HSE WARNS OF DANGERS OF SHARING USED TIN WHISTLES

Ireland’s Health Service Executive has released a statement today warning all traditional Irish musicians of the dangers associated with sharing used tin whistles.

A HSE spokesperson told The Drone News that many Irish musicians are unaware of the diseases that sharing such utencils can spread and continue to pass whistles around for others to play without any thoughts to their health.

This has seen a worrying rise in the number of musicians turning up to instrumental health clinics showing signs of possible infections.

“We are very worried that there has not been more education done on this at home and in school. Musicians don’t give any thought to playing a tune on their Generation D and then handing it over to the next person.”

“At this rate we’re going to have a mass epidemic of sick musicians passing on their illnessed to the next generation. We are urging people to please make sure that if they must play tin whistle that it is a fresh one!”

The HSE has said that sharing used tin whistles can result in players testing positive for TRAIDS and a number of other diseases such as hup-atitis B-flat, hup-atitis C♯ and whystle-is.

While there is treatment available for some of these diseases, most cases result in musicians never being able to play again or being reduced to becoming a ‘set-dancer’. Doctors have warned musicians that they have to take more precautions.

“It simply isn’t enough to wipe the whistle on your sleeve before using it. It has to be put in boiling water to kill all the yucky germs left by the last slobbery tin whistler.”