The Rotunda Hospital in Dublin has said it will not reduce restrictions on partner visits for people who are fully vaccinated.
This morning the hospital said it will ease restrictions when a higher percentage of women and partners using its services are vaccinated.
It comes after a new survey found that just four-in-ten of the hospital’s patients are fully inoculated.
Meanwhile, just six-in-ten of their partners are fully vaccinated.
On The Hard Shoulder this evening, Newstalk reporter Henry McKean spoke to expectant mothers and their partners waiting outside the hospital.
One woman said the restrictions are 'heart-breaking' for a lot of young mothers.
“It is our first baby so we are obviously stressed and want to be together to welcome the baby so it’s not great,” she said. “The baby is due at the start of September so very soon.”
“He was allowed in for the 20-week scan but that’s it. I have to go in on my own; thankfully it hasn’t been a complicated pregnancy – if it was it would be a different story. I know a lot of women are suffering and it is just heart-breaking. People need their partners you know; it is their baby too so it is heart-breaking for him as well.
She said the whole experience has felt lonely and she has found it upsetting to see all the women by themselves in the hospital.
“There are definitely ways around it - I am vaccinated, he is vaccinated so I can understand their concerns but they are not asking if you’re vaccinated at all.”
“When Sofia was born I had just 30 mins when she was coming out. Josh will be due any day now.” The Rotunda say they will relax restrictions when vaccine uptake increases. At the moment it stands at 40% amongst patients & their partners . @TheHardShoulder @NewstalkFM from 4pm. pic.twitter.com/ngFxqMrXgj
— Henry McKean (@HenryMcKean) August 11, 2021
David Moran said his wife Mary had just given birth to a baby girl.
“We were lucky in a sense because she was born on the weekend so the visiting times were a lot longer - we were allowed in from 11am till 8pm,” he said.
“But if she was born during the week, I would have only been in for an hour which would have broken my heart – I wouldn’t have been happy with that at all.
“The lead-up to it, not being able to go into anything with her has been very tough for herself and for me because I haven’t been able to feel like I have been that supportive for her. She is going through everything herself essentially and it is quite difficult.”
"Very very hard"
He said the experience has been “very, very hard” on Mary.
“It’s been very taxing because it feels like she is doing it all on her own which isn’t fair because it is a big job to be going through and not having the support has been quite difficult so it is very, very harsh,” he said.
“It is very disheartening when you go out and you see people sitting in restaurants together but I am not allowed go into a hospital to actually watch my child being born – it is very, very disheartening.
“It is the most frustrating thing I have ever been through watching my wife go through all that pain and watching her be depressed essentially, not being herself because she hasn’t got the support there that she needs.
“She is a lot better now. Since the baby has come out, she is a different person but the lead-up to it, it was a lot of stress for her and watching her go through it and trying to be the support she needs but you can’t do anything because you are not allowed in.”
"Fantastic"
Henry also spoke to a number of expectant fathers who said they understand the need for the restrictions.
“I was allowed in for the birth - for the labour - and also the visiting hour so it was perfect that way – so no complaints,” said one.
“The midwives were fantastic.
“I was notified by my partner that she was actually being brought in to the labour suite and I rushed down as fast as I could and I was allowed in.”
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