Chief Medical Officer Dr Tony Holohan is advising the Government that people should go back to working from home as fears grow that Covid-19 cases could spiral out of control.
But there is resistance within Government to row back completely on plans for people to gradually return to workplaces on a phased basis.
However, a senior Government source said “the advice has been clear and people should work from home where possible and only go into the office for specific purposes.”
NPHET member and Chief Clinical Officer of the HSE, Dr Colm Henry, has said that working from home could “reduce the chance of you either catching the virus or transmitting the virus.
“Any extra opportunity the virus is given to transmit it will avail of that opportunity.”
Dr Henry told RTÉ that it would be up to the Government to decide whether to adopt NPHET’s advice.
He encouraged people to cut down on their social contacts adding: “The first line of defence is people stopping transmission in the community.”
It’s understood that Dr Holohan will advise the Government that employees should be encouraged to work from home and that employers should facilitate workers and have protective measures in offices if people are required to be in the office.
Latest figures from the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI) show that 50% of people are working in workplaces at present.
NPHET have also recommended the Government to strengthen their messaging to the public on adhering to public health measures.
But the health chiefs have not recommended the reintroduction of restrictions.
The Government is expected to discuss NPHET’s latest recommendation in the coming days.
NPHET are to meet again in two weeks to see if there has been any positive change in the trajectory of the virus.
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