IN ORDER for Ireland to get the coronavirus crisis properly under control there must be no new cases of the disease for at least four weeks, according to an infectious diseases expert.
Professor Sam McConkey, of the Department of International Health and Tropical Medicine at the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, stressed that Ireland would have to work extremely hard over the coming weeks and months if it wants to see an end to the crisis.
He asserted that the country must be in a position where no new cases of Covid-19 have been reported over a 28-day period - twice the maximum incubation period - before allowing travel to and from other countries who have established the same.
Speaking to RTE's Cormac Ó hEadhra over the weekend, Prof. McConkey said: "There are places that we know in Asia that really have controlled the virus very very well.
"This theoretical idea of air bridges and green countries make complete sense theoretically but before we start that we need to get our house in order.
"Get our own epidemic under control and then find other countries who've also got their epidemic under control.
"What does an outbreak look like when it's over? What is the definition of an epidemic being over in a country and that really is no cases for twice the maximum incubation period.
"We know it's a 14-day incubation period, [so after] 28 days with no cases in our country we can all take a big sigh of relief."
The theory basically states that once Ireland is without any domestic cases for almost a month, we can be basically certain that there'll be no further spread of the disease unless it comes in from overseas.
In which case, establishing a thorough screening and quarantine system for people entering the country would give Ireland almost maximum control over the spread.
