News

Public Health Measures
Ireland is now at Level 5. You can see all of the measures that are in place at Level 5 here.

Face coverings or masks are superior to visors as a measure for prevention of transmission of COVID-19
The HSE would like to remind everyone that cloth face coverings or masks are superior to visors as a measure for prevention of transmission of COVID-19. Expert opinion and international guidance indicates that cloth face coverings or masks are more effective than visors.

There is evidence that visors reduce exposure to droplets to a certain extent compared with no face covering. They may be an alternative in certain limited circumstances including:
-People with breathing difficulties
-People who are unable to remove masks/face coverings without help
-Anyone with particular needs who may feel upset or very uncomfortable wearing the mask/face covering
-In settings where people who have learning difficulties or hard of hearing or deaf are present.

For more information, please see the HSE’s face coverings page and the Brief Evidence Summary: Efficacy of visors compared with masks in the prevention of transmission of COVID-19 in non-healthcare settings.

BreastCheck Screening Resumes
The BreastCheck programme resumed screening on October 27th, after being paused in March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The new BreastCheck campaign, which starts on November 16th, highlights the restart of breast screening. The campaign provides information on some changes to breast screening appointments, including new COVID-19 safety measures, using text messages to confirm details of the appointment and asking those who can’t make their appointment to let us know. The ads will run on video on demand and YouTube with an animated video, as well as a radio ad on national and local radio stations. We encourage all those who are invited to attend for screening.

Traveller COVID-19 Resources
In response to COVID-19, resources have been developed nationally by the Traveller Health Units (THUs) and Traveller groups and are available on the Traveller COVID-19 Resources page.

International Men’s Day Webinar: Men’s Mental Health in these Challenging Times
The International Men’s Day webinar will take on the 19th November at 11am, and focus on men’s mental health in these challenging COVID-19 times. This HSE/Healthy Ireland webinar is in partnership with the Men’s Health Forum in Ireland and the Centre for Men’s Health in IT Carlow. You can register for the webinar here.

Public Health Information
As always, for the most up to date information and advice on Coronavirus, please go to: https://www2.hse.ie/coronavirus/ and https://www.hpsc.ie/a-z/respiratory/coronavirus/novelcoronavirus/. Clinical and professional guidance relating to COVID-19 is available on www.hpsc.ie where you’ll find up to date guidance for healthcare settings and non-clinical settings.

You can view the latest information on how Ireland is responding to cases of COVID-19 here.

The Government has recently launched the “Keep Well” campaign. This campaign focuses on minding your own physical and mental health and wellbeing by adding healthy and helpful habits to your daily and weekly routines.  The Healthy Ireland “Keep Well” campaign will provide guidelines, information, and tips to help everyone keep well throughout the coming months.

This Resilience and Wellbeing information is being added on  www.gov.ie/healthyireland and placed under the following sections:

Staying Active
Keeping Connected
Switching Off
Eating Well
Minding Your Mood.

For further information click on KEEPING WELL – Campaign Overview FOR ALL

Public Health Measures
Ireland is now at Level 5. You can see all of the measures that are in place at Level 5 here.

 

New COVID-19 Testing, Self-Isolation and Restricted Movements Ad
This new ad explains that COVID-19 wants to spread from person to person, but there’s a lot you can do to stop it reaching someone near you or dear to you. It’s important to know when you should self-isolate and when you should restrict your movements. You can watch the ad here. It’s currently live on TV, radio, digital and social media.

 

Living with COVID-19 Ad
The Living with COVID-19 ad focuses on protective measures and is currently on TV, radio, digital and social media. The newly updated version of this ad is available here.

 

Webinar Invitation:  COVID-19: Infection Prevention and Control Guidance for Palliative Care Services
This webinar will take place on Friday, 13th November 2020 from 12-1pm. You can pre-register for the webinar on this link.
Irish dial in number:  01 5260058

Access code: 163 577 4868

If you wish to raise a query for discussion at the webinar, please send the question over to mary.mckenna@hse.ie by Tuesday, 10th November.

 

Enhanced Illness Benefit for COVID-19
Last week, the Department of Social Protection launched a public information campaign to raise awareness of Enhanced Illness Benefit for COVID-19.

 Enhanced Illness Benefit for COVID-19 is available to employees or self-employed people who are unable to work due to:

-A diagnosis of COVID-19, or

-An instruction by a doctor or the HSE to self-isolate/restrict their movements.

The payment is €350 per week. To apply, a person will require medical certification and will need to make an application to the Department of Social Protection. The online applications can be made at:  www.mywelfare.ie

 

A series of multi-lingual resources including posters and social media posts in a wide range of languages have been developed. These are designed to help ensure that as many people as possible are made aware of this important support. The resources are available to download by language here.

 

START
The START partnership campaign from the HSE, safefood and Healthy Ireland (Department of Health) encourages families with young children to adopt healthier lifestyles. Conscious of the impact of COVID-19 on families and recent research demonstrating that family time is highly valued at the moment, this month we are focussing on “Big wins start with small changes. Make the most of family time by adding a healthy habit.”

 

TV, radio, out of home and digital advertising are running for the month of November. You can view the TV ad here. If you and your family would like to get more information on healthy habits check out www.makeastart.ie/

 

Dementia Inclusive Tipperary
Partnering with the HSE’s Dementia campaign, Tipperary County Council is embarking on the journey of making Tipperary towns inclusive. Dementia awareness training for businesses, community and sport groups as well as training on dementia inclusive design and walkability audits are part of the programme. The outcome of this project is to ensure that people with dementia and their families are supported in our communities and to increase awareness across the county. We would like to encourage representatives of all our partner organisations and local champions in Tipperary to join this programme to ensure that all groups and organisations are connecting, working together and supporting each other to achieve this goal – which is now more important than ever due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The first step is dementia awareness training and you are invited to attend this programme which will take place online on The Alzheimer Society of Ireland’s Moodle Workplace site. We are focusing on the Thurles, Templemore, Roscrea area first and will then roll it out across other towns. The course will begin with an Introductory Video Meeting on Monday 16th November 2020. During the Introductory Video Meeting you will be guided and shown how to get the most from the online course. The course is free, and to secure your place please email learninganddevelopment@alzheimer.ie with your name and email address. This initiative is funded by Tipperary County Council and Healthy Ireland.

If you are interested in dementia or inclusive design training for your county/organisation, please contact fiona.foley1@hse.ie.

 

Public Health Information

As always, for the most up to date information and advice on Coronavirus, please go to: https://www2.hse.ie/coronavirus/ and https://www.hpsc.ie/a-z/respiratory/coronavirus/novelcoronavirus/.

Clinical and professional guidance relating to COVID-19 is available on www.hpsc.ie where you’ll find up to date guidance for healthcare settings and non-clinical settings.

You can view the latest information on how Ireland is responding to cases of COVID-19 here.

Public Health Measures
Ireland is now at Level 5. You can see all of the measures that are in place at Level 5 here.

 

Minding Your Wellbeing
HSE Health & Wellbeing are launching a new free on-line resource on the 3^rd November ‘Minding Your Wellbeing’.  Book your place here to join this webinar and learn more about this new resource.

This online training programme encourages everyone to take a positive approach to their mental health and wellbeing. You will learn about practicing self-care, understanding our thoughts, exploring emotions, building positive relationships and improving resilience. Also referenced in the ‘Keep Well’ campaign information below and attached.

 

Healthy Ireland Resilience and Wellbeing ‘Keep Well’ Campaign
We are pleased to share the next phase of the Healthy Ireland Resilience and Wellbeing campaign. Attached is a press release and an overview of the campaign.

The Government Plan for Living with COVID-19 – Resilience and Recovery 2020-2021 highlights the important role that individual and community resilience will play in contributing to our ongoing response to COVID-19. The launch today is a call to action to everyone across our society. It is an invitation to individuals, communities, voluntary groups, sporting organisations, those involved in creativity and the arts, local heritage and history, businesses, as well as local and national government to find ways to support everyone to discover new activities and routines that will do us good.

The “Keep Well” campaign will signpost to people of all ages about minding their own physical and mental health and wellbeing by adding healthy and helpful habits to their daily and weekly routines. The Healthy Ireland “Keep Well” campaign will provide guidelines, information, and tips on things to help all to keep well through the coming months. This Resilience and Wellbeing information is being added on www.gov.ie/healthyireland and under the following sections: Staying Active, Keeping Connected, Switching Off, Eating Well, and Minding Your Mood. Funding from Sláintecare to support a number of initiatives through the Healthy Ireland Fund will be rolled out over the coming months.  

The national campaign, which will unfold over the coming weeks across different advertising channels, and will be supported at a local level. We have a suite of creative assets and happy to share with you if you have use for them. Follow on support on social is always welcome.  #keepwell

 

New COVID-19 Campaign
We previously shared our Bubbles campaign with you. We have also developed an Irish language version of the ad. The idea of the Bubble is to create a visual reminder for the protection we share when we follow public health actions, and how easily it can be lost. The bubble idea makes the invisible, visible.

 

Flu Vaccine Animations
The following animations about the flu vaccine have been developed for people in the Traveller and Roma communities with support from the Wexford Roma Health Advocacy Project, the Intercultural Health Hub in Waterford and the HSE Traveller Health Office in the South East. 

 

CPR Training
Due to COVID-19, the Irish Heart Foundation had to cancel its free CPR training programme in communities nationwide, but CPR is still a very important skill. Around 70% of cardiac arrests happen at home, in front of a loved one and performing CPR can double, if not triple, the person’s chance of survival. The good news is that performing CPR is relatively simple and the Irish Heart Foundation has developed a new campaign ‘The Hard and Fast Rule’ to help everyone learn the two key steps in CPR. Take one minute to view this important video that’s available on their website. 

 

Public Health Information
As always, for the most up to date information and advice on Coronavirus, please go to: https://www2.hse.ie/coronavirus/ and https://www.hpsc.ie/a-z/respiratory/coronavirus/novelcoronavirus/. Clinical and professional guidance relating to COVID-19 is available on www.hpsc.ie where you’ll find up to date guidance for healthcare settings and non-clinical settings.

You can view the latest information on how Ireland is responding to cases of COVID-19 here.

Public Health Measures
Ireland moved to Level 5 at midnight on Wednesday night (21^st October). See the measures that will come into place here.

 Disability Day Services during Level 5
In line with current NPHET advice in respect of Level 5, disability day services will continue to remain open and are deemed essential. You can find more information here.

 New COVID-19 Campaign
Bubbles – a new social media creative and content-sharing campaign for young people went live today. The first phase of the campaign will see TV, social and digital formats. The idea of the Bubble is to create a visual reminder for the protection we share when we follow public health actions, and how easily it can be lost. The bubble idea makes the invisible, visible. 

 Flu Vaccine for Children aged 2-12 years
This autumn, children aged 2-12 years are offered the flu vaccine free of charge. The vaccine is administered by the GP or pharmacist using a nasal spray. Children carry the flu virus in their system longer than adults do and they can spread the flu easily to others. If enough children are vaccinated against flu, fewer children and adults will need to see their doctor or n​eed treatment in hospital because of flu. This is very important for our health services especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. In the meantime, you can find more information on the flu vaccine for children here and you can watch the new TV ad here.

 COVID-19 Guidance for Older People and Others at Risk of Severe Disease on Reducing Risk of COVID-19 Infection
The guide, developed in consultation with Alone, SAGE and the National Care Alliance, is for people who live in the community and for those who help them if and when they need help. You can download the guide here.

 COVID-19 Guidance on Visitations to Long Term Residential Care Facilities
This guidance is for visiting people who live in residential care facilities such as nursing homes, HSE long term facilities etc. You can download the guide here.

 COVID-19 Guidance on Visitations to Inpatient Areas of Acute Hospitals including Children’s Hospitals, Rehabilitation Services and Other Healthcare Settings Providing a Similar Intensity of Care
This guidance is for visiting inpatients in acute services. You can download the guide here.

 Public Health Information
As always, for the most up to date information and advice on Coronavirus, please go to: https://www2.hse.ie/coronavirus/ and https://www.hpsc.ie/a-z/respiratory/coronavirus/novelcoronavirus/. Clinical and professional guidance relating to COVID-19 is available on www.hpsc.ie where you’ll find up to date guidance for healthcare settings and non-clinical settings.

 You can view the latest information on how Ireland is responding to cases of COVID-19 here.

LCRL are organising free water management training in County Longford to start in October (dates to be confirmed). This training is suitable for anyone interested in water protection and conservation. For further information please see poster or visit http://longford.waters-project.com/

 

 

Public Health Measures
All counties in Ireland have moved to Level 3 of the Plan for Living with COVID-19. Extra measures and supports are in place in Donegal and Dublin. You can download a graphic of all of the levels here of the Resilience and Recovery 2020-2021: Plan for Living with COVID-19.

COVID-19 Infection Prevention and Control Webinar: Guidance for Staff in Mental Healthcare Services
This webinar will take place on Friday, 9th October from 12-1pm. You can pre-register for the webinar on this link.
Irish dial in number: 01 5260058                 Access code: 163 954 7886

If you would like to raise a question on infection prevention and control for your service, please email your question to mary.mckenna@hse.ie by Wednesday, 7^th October.

Dementia and COVID-19
Recent months have been especially difficult for people living with dementia and their families. With many staying at home due to COVID-19 and services changing to help protect people from the virus, many people with dementia are missing out on social connections and activities so vital for wellbeing.

 To get Ireland talking about dementia and to better understand how we can offer support we’ll be taking the conversation to 10 local radio stations over the next three weeks. You can find more information on dementia and actions we can all take to support people living with dementia here.

Guidance for Drug and Alcohol Support Groups and Treatment Programmes: COVID-19
New guidance for drug and alcohol support groups and treatment programmes and other addiction treatment services has been published today in line with Resilience and Recovery 2020-2021: Plan for Living with COVID-19. This new guidance has been developed to ensure that these groups can operate safely, including at levels 3 and 4 of the government framework. The guidance is available here.

As always, for the most up to date information and advice on Coronavirus, please go to: https://www2.hse.ie/coronavirus/ and https://www.hpsc.ie/a-z/respiratory/coronavirus/novelcoronavirus/. Clinical and professional guidance relating to COVID-19 is available on www.hpsc.ie where you’ll find up to date guidance for healthcare settings and non-clinical settings.

Public Health Measures

The following counties are at Level 3:
Donegal
Dublin

The rest of Ireland is currently at Level 2.
You can download a graphic of all of the levels here of the National Framework for Living with COVID-19.

 

COVID-19 Contact Management Programme Overview
You can view the updated information for the COVID-19 Contact Management Programme here.

 

HSE Webinar: COVID-19 Infection Prevention and Control Guidance in Disability
This webinar will take place on Friday, 2nd October from 12-1pm. You can pre-register for the webinar on this link.
Irish dial in number: 01 5260058                                  Access code: 163 086 2572

 

HSE Webinar: The Role of Advocacy in Supporting Decision-Making, Particularly During COVID-19
This webinar will take place on Thursday, 8^th October from 11am-1pm. You can pre-register for the webinar on this link.
Irish dial in number: 01 526 0058                               Access code: 137 631 4962

 

Publication of New Visitation Guidance for Nursing Homes
The new COVID-19 Guidance on visitations to Long Term Residential Care Facilities is available here on the HPSC website.

 

Quitting Smoking and COVID-19
Research shows that those who smoke are more susceptible to all types of respiratory infections. This coming winter season it is more important than ever that we protect ourselves from flu and coronavirus. Just like flu, a coronavirus infection may be more severe in people who smoke. The good news is that quitting smoking helps build up your natural resistance to all types of infections including coronavirus.

That’s why, this October, which is Quit Month, we have launched a campaign to encourage people who smoke to quit by taking 28-day stop smoking challenge. You will see and hear Quit ads on TV, social media and on the radio for the month of October. We would we grateful if you could share information about the campaign with your networks and share our messages on your social media channels if appropriate. The HSE’s Quit Service is on-hand to give lots of practical support. ​

Get in touch with the Quit Service today

Twitter: @HSEQuitTeam                   

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HSEquit/

Instagram: hse_quit

Hashtag: #QuitandWin #TheLastStop

 

HSE and Irish Hospice Foundation Bereavement Support Line 1800 80 70 77
COVID-19 restrictions have changed the traditional ways we mark our grief. This means many people are facing bereavement in isolation. Many people have experienced and will experience the death of someone they love during the COVID-19 pandemic.

In the face of such loss, the Irish Hospice Foundation Bereavement Support Line, in partnership with the HSE, has been launched to provide connection, comfort and support in these exceptional times.

 

National Breastfeeding Week (1st to 7th October) – COVID-19 and Breastfeeding
It’s National Breastfeeding Week 2020. This year the theme is supports for breastfeeding during a pandemic. The ‘Ask Our Breastfeeding Expert’ service on the HSE’s mychild.ie has seen an increase of 57% in queries over recent months. The team of lactation consultants provides advice to parents by message and live chat. You can find out more here. 

Webinars on different breastfeeding topics are taking place over the coming week for healthcare professionals, breastfeeding supporters and families. You can access the details here. 

Breastmilk has anti-infective and anti-inflammatory factors which helps babies to fight infections. There is no evidence that the COVID-19 virus is transmitted through breastmilk. Breastfeeding is encouraged as normal. Advice on breastfeeding if you have a suspected or confirmed case of COVID-19 is available here.

 

Launch of Healthy Eating Guidelines and Vit D for 1-4 year olds
The new National Healthy Eating Guidelines for one to four year olds aim to help parents establish good eating habits in their children. As we face into winter and the daily challenges that COVID-19 poses, feeding our children and indeed ourselves healthily will help our overall physical and mental health.

Developed by nutrition experts in Ireland and based on international evidence, the guidelines include a newly designed children’s food pyramid which will help people understand what their child should be eating, what portion sizes look like and how seldom treats should be given. They also include new advice for parents on Vitamin D for children aged one to four.

There is a suite of resources including the food pyramid for children, meal plans, etc available online to download here. Parents can also find information at www.mychild.ie/nutrition.

 

Public Health Information
As always, for the most up to date information and advice on Coronavirus, please go to: https://www2.hse.ie/coronavirus/ and https://www.hpsc.ie/a-z/respiratory/coronavirus/novelcoronavirus/. Clinical and professional guidance relating to COVID-19 is available on www.hpsc.ie where you’ll find up to date guidance for healthcare settings and non-clinical settings.

 Please also check here for the most up to date partner resources for COVID-19.

You can view the latest information on how Ireland is responding to cases of COVID-19 here.

Public Health Measures
The Government announced on Friday that the county of Dublin will be placed on Level 3 of the Framework for Restrictive Measures. This action is based on a review of the current public health advice and is in response to the deteriorating situation with the virus in Dublin over the past number of weeks. Dublin will remain at Level 3 until 9th October, at which point the situation will be reviewed by the Government based on public health advice.

The rest of the country remains at Level 2 of the Resilience and Recovery 2020-2021: Plan for Living with COVID-19 available here.

Symptoms & Testing TV ad
The HSE’s new COVID-19 Symptoms and Testing TV ad went live on Saturday, 12^th August. The ad sets out the common symptoms of COVID-19 – cough, fever, breathing difficulties, changes to your sense of taste or smell – and encourages people to self-isolate and phone their GP if they have symptoms. The ad also highlights that the GP coronavirus consultation and COVID-19 test are free. You can watch our Symptoms & Testing ad on our YouTube channel.

 

Remote Healthcare – new video
Over the coming months, anyone who has a healthcare appointment may be given the option to have a phone or video consultation instead of attending in person. This short video helps to explain how this works.

 

Public Health Information
As always, for the most up to date information and advice on Coronavirus, please go to: https://www2.hse.ie/coronavirus/ and https://www.hpsc.ie/a-z/respiratory/coronavirus/novelcoronavirus/. Clinical and professional guidance relating to COVID-19 is available on www.hpsc.ie where you’ll find up to date guidance for healthcare settings and non-clinical settings.

Public Health Measures – You can view the latest national public health measures here.

 

Public Health Advice Information for People Who Have Just Arrived in Ireland – Easy Read Version
This easy read booklet is about coming to Ireland from another country, and explains the rules to stop Coronavirus (COVID-19) from spreading.

This booklet is also available in Slovak, Czech and Romanian available here, with further translations available soon.

 

Living with COVID-19 Posters
The latest COVID-19 posters, “Step up and step back” and “Masking for a friend” are available for downloading and printing. We are grateful for your help in sharing these important messages.

​

COVID-19 Resources for Schools and Parents Schools can download and print these posters to raise awareness about preventing the spread of coronavirus in schools and other settings. For more information and resources for schools and parents, please see gov.ie/backtoschool

 

New Emergency Card Scheme for Family Carers
Family Carers Ireland (FCI), in partnership with An Garda Siochana, the National Ambulance Service Community First Responder Schemes, The Irish Red Cross and The Order of Malta has developed a new Emergency Card Scheme for family carers.  If a family carer is involved in an accident, has an unplanned hospital admission or is suddenly taken ill, there is a risk that the person who needs their care and support could be left at home alone and uncared for. The Emergency Card Scheme (free to family carers with access to a 24/7 emergency helpline) is intended to give peace of mind to family carers as well as ensuring that the person they care for remains safe in such emergencies. It involves completion of an Emergency Care plan by the family carer including nominating two people (family members/friends) to take over their caring role in such an emergency and the issuing by FCI of an Emergency Card to family carers who sign up to the scheme. Where a family carer cannot nominate two people or where their nominated person cannot be reached in the event of an emergency then FCI will link with other agencies/service providers and/or emergency services to ensure a care plan is put in place for the cared for person.

You can download the Emergency Care Plan here. For more details on the scheme, please go to www.familycarers.ie or call Family Carer’s Ireland Freephone Careline 1800 24 07 24. The scheme is kindly supported by Irish Life and the Dormant Accounts Fund.

 

Community Swabbers
The HSE is recruiting for the role of Community Swabber to work in the COVID-19 Community Testing Teams. The Community Swabber will take samples from the nose and throat of people who are being tested for COVID-19, and carry out other administrative duties, as part of the Community Testing Teams around the country. Swabbing can take place in Community Test Centres, home-based testing, outbreak testing, residential care facilities and specific work locations. The roles will primarily be filled on a 12-month contract basis and the employer will be the HSE.

You can read more about this role and how to apply here.

 

Dementia: Understand Together – Champions’ Café
Join us on September 30th from 12.30-1.30pm for our first Virtual Champion’s Café to:

• Hear people with dementia and community champions talk about their experience with dementia;
• Find out the actions we can all take to support a person with dementia in communities, also now during COVID – 19; and
• Get advice from a health care professional on how we can all prepare ourselves for the colder months and stay well.

Places are limited, so please book your place by September 23^rd through this link.

The current coronavirus outbreak has been particularly difficult for people living with dementia, their family and friends.  Many have been cocooning or staying at home to minimise the risk of contracting COVID-19. To protect people with dementia from COVID-19, some services had to be changed, and they may also have been missing important social connections and activities crucial for wellbeing.

 

Ageing Voices Survey
Sing Ireland, the national group singing support agency, and Creative Aging International have come together to produce resources and best practice training programmes for musicians, carers and health care teams working with older people. To assist with on-going planning, they are inviting people to complete a survey accessible here about what type of tools or training might help. The survey can be completed before September 17^th.

 

Public Health Information:
As always, for the most up to date information and advice on Coronavirus, please go to: https://www2.hse.ie/coronavirus/ and https://www.hpsc.ie/a-z/respiratory/coronavirus/novelcoronavirus/. Clinical and professional guidance relating to COVID-19 is available on www.hpsc.ie where you’ll find up to date guidance for healthcare settings and non-clinical settings.