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An operating Facebook social media account belonging to a group that continues to spread Covid-19 misinformation and idiotic conspiracy theories, has more than doubled their number of interactions it got in the first six months of 2021. This is despite a promise by Facebook to tackle all false virus pandemic claims.
A report published today by the United Kingdom founded Institute for Strategic Dialogue (ISD) condemns Facebook’s efforts in tackling false information related to COVID-19 and vaccines on its platform. In particular they have failed by analysing the presence of a group called the World Doctors Alliance, whose members have spread various false and conspiratorial claims about the Covid pandemic, over the past 16 months.
Viewed more than 21.1 million times; the World Doctors Alliance (WDA), co-founded by former UCD Professor Dolores Cahill, now have more than half a million followers on their Facebook pages; a 13,000% increase since the start of this Covid-19 pandemic.
According to the Institute for Strategic Dialogue, Facebook is failing in its commitment to prohibit and remove false claims about COVID-19. The report also exposes major gaps in the efficacy of Facebook’s fact-checking program in languages outside of English and demonstrates that the platform is seriously failing to use the knowledge of these fact-checking organisations to take meaningful action against the grossly misinformed group.
Dolores Cahill, a former member of the minor right-wing, hard Eurosceptic political party in Ireland, which call, themselves (God help us),‘The Irish Freedom Party’; was one of 11 candidates to contest the 2020 Irish General Election, held on Saturday February 8th, 2020, with none of their candidates being successfully elected. Dolores Cahill, claiming to represent Tipperary came second-last in the Tipperary constituency, with a miserable 521 first preference votes. Following this election failure her agents ceased to function, in the removal of her election posters, for almost one year.
Note: Any posters in place before or after the stipulated election time-frame is deemed to be in breach of the legislation and are subject to an on-the-spot litter fine of €150 per week. Which begs the question did Tipperary Municipal District Council or Tipperary County Council exact their legally entitled dues?
The Department of Health has confirmed 2,029 new cases of Covid-19 over the past 24 hours, here in the Republic of Ireland.
There are 448 patients with the virus in our hospitals, 88 of whom remain in intensive care.
Professor Seamus O’Reilly has confirmed that emergency departments are full. He said there are also staffing problems due to breakthrough Covid-19 infections among vaccinated healthcare workers; which indicates that immunity from the virus is waning.
The HSE is now expected to begin vaccinating around 800,000 people, aged between 60-80 years with booster jabs, within the next 7 days.
HSE National Lead for Vaccination Mr Damien McCallion said that in the last 14 days, around 1,000 people a day have come forward for first time vaccination. Yesterday, he said, 2,500 registered, which involved all age groups. This news comes as ICU figures show that 52% of patients were not vaccinated, 41% are fully vaccinated, with 5% partially vaccinated.
Meanwhile, in Northern Ireland, the Department of Health has reported 1,051 additional cases of Covid-19 and four deaths in the past 24 hours.
As we come into the bank holiday weekend, take particular care with the three Cs – Crowded places with many people nearby, Close contact settings, especially where people may not be vaccinated, and Confined and enclosed spaces with poor ventilation.
The Department of Health has confirmed 2,148 new cases of Covid-19, over the past 24 hours here within the Irish Republic.
There are 464 patients with Covid-19 here in our hospital; and of these 86 are in intensive care units (ICUs).
Sixty three deaths have also been notified since last Wednesday, bringing to 5,369 the total number of deaths related to Covid-19 occuring in our Republic.
The Chief Medical Officer, Dr Tony Holohan has stated: “Disease incidence is high and increasing across the country and across all age groups. However, vaccination has helped us prevent many serious illnesses and deaths”.
Deputy Chief Medical Officer Dr Ronan Glynn has correctly informed a NPHET briefing that it appears in recent weeks, one in every four people have stopped in their own basic protective measures, e.g. mask wearing, social distancing and hand hygiene.
In Northern Ireland, their Department of Health has confirmed a further 1,423 cases of the virus, in the past 24 hours, together with, sadly 6 further deaths of patients who had previously tested positive for the virus.
There remain 355 Covid-positive patients in hospital in Northern Ireland, with 33 of these patients in northern intensive care units.
Choosing to get vaccinated is an act of protection for yourself, as it may save your life; but it is also an act of solidarity with others; the more of us that get vaccinated, the safer we all will be.
There have been 2,399 new cases of Covid-19 confirmed by the Department of Health in the last 24 hours here in the Republic of Ireland. Same number is the highest daily total reached since January 2021.
There are 473 people with Covid-19 in our hospitals, same number down 11 on yesterday’s reported figures. Of these patients, 74 are being treated in intensive care units, up 1 on yesterday.
With about 7% of the adult population currently unvaccinated, same is placing a huge amount of pressure on the hospital system, with 2 in every 3 patients, in ICU’s, found to be completely unvaccinated.
The National Public Health Emergency team has informed the Government that should the latest lock-down changes, not have a sufficient effect on the current Covid-19 profile, the re-imposition of public health restriction measures may well again be fully warranted.
Their advice further states that return to the workplace should continue to be phased and cautious, with NPHET continuing to recommend that all who can work from home should continue to do so.
NPHET has reiterated its advice that with the Delta variant being so highly transmissible, it is most unlikely that our high vaccination rate alone, achieved here todate in Ireland, will not bring the effective reproduction number below 1, thus allowing Ireland to achieve suppression of the disease.
In Northern Ireland a further 1,367 cases of the virus have also been notified by their Department of Health, up from 1,091 yesterday.
The latest northern hospital figures indicate that there are 366 patients with Covid-19 in their hospitals, up from 347 patients yesterday.
Sadly, 8 more coronavirus-related deaths have been reported today in Northern Ireland.
Meanwhile in Britain, where Covid-19 cases remain stubbornly high, the British government has confirmed it is monitoring a sub-variant of the current Delta virus strain, which has been identified in a growing number of their identified cases.
Chime, the National Charity for Deafness and Hearing Loss, will hold an outreach clinic once each month, here in Thurles, Co. Tipperary.
Chime provide a free and confidential support service with regard to all aspects of deafness and hearing loss, in both children and adults.
Available Resources
- Advice & information on hearing loss.
- Assistive Technology for those with a Hearing Loss
- Hearing aid care & Maintenance
- Minor Hearing Aid Repairs
- Hearing Aid batteries (€2 per card)
Please Note: Due to covid 19 restrictions attendance is strictly by appointment only.
Outreach Clinic Dates for 2021: November 10th & December 8th.
Time: 10:00am to 1:00pm.
Venue: St. Mary’s Health Centre, Parnell Street, Thurles, Co. Tipperary.
Further Information: Contact: Kathleen Daffy – kathleen.daffy@chime.ie – Telephone No. 061 467494.
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