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Chief Medical Officer Dr Tony Holohan has warned of the \u201csignificant increase\u201d in the number of hospital admissions due to Covid-19 in recent weeks.<\/p>\nChief Medical Officer Dr Tony Holohan has warned of the \u201csignificant increase\u201d in the number of hospital admissions due to Covid-19 in recent weeks.<\/p>\n
Dr Holohan said that the number of people admitted to hospital with the virus jumped from less than 190 two weeks ago to 324 on Sunday.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis indicates a deteriorating disease trajectory nationally and is a significant reminder of the severity of this disease,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere have been further increases across key indicators of Covid-19 right across the country and the growth rate of the epidemic has accelerated in recent days.\u201d<\/p>\n
On Sunday there were another four deaths related to Covid-19 recorded in Ireland and an additional 744 cases.<\/p>\n
It brings the total number of Covid-19-related deaths in the country to 2,204.<\/p>\n
Dr Holohan added: \u201cDue to the lower volume of tests being carried out over Christmas Day and yesterday, we believe there are higher levels of disease circulating in the community than today\u2019s reported case numbers reflect.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe expect, therefore, to see a large increase in cases reported over the coming days.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf we do not act now to stop the spread of Covid-19, we will not be able to protect those in our society that are most at risk of serious illness or death.<\/p>\n
\u201cStay home, do not visit friends or family unless you are providing essential care and do not have visitors to your home. Follow the public health advice.\u201d<\/p>\n
On Sunday morning, 324 Covid-19 patients were in hospital, of which 26 were in ICU.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, the T\u00e1naiste said that Ireland is rolling out the Covid-19 vaccine at a slower pace than other countries \u2013 but said it will catch up.<\/p>\n
The first coronavirus vaccine arrived in Ireland on St Stephen\u2019s Day but people will have to wait for a number of days before the initial batch of 10,000 doses will be administered.<\/p>\n
Leo Varadkar admitted he \u201cwasn\u2019t sure\u201d why there is a delay, despite many other European countries beginning their vaccine program on Sunday.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m not 100 per cent sure but I am told it takes a couple of days to organize things,\u201d Mr Varadkar said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhile you could have done a few people in the initial days, the authorities thought it was better to start on Wednesday and start it properly.\u201d<\/p>\n
Mr Varadkar said that the vaccine program will begin in earnest this week.<\/p>\n
However, Health Service Executive boss Paul Reid said plans are under way to start the vaccination process on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
Mr Reid said that a small number of people will receive the vaccines in a number of hospitals.<\/p>\n
He added: \u201cPriority and effectiveness is absolutely key for us. The intention is to start early next week. My expectation is we will get some vaccinations going on the 29th which would be on the Tuesday.<\/p>\n
\u201cThen our mobilization starts with healthcare workers. Our concentration is to do this safely, effectively and roll it out across a three-week period to do all of our nursing homes in a full sweep, and then the following three weeks to do them the second time.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s very strong and focused. We will start in four hospital locations and will be doing some elderly residents.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere\u2019s nobody who wants to get this done quicker than myself and the HSE.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine is the first to be approved for use in Ireland by the European Medicines Agency.<\/p>\n
Around 40,000 doses of the vaccine will arrive in Ireland every week from the end of January.<\/p>\n
Mr Varadkar said that people living in long-term care facilities, nursing homes and their staff will receive the vaccine first.<\/p>\n
He told Newstalk: \u201cI think we will have started a bit slower but catch up. We are part of the European system and get 1.11% of the vaccine and that\u2019s in proportion with our population.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe will start a little bit slower than other countries but we will catch up, I don\u2019t see it as a race, I think it\u2019s important that we do it right.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe anticipate the Moderna vaccine will be approved on January 6, so that will bring additionality.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere seems to be good chance that the AstraZeneca will by approved by the end of January and that\u2019s particularly important because we have pre-ordered a huge number of them, more so than we did for Pfizer and that doesn\u2019t require deep cold chain, that\u2019s a more normal vaccine.\u201d<\/p>\n
Mr Varadkar said that the Covid-19 virus is \u201cmaking a fool\u201d of Government plans.<\/p>\n
He admitted that Ireland\u2019s six-week lockdown did not work to the extent they had hoped.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe took the decision on December 1st and we all thought we would get as far as January,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe six-week lockdown didn\u2019t work to the extent we hoped it would.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat is true is that nobody anticipated that the numbers would rise so quickly.\u201d<\/p>\n
Mr Varadkar also said he could not see mass gatherings happening until the summer.<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t think we will be getting rid of restrictions permanently in February or March. Restrictions such as mass gatherings \u2013 I don\u2019t see them happening until the summer at earliest.\u201d<\/p>\n
Earlier on Sunday, Mr Reid warned about the \u201calarming\u201d numbers of people being tested for Covid-19.<\/p>\n
He tweeted: \u201cTesting and tracing volumes now at alarming levels.<\/p>\n
\u201cOur highest daily tests now at 23,000.<\/p>\n
\u201cCommunity positivity reaching 10 per cent. Close contacts averaging at five people.<\/p>\n
\u201cTracing calls gone from less than 10,000 to now over 30,000 per week.<\/p>\n
\u201cPlease review New Year plans to keep safe.\u201d<\/p>\n
The State entered its third lockdown on Christmas Eve as a range of restrictions were introduced.<\/p>\n
Bars, restaurants, hairdressers and beauty salons have shut in a bid to stifle the spread of coronavirus.<\/p>\n