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The Republic\u2019s incidence of Covid-19 is continuing to improve, but \u201cat a slower rate\u201d, the HSE chief has said.<\/p>\nThe Republic\u2019s incidence of Covid-19 is continuing to improve, but \u201cat a slower rate\u201d, the HSE chief has said.<\/p>\n
Paul Reid said positive signs of the impact of vaccinations for older people were beginning to emerge.<\/p>\n
\u201cOf the new cases notified over the past two weeks, 478 cases had the most likely transmission source of a healthcare setting,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat is down from over 1,050 cases in the previous two weeks.<\/p>\n
\u201cDuring the same time-frame the overall number of cases reduced by 24 per cent, but the reduction in healthcare setting-acquired cases was more than double that at 52 per cent, so it would seem we are seeing some of the early benefits of vaccinations.\u201d<\/p>\n
Mr Reid said hospital admissions were reducing, not at the pace he would like, but a continued trend downwards was being recorded.<\/p>\n
He said there were 460 people with Covid-19 being treated in hospital on Thursday, down 21 per cent on the same day last week, and down 78 per cent on the peak in January.<\/p>\n
There were 108 people in intensive care units, down 22 per cent overall on the last week.<\/p>\n
But Mr Reid said there were also 170 people receiving advanced respiratory support, many of whom would end up in ICU.<\/p>\n
He said he was \u201ctruly grateful\u201d for the continued support of the public the majority of whom were adhering to the public health restrictions.<\/p>\n
But he said the actions of a smaller minority was causing \u201ca lot of hurt and frustration for everybody, for the vast majority of the public who continue to do everything that we have been asking of them\u201d.<\/p>\n
The chief executive acknowledged the issues in the rollout of the vaccines in the past week, and said there would continue to be \u201cinterrupted supply lines\u201d in the coming weeks.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ve been advised by Astra-Zeneca on changes to their committed supply lines to us over a three-week period i.e. last week, this week and next week,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ve been advised by Astra-Zeneca that these commitments will balance themselves out over the three-week period but we still do have concerns about it because it has been an interrupted and changing supply.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt has particularly impacted us last week and it will do this week as well.\u201d<\/p>\n
Despite vaccine supply issues at GP practices in the past week, Mr Reid told the weekly Covid-19 briefing that the \u201cvast majority\u201d of people over the age of 85 will be vaccinated by the end of the week.<\/p>\n