but you have no engagement with them.
” There are in the region of 30,000 people living in about 570 nursing homes , making up about 4 per cent of the country ’ s population of people aged 65 and over @

Dr Dermot Power, a consultant at the Mater Hospital in Dublin and a clinical adviser to Nursing Homes Ireland: ‘The virus hasn’t changed. The virus is still an untreatable cause of death in some people.’ Photograph: Dara Mac Donaill
Nursing homes are better able to cope with coronavirus outbreaks than earlier in the year, but for frail, vulnerable and elderly residents Covid-19 remains a “potentially lethal, untreatable condition”, a consultant geriatrician said.
Dermot Power, a consultant at the Mater Hospital in Dublin and a clinical adviser to Nursing Homes Ireland, the representative group for private nursing homes that makes up 80 per cent of the sector, said that it would be "wrong to pretend" that nursing home residents are "any more resilient" to the disease as the second wave of infections has grown and threatens nursing homes.
“The virus hasn’t changed. The virus is still an untreatable cause of death in some people. You throw that virus into a mix of patients who are by definition frail, vulnerable and elderly and inevitably a number of deaths are going to occur,” he said.
Hospital Report
He said that mass screening of nursing home employees would help prevent staff shortages that hindered the management of coronavirus outbreaks in the early days of the pandemic.
READ MORE
Asymptomatic staff
The passage of the disease from staff to nursing home residents had “diminished significantly” since the first wave because asymptomatic staff infections were being picked up by serial testing.
But he warned that nursing homes might not have access to the same back-up staff support from hospitals during this wave of infection as the healthcare system will not be shut down again.
Concerns have been expressed by the State's chief medical officer, Dr Tony Holohan, that the widespread community transmission of the disease poses an "existential risk" to older people living in nursing homes with the number of outbreaks rising again.
Dr Power said that nursing homes could be “bubble-wrapped” from the wider community if low-paid care facility staff were paid adequately so they would not have to take second jobs.
However, he said that completely isolating nursing homes was not possible and would be damaging to the care and wellbeing of nursing home residents isolated from family and friends.
“It is nearly impossible to completely isolate a nursing home; certainly within a city environment it becomes even harder as there are multiple points of contact,” he said.
The consultant said that while outbreaks were occurring again, he was not seeing the same severe infections. This might be due to staff wearing masks more now, meaning they are not transmitting a heavy “viral load”, which can determine the severity of an infection, he suggested.
Outbreaks
Dr Power said that nursing homes had more personal protective equipment this time around, testing was better and nurses and healthcare workers were better able to manage outbreaks, while infection prevention and control protocols have improved in facilities since the spring.
The consultant, who also works at Fairview Community Unit, the Mater’s post-acute care facility for elderly and other patients, said that the pandemic had exposed public expectations that nursing homes were more of a clinical setting when in fact they were largely a social care model.
“There is a discussion that needs to happen: what do people want from their nursing homes? As a social care entity, they can only do so much,” he said.
He acknowledged the “brutal situation” facing families deciding to put elderly relatives into nursing homes at a time when they are restricted from visiting them under Covid-19 restrictions.
Dr Power said that one family he met recently compared the decision to move their mother into a nursing home to someone emigrating to Australia in the 1850s: "You know they are alive out there but you have no engagement with them."
There are in the region of 30,000 people living in about 570 nursing homes, making up about 4 per cent of the country’s population of people aged 65 and over.


theirishtimes--2020-10-22--Digging into heritage for more resilient barley

You want to reduce the stress on barley – how does barley get stressed ?
Plants experience different kinds of stress , including having too much rainfall and water around their roots .
If you or I get caught in the rain , we can go indoors or get an umbrella , but plants can ’ t move ; they have to respond to stress in other ways to keep healthy and keep growing .
We are working on two-row spring barley , which is particularly important economically for the whiskey and beer industries .
The problem is that with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , but also unpredictable , and heavy rains can lead to waterlogging , which affects the growth and yield of the barley .
What is your project doing ?
We are looking at heirloom or heritage lines of barley that are no longer cultivated .
We are planting them in fields at UCD Lyons Farm , and working with colleagues in computer science to capture and analyse drone images as the plants grow .
We are also growing some of these lines indoors under tightly controlled conditions , and we just got an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ them as they grow .
Then we are looking at the genetics and yields and protein content , to see which lines may be more resilient to the kinds of challenges that climate change is bringing .
If these old barleys are no longer grown , are they hard to find ?
We have great collaborators helping us on this project .
We have sourced barley seeds from seed banks in Norway , held by our partners in Scotland , we have Irish barleys from the Department of Agriculture Food and the Marine @ @ @ @ @ @ @ National Botanic Gardens to look at museum specimens .
How has Covid-19 affected the research ?
It has been a challenge , but my wonderful team has kept working even in these strange circumstances .
For example , one PhD student , Patrick Langan , prepared the barley seeds at home .
Then he would drive them over to one of the post-doctoral researchers , Dr Nadia Al-Tamimi , so she could get to work on them .
Luckily we got clearance letters to go to the field to sow the seeds , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the project .
We also managed to get authorisations to bring the hyperspectral imaging equipment to UCD , so we can scan the plants .
And I got to meet President Higgins just before lockdown too , which was extremely exciting .
Why did you meet him ?
I received a Science Foundation Ireland President of Ireland Future Research Leaders Award , and the award ceremony was in early March .
The President and his staff were super nice , and the ceremony was amazing .
We work hard in science , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our day .
Was plant science always on your radar ?
Not at all !
I grew up in Portugal and I spent my childhood summers on the beach , I had zero interest in plants .
Then in school when I was about 15 , I learned about genetics and I fell in love with it .
It was like a lightbulb switching on .
I studied agronomy at university , and when I learned about using genetics in crop breeding I was hooked , that was it .
And how do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the usual things , I spend time with family .
My husband and I like to go on hikes with the kids , and I like to cook as well .
I have always had pets in my life and now we have two cats – a black one called Spartacus , and a white one called Keanu , after Keanu Reeves .

Dr Sónia Negrão: ‘I studied agronomy at university, and when I learned about using genetics in crop breeding I was hooked, that was it.’
You want to reduce the stress on barley – how does barley get stressed?
Plants experience different kinds of stress, including having too much rainfall and water around their roots. If you or I get caught in the rain, we can go indoors or get an umbrella, but plants can’t move; they have to respond to stress in other ways to keep healthy and keep growing.
We are working on two-row spring barley, which is particularly important economically for the whiskey and beer industries. The problem is that with climate change rainfall is becoming more concentrated, but also unpredictable, and heavy rains can lead to waterlogging, which affects the growth and yield of the barley.
What is your project doing?
READ MORE
We are looking at heirloom or heritage lines of barley that are no longer cultivated. We are planting them in fields at UCD Lyons Farm, and working with colleagues in computer science to capture and analyse drone images as the plants grow.
We are also growing some of these lines indoors under tightly controlled conditions, and we just got an amazing hyperspectral imager so we can scan them as they grow. Then we are looking at the genetics and yields and protein content, to see which lines may be more resilient to the kinds of challenges that climate change is bringing.
If these old barleys are no longer grown, are they hard to find?
We have great collaborators helping us on this project. We have sourced barley seeds from seed banks in Norway, held by our partners in Scotland, we have Irish barleys from the Department of Agriculture Food and the Marine and we are even working with the National Botanic Gardens to look at museum specimens.
How has Covid-19 affected the research?
It has been a challenge, but my wonderful team has kept working even in these strange circumstances. For example, one PhD student, Patrick Langan, prepared the barley seeds at home. Then he would drive them over to one of the post-doctoral researchers, Dr Nadia Al-Tamimi, so she could get to work on them.
Luckily we got clearance letters to go to the field to sow the seeds, so we would not lose a year of the project. We also managed to get authorisations to bring the hyperspectral imaging equipment to UCD, so we can scan the plants. And I got to meet President Higgins just before lockdown too, which was extremely exciting.
Why did you meet him?
I received a Science Foundation Ireland President of Ireland Future Research Leaders Award, and the award ceremony was in early March. The President and his staff were super nice, and the ceremony was amazing. We work hard in science, and this kind of recognition really makes our day.
Was plant science always on your radar?
Not at all! I grew up in Portugal and I spent my childhood summers on the beach, I had zero interest in plants. Then in school when I was about 15, I learned about genetics and I fell in love with it. It was like a lightbulb switching on. I studied agronomy at university, and when I learned about using genetics in crop breeding I was hooked, that was it.
And how do you spend time outside work?
Probably the usual things, I spend time with family. My husband and I like to go on hikes with the kids, and I like to cook as well. I have always had pets in my life and now we have two cats – a black one called Spartacus, and a white one called Keanu, after Keanu Reeves.


theirishtimes--2020-10-22--The annual show of autumn colours is chemistry laid bare

This year more than ever there is a sense that we are facing into a long and bleak winter .
Before we get there though nature has a treat in store – the annual show of autumn colours .
The leaves on about 20 per cent of European deciduous tree species turn red , 27 per cent turn yellow and the rest remain green before their leaves are lost .
While we bundle up in hats and scarves and enjoy crisp , breath fogging walks in the woods to enjoy the show , insects like aphids are checking out potential @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sucking the life out of garden plants and popping out already pregnant baby aphids , nested within them like Russian dolls , the aphids get down to the serious business of ensuring next year ’ s generation by laying eggs .
Aphid mothers like to migrate to trees in the autumn to lay their eggs so that the babies that emerge in spring have a ready source of food in the bursting spring buds .
They face a conundrum though , trees are not unwitting hosts .
Some trees are better defended against @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that can ruin a sap sucker ’ s appetite or even poison them .
Other trees have such low concentrations of nitrogen in their leaves that an aphid would have to suck an inordinate amount of sap to get enough to make the proteins it needs ; a bit like having your steak dinner minced up and thrown into an Olympic sized swimming pool .
So , how to choose ?
Trees may use their autumn colours to signal to aphids , with red indicating that they are well defended , no point @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that trees use autumn colours to signal to aphids is not without controversy .
For starters , aphids lack the ability to see the colour red , they do not have the red colour photoreceptor in their eyes .
What looks like a riot of colour to most of us , an aphid experiences a bit like a red-green colourblind human with only colour intensity differences between red and green leaves .
Experiments have shown however that this colour intensity difference is enough for the aphids and what we see as red leaves @ @ @ @ @ @ @ them .
The evidence has mounted up that red leaves indicate higher concentration of defensive compounds and aphids that hatch out in spring on trees that had green leaves in autumn do better than those aphids which emerge on red leaved trees .
Coevolution with insect herbivores is quite likely to explain some of the Autumn colours .
An alternative explanation for autumn colours is that they result simply from the unmasking of coloured pigments in the leaves as chlorophyll is degraded .
Chlorophyll gives leaves their green colouration and is broken down @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and fall .
Trees are great recyclers and do their best to reabsorb all the useful nutrients in their leaves before they drop .
This explains the yellow leaf colours which are made by carotenoid pigments which are present in the leaves year round but are masked by chlorophyll .
Unmasking does not explain the red colours though , as the red-purple spectrum of autumn colours is caused by anthocyanins which are produced by the tree newly in autumn and are not present at other times .
Brown colour is a result of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ use the red pigments in autumn to protect their leaves from light damage .
Too much light can slow down photosynthesis and damage leaves , particularly in the cool , bright days of early to mid autumn .
The red-purple pigments come from anthocyanins which may act as a direct sunscreen and also as antioxidants which repair oxidative damage to leaves .
The protection against light damage may enable leaves to maintain their function into the cooler temperatures of autumn so that nutrients can be effectively resorbed .
Trees have a delicate balance @ @ @ @ @ @ @ maintaining photosynthesis as late as possible , protecting themselves against light damage and defending themselves against next year ’ s herbivore generation .
Next time you ’ re out in the woods admire the complex chemistry that trees employ to maintain themselves over decades of stress and attack .
Yvonne Buckley is an ecologist , Irish Research Council laureate and professor of zoology at Trinity College Dublin

Next time you’re out in the woods admire the complex chemistry that trees employ to maintain themselves over decades of stress and attack. Photograph: Eric Luke
This year more than ever there is a sense that we are facing into a long and bleak winter. Before we get there though nature has a treat in store – the annual show of autumn colours. The leaves on about 20 per cent of European deciduous tree species turn red, 27 per cent turn yellow and the rest remain green before their leaves are lost.
While we bundle up in hats and scarves and enjoy crisp, breath fogging walks in the woods to enjoy the show, insects like aphids are checking out potential maternity wards. After a busy summer sucking the life out of garden plants and popping out already pregnant baby aphids, nested within them like Russian dolls, the aphids get down to the serious business of ensuring next year’s generation by laying eggs.
Aphid mothers like to migrate to trees in the autumn to lay their eggs so that the babies that emerge in spring have a ready source of food in the bursting spring buds. They face a conundrum though, trees are not unwitting hosts. Some trees are better defended against the aphid hordes and produce chemical defences that can ruin a sap sucker’s appetite or even poison them.
Steak dinner
Other trees have such low concentrations of nitrogen in their leaves that an aphid would have to suck an inordinate amount of sap to get enough to make the proteins it needs; a bit like having your steak dinner minced up and thrown into an Olympic sized swimming pool.
READ MORE
So, how to choose? Trees may use their autumn colours to signal to aphids, with red indicating that they are well defended, no point laying eggs here! This coevolutionary hypothesis that trees use autumn colours to signal to aphids is not without controversy.
For starters, aphids lack the ability to see the colour red, they do not have the red colour photoreceptor in their eyes. What looks like a riot of colour to most of us, an aphid experiences a bit like a red-green colourblind human with only colour intensity differences between red and green leaves. Experiments have shown however that this colour intensity difference is enough for the aphids and what we see as red leaves are 70 per cent less attractive to them.
The evidence has mounted up that red leaves indicate higher concentration of defensive compounds and aphids that hatch out in spring on trees that had green leaves in autumn do better than those aphids which emerge on red leaved trees. Coevolution with insect herbivores is quite likely to explain some of the Autumn colours.
An alternative explanation for autumn colours is that they result simply from the unmasking of coloured pigments in the leaves as chlorophyll is degraded. Chlorophyll gives leaves their green colouration and is broken down to colourless compounds before the leaves die and fall.
Nutrients
Trees are great recyclers and do their best to reabsorb all the useful nutrients in their leaves before they drop. This explains the yellow leaf colours which are made by carotenoid pigments which are present in the leaves year round but are masked by chlorophyll. Unmasking does not explain the red colours though, as the red-purple spectrum of autumn colours is caused by anthocyanins which are produced by the tree newly in autumn and are not present at other times. Brown colour is a result of simple cell death.
Trees may also use the red pigments in autumn to protect their leaves from light damage. Too much light can slow down photosynthesis and damage leaves, particularly in the cool, bright days of early to mid autumn.
The red-purple pigments come from anthocyanins which may act as a direct sunscreen and also as antioxidants which repair oxidative damage to leaves. The protection against light damage may enable leaves to maintain their function into the cooler temperatures of autumn so that nutrients can be effectively resorbed.
Trees have a delicate balance to strike between the competing demands of maintaining photosynthesis as late as possible, protecting themselves against light damage and defending themselves against next year’s herbivore generation. Next time you’re out in the woods admire the complex chemistry that trees employ to maintain themselves over decades of stress and attack.
Yvonne Buckley is an ecologist, Irish Research Council laureate and professor of zoology at Trinity College Dublin