First Cut! Youth Film Festival is closely monitoring the unfolding developments concerning the spread of Coronavirus (COVID-19).

As of March 9th, the Festival is going ahead as scheduled. Please check back for any changes to this in the coming days. We will be following and acting in response to any possible changes in government policy that might be implemented in reaction to the virus.

In the meantime, our priority is to make our festival a safe space for both audiences and participants. We ask anyone who is planning to attend the festival to read carefully and thoroughly familiarise themselves with the following guidance in relation to Coronavirus, issued by the HSE.

https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/472f64-covid-19-coronavirus-guidance-and-advice/

People who are ill should not attend the festival. Even if their symptoms are mild, they should stay at home and follow this advice:

If you feel unwell with symptoms of COVID-19 (e.g. cough, shortness of breath, difficulty breathing, high temperature) AND If in the 14 days before you became unwell, you have:

•  travelled to Ireland from an area with presumed ongoing community transmission of COVID-19, or
•  been in contact with a person who has COVID-19, or
• attended/worked in a healthcare facility where patients with COVID-19 were being treated

then you should:

• Isolate yourself (i.e. stay separate from other people)
• Phone your GP without delay. If you do not have a GP phone the Emergency Services on 999 or 112 and ask for the National Ambulance Service. Tell your GP/Emergency Services about your travel history and symptoms. It is important that you PHONE your GP first and talk to them rather than arriving at the GP surgery without contacting them so that you don’t put staff or other patients at risk of infection. Your GP/Emergency Services will advise you of the next steps over the phone.

If you feel well and have no symptoms, but in the past 14 days they have:

•  travelled to Ireland from an area with presumed ongoing community transmission of COVID-19, or
• been in contact with a person who has COVID-19, or
• attended/worked in a healthcare facility where patients with COVID-19 are being treated they should phone the HSELive helpline on 1850 24 1850 for advice.

High risk groups

Those considered to be at higher risk for COVID-19 include the following:

• People aged 65 years and older
• People with long-term medical conditions – for example, heart disease, lung disease, diabetes or liver disease

You should always practice good hand hygiene and respiratory hygiene. Hand hygiene and respiratory hygiene are a series of actions to take which are designed to reduce the spread of disease, including COVID-19, to yourself and others. These actions include regular handwashing and covering your mouth and nose with a tissue or the bend of your elbow when you cough or sneeze.

Hand hygiene:

Wash your hands regularly. You should wash your hands:

• after coughing or sneezing
• before, during and after you prepare food
• before eating
• after using the toilet
• before and after caring for sick individuals
• when hands are dirty
• after handling animals or animal waste

Wash your hands with soap and running water when hands are visibly dirty. If your hands are not visibly dirty, wash them with soap and water or use an alcohol-based hand rub.

See HSE hand hygiene guidance at https://www2.hse.ie/wellbeing/how-to-wash-your-hands.html

Respiratory hygiene:

Cover your mouth and nose with a clean tissue when you cough and sneeze and then promptly dispose of the tissue in a bin and wash your hands. If you don’t have a tissue, cough or sneeze into the bend of your elbow instead, not into your hands.