Waterford City's St Patrick's Day parade has been cancelled over coronavirus concerns.
Waterford Council says the decision has been made as a result of its most recent risk assessment, which considered the volume of visitors expected to Waterford City and the duration of event.
In a statement, the Mayor of Waterford, Councillor John Pratt, said: "While I am disappointed to be making this decision to cancel, I believe it is the right decision and one which is made in the best interests of our people and visitors".
#Waterford Council has taken a decision to cancel this year’s St. Patrick’s Day parade on foot of its most recent risk assessment. Mayor of Waterford, Cllr. John Pratt said that “I believe this is the right decision, made in the best interests of our people and visitors”. pic.twitter.com/BSVgp7CDwn
— Waterford Council (@WaterfordCounci) March 9, 2020
Parades in Tramore, Dungarvan, Portlaw and Cappoquin have also been called off.
It comes as Cork's St. Patrick's Day Parade has been cancelled over the Covid-19.
Dr Mark Rowe, a GP at Waterford Health Park, says the decision to cancel all parades makes "common sense":
"On the one hand, there's the public health measures; on the other hand, there's the issues with regard to Ireland as a destination for tourism. But from my point of view, I think we need to do everything we can to limit the spread and eradicate this virus as soon as possible, so we don't get infestation of coronavirus in Ireland because that's going to effect us very, very seriously in the years ahead if we can't eliminate it. We really need to take strong and decisive action now in the short term to really do everything we can to shut it down."
