Sir, – Having just come back from a visit to family in Toronto I am enormously impressed at their success rates in controlling Covid-19 infections, while I continue to be astounded at the poor performance here in Ireland.
What could we take from the Canadian experience? In Toronto every morning children have their temperature taken before attending school and their parents have to register the result on an app to confirm they have done so.
On arrival at school the child has their temperature taken a second time to ensure it is not raised; if it is the child is sent home.
Secondly, all children are required to wear masks indoors including my four-year-old grandson who is in kindergarten. He has to wear a mask on public transport (like everyone else) and has even mastered the art of coughing into his elbow.
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Ireland has had huge success with the vaccination programme. However, on public transport in recent months, I have been extremely uneasy seeing school kids not wearing masks.
This extra layer of protection is needed for our communities and for teachers in the front line to prevent the escalation of infection. Vaccination is not a panacea. Everyone should be wearing masks on public transport and in schools and having temperature checks taken before attending school. It is simple to legislate for – come on Irish Government.. Just do it.
– Yours, etc,
ALISON HACKETT,
Dún Laoghaire,
Co Dublin