Willie O’Reilly: Cutting health measures and messaging a double blow

The government may come to regret shuffling Nphet off stage in so much haste as we still need to be guided out of the pandemic and its volatile aftermath

Outgoing chief medical officer Dr Tony Holohan: while Nphet members put a face on the message, they regularly became mixed up with the message itself. Picture: Leah Farrell

For many, it appears, Covid-19 is now more prevalent despite, or indeed because of, the easing of restrictions and the return to “normal”.

The virus continues to take a toll both socially and on business. Today, of course, most of us are vaccinated and have had booster jabs, but many seem surprised that the latest variant of the coronavirus is now so commonplace.

One restaurateur told me last weekend that seven of his staff were ...