Over 700,000 people tuned in to RTE Investigates at some point on Monday night after the Taoiseach dubbed it ‘a stark reminder’ of the cruelty of Covid-19 as the country began to reopen.
The two-part programme took viewers inside the intensive care unit of St James’ Hospital, where the crew spent almost 30 days filming, with the cooperation of staff, patients and families.
And as viewers hailed the documentary as ‘essential viewing’ acting as a reminder of the severity of the virus, an RTE spokesperson revealed those who missed out continued to flock to the player to catch up on the programme on Tuesday.
They told Irish Daily Mirror: “RTE Investigates: Inside Ireland’s Covid Battle documentary saw 413,000 viewers on average watch the full programme, with 36,000 watching on RTE One + 1.
“The documentary reached a huge audience with 755,000 people tuning into the broadcast on RTE One and some point.
“It is also one of the most popular programmes on the RTE Player today[Tuesday].
Taoiseach Micheal Martin said the programme was a “stark reminder” of the life altering impact of Covid-19, but also of the dedication of healthcare staff.
He said: “Tonight’s RTE Investigates was a stark reminder, as restrictions are relaxed, of the indiscriminate cruelty of Covid-19 and the threat it represents.
“The courage, dedication and sensitivity of the team at St James Dublin , like HSE staff across the country, is an inspiration.”
Part two of the documentary last night proved just as emotional for viewers watching at home, as it looked at the potential and wide-ranging impact a single case can have on a hospital system.
It also hightlighted the important role of ongoing infection control, despite phase three in full swing this week.
Within the show, news that a patient is coming off a ventilator and is leaving the Intensive Care Unit is welcomed by patients, their families and hospital staff alike.
However, it also demonstrated how for many patients leaving the ICU is only the first step in their very long recovery journeys.
Patients spend days, weeks and in some cases, months recovering from the virus.
Speaking to Covid-19 survivors the programme demonstrated that people can and do survive and with help and support get back to living the rest of their lives.
