New Department of Health research and a peer-reviewed EU study point to falling public confidence and identify who is most exposed
By Brian Maguire
Fewer than three in ten Irish adults feel prepared for a future pandemic lockdown, according to research published by the Department of Health, as an accompanying academic study finds that mental health and institutional trust, not behaviour, are the biggest drivers of who gets left behind.
Jennifer Carroll MacNeill, the health minister, has published three reports from the Pandemic and Emergency Preparedness Behaviour Monitor, an international research project examining how individuals and communities prepare for major public health emergencies.
“This research provides valuable insight into how people prepare for emergencies, where gaps remain and how resilience can be strengthened,” Ms Carroll MacNeill said. “The findings will support Ireland’s approach to emergency planning and help ensure our health system can respond effectively to future public health threats.”
