Here's what the people of Cork are saying about the coronavirus

Deirdre Prestage, Arklow 

I am just visiting Cork for the weekend, but I think there is a lot of hype around it. The flu is more dangerous. I mean I wouldn’t like to get it and I am anxious that I don’t want to bring it home. It could be anywhere and there is so little knowledge around it, there is no cure. It will be a year before there is a vaccine.

Sam Shnak, Blackpool 

I’m a little worried, especially because no one knows how the person in Cork got it. It makes you wonder. I have five kids and two have asthma so I have to be careful. I think the HSE are doing a good job, giving good advice and my children are getting advice from their school aswell about how to protect themselves.

Bangxiao, Cork City

I am an accountant student in Cork. I am worried by the Coronavirus case in Cork as I live close to the hospital. I don’t know anyone back home in China affected but I have gotten advice from people there to wear a face mask in public. I am afraid of getting the virus and passing it on. It is likely to spread.

Mark Leonard, Blackpool 

I’m not too worried, I generally wash my hands anyway. It is just one of those things, Sars 2003 and now you have more people travelling so it gets around faster. This will be cured eventually and then there will be something else, it’s the way nature works. My folks were meant to be travelling to Northen Italy in three months, they are not sure now.

Paul Redmond, Carrigtwohill 

I wasn’t expecting it to hit Cork so quickly and I am a bit worried that he was in a hospital for a few days first and it wasn’t picked up. It is likely to spread. I am more concerned about passing it on. I’m supposed to be going to Spain in June, so I will wait and see. The main message is not to panic and keep things in perspective, things can always change.

Majella Votta and Ava Caffrey, UCC students 

Majella: There is an atmosphere of worry on campus and loads of texts going around with rumours about students going to the doctor with symptoms.

Ava: There is talk of the college closing, we got an out of the blue email on Thursday about online assistance available through the college. It’s early days and I think that is an overreaction.