The Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation say the easing of public health regulations could be a potential disaster for front line staff.
The union say they cannot support the decision to reduce isolation time for Covid positive cases and close contacts and have described the move as a 'high risk' strategy considering the current hospital overcrowding.
53 patients were forced to wait for a bed on trolleys at CUH yesterday according to the INMO, while there were 23 on trolleys at the Mercy.
The new measures around Covid cases and close contacts are due to come into effect tomorrow...
Speaking to RedFM News, Liam Conway from the INMO in Cork says they cannot support any "weakening" of public health measures.
"we know there's a very high level of Covid 19 prevalence in the community, we know our members have contacted Covid 19 in the community in the workplace, and the decision to reduce or potentially weaken public health guidance potentially has serious consequences for our members.
"The concern is for our members and the patients in these departments, and across the ward and clinical areas, is that if you reduce public health advice you potentially have asymptomatic transmission of Covid-19 within the workplace."
New rules from close contacts and PCR tests take effect from midnight.
Thousands who've had a booster and don't have symptoms no longer need to isolate, instead having to take antigen tests and wear higher grade masks.
Anyone under 40 who also tests positive on an antigen test won't need a PCR to confirm, and the result can soon be uploaded to the HSE website.
