Bishop’s move “a little premature”

A leading Inishowen chemist has described the decision to suspend the hand-shaking peace gesture at Masses throughout the peninsula in an effort to prevent the spread of Swine Flu as “a little premature” and “cautious in the extreme.” However, Fergus Brennan, who has pharmacies in Buncrana, Clonmany and Carndonagh, said the move by Bishop of Derry, Most Rev. Dr. Seamus Hegarty, was “practical.” Bishop Hegarty suspended the handshaking gesture following the first confirmed case of Swine Flu in the North last week. Pointing out the Swine Flu case reported in Portglenone, Co. Andrim, was the “only clearly confirmed” case in Ireland, Mr. Brennan said the Bishop’s move was a “practical way” of stopping the spread of any virus that was spread from person to person via drops from sneezing. He added: “His decision may be a little premature and cautious in the extreme but, in fairness to him, prevention is easier than cure.” Mr Brennan said generally, everyone should be exercising basic hygiene to protect themselves from the spread of Swine Flu but that further measures would be put in place if the situation worsens. “If and when a pandemic occurs in Ireland there will be a number of steps which will interfere with people’s day-to-day living which may be essential to stop the spread of such a virus,” he said. “These will include advising people with the flu to be cared for at home where possible, advising people not to congregate in large groups, stockpiling your food shopping at least one week at a time but we are not at this point yet.” Mr Brennan said, in the event of a pandemic, there would be an organised response. “Inishowen will be guided, like the rest of the country by the ‘National Pandemic Flu Plan’ which was published in 2007,” he said. “Some parts of this national plan are already in operation with the HSE informing the public via leaflet drop, and through other media such as newspapers, television, radio and internet.” In the event of the virus reaching pandemic proportions in Ireland, Mr Brennan said: “A telephone hotline will be set up. The HSE would collect data from GP’s and hospitals on the number of flu cases in all areas to determine strategy.”