Number of Covid patients in hospital

Sir, – Up to now people have assumed, and have been led to believe, that the number of people in hospital with Covid-19 represents people who have been admitted to hospital because they were seriously ill with Covid.

It has now been revealed that the National Public Health Emergency Team has been including in these figures people who were admitted to hospital for other reasons, but following testing were shown to have Covid but were asymptomatic.

By any measure this is an example of public officials being very selective with the information they were releasing in order to influence public opinion and shape Government policy.

It also asks serious questions about the extent to which the Government, opposition parties and the media have been repeatedly blindsided by elements in the medical establishment who have used fear and worry rather than open and balanced debate to determine society’s response to the Covid pandemic.

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Furthermore, when it eventually becomes known that incomplete information is being released by public bodies, it allows conspiracy theorists to claim that all Government information is untrustworthy thus seriously undermining the fight against Covid-19.

– Yours, etc,

VINCENT McMAHON,

Ennis,

Co Clare.