I’ve been cycling my work commute for about 6 weeks now

Roads were deserted at the end of March & early April

Seemed a touch busier last week

Today I passed 3 parties on my way home

I am not going to rant

I’m aware that social distancing is very hard & harder for some 1)

2) of us than for others

I’m aware that I am hugely privileged

I live in a semi detached house with a decent sized back garden

None of my kids have additional needs

I am safe in my home without fear of violence or abuse towards me or my children

I could keep listing...

(3) so taking into account that social distancing is hard for us all but near horrendous for some for a huge variety of reasons I am still going to plead for everyone to still keep trying

Why?

Because it is so important

All we have achieved together in the past few weeks has

(4) been hard fought

The massive efforts of the nation to stay apart to come together as one caring society

Have massively slowed community spread

This has protected our ICUs

Where our amazing ICU teams have been providing such excellent care with outcomes that make me feel

(5) really proud to call Intensivists like @johnglaffey @arusmuire @GerCurley @NixLimerick @Crionaw @EoinKr @Murray_Connolly @bryan_reidy @bailenaleabhar @MedgibbonsCathy @itsthatgirlsuzi colleagues

Nothing short of incredible what has been achieved by our amazing ICU teams

(6) but we are still so early in this

Any decisions NPHET make on lifting restrictions will be gradual

So many of us have not yet been infected

That we are still at risk of a surge that would overwhelm us

If we rush to move forward without having the contact tracing &

(7) testing at the point where each time we have a new case we can aggressively isolate, test, treat & treat

Shutting down clusters before they spread

The efforts that our medical scientists are going to at this time to provide rapidly expanding testing capacity are incredible

(8) but all this work: from our public health specialists like @CMOIreland @ronan_glynn @marietcasey @nick_eichler & many others guiding policy

Is dependent for success on our continued buy in as a society

Hard fought gains can be lost

This is hard

(9) but who are we fighting for?

I’m fighting for my niece on chemotherapy with impaired lung function: I want to see her reach her goal of being a teacher

We are fighting for each other

For our family, our friends, our loved ones

(10) those of us in healthcare are risking our own health for our patients

We have a very high rate of infection in healthcare workers

I don’t think a day has passed this passed fortnight when I haven’t had a friend or colleague text or phone that they are now positive

(11) we are at work for you

Please stay home for us

Please please listen to the advice of @roinnslainte @CMOIreland & help us keep flattening the curve

This is not the end

It is not the beginning of the end

It is the end of the beginning

Together we will save lives

@CcoHse @paulreiddublin @SimonHarrisTD @IHCA_IE @IMO_IRL @Rheum2improve @Antcon7062 @irvinederm @gmcrotty @drgerryburke @DrTobyGilbert @PickleQueenT1 @Dr_RPM @susmitchellSBP @paulcullenit @MartinWallIT @alisonoconn @DrMarkMurphy @otuathail @barb287 @louisemcsharry @barbarascully