Mass less important than getting haircuts, says NPHET

Mass less important than getting haircuts, says NPHET Fr Paul Dunne celebrating Sunday Mass in Our Lady Mother of Divine Grace Church, Raheny, Dublin via webcam. Pic John Mc Elroy

In response to a question by columnist David Quinn at a NPHET press briefing, Dr Ronan Glynn referred to Mass as “less important” in the context of the pandemic.

Following on from Mr Quinn’s question about why Dublin appears as an “outlier” in terms of the harsher restrictions re-imposed here, compared to those currently in place across the rest of Europe, Chief Medical Officer Dr Ronan Glynn responded that the aim of level three restrictions is to “decrease contacts in areas that, as a society, are relatively speaking in the context of a pandemic less important”.

He continued by saying that “NPHET recommended that those types of social contact needed to be paused for a number of weeks so that, in our opinion, other more important social contacts could continue”.

Under level three restrictions, Dubliners can continue to shop, get their hair cut and eat in outdoors settings provided by bars and restaurants around the county.