If you are not fully vaccinated then only meet up outdoors
CMO issues alert as GP reveals creches’ Covid ‘wildfire’
CHIEF Medical Officer Dr Tony Holohan has urged unvaccinated people to only meet outdoors as the country’s Covid-19 infection rate rockets to levels not seen since early February.
His warning comes as Monaghan GP Dr IIona Duffy expressed her fears about the new wave of the Delta variant, revealing that one-third of her Covid patients are now children under the age of six.
Another 1,017 new cases of Covid19 were confirmed yesterday.
There was also a slight rise in hospitalisations, with 101 patients battling the virus in hospitals – up ten on the previous day’s tally – and 20 people in ICU.
Dr Holohan warned that NPHET is seeing a rise of the virus ‘across all key indicators’.
Adding credence to this yesterday was Dr Duffy, who said she’s seeing outbreaks in creches in her area.
The Monaghan GP told the Irish Daily Mail there had been a series of outbreaks in creches locally with the virus ‘spreading like wildfire’.
She said that of the 19 Covidrelated patients she dealt with yesterday, 12 were under the age of six, and were referred for testing.
‘What we are really seeing is outbreaks in creches. It seems to be spreading like wildfire in creches, and then it is coming into a house and infecting everybody in the house. Very much fitting with the highly contagious Delta variant,’ she said.
‘Are they really sick? No. Most of them aren’t.
‘Some of the young adults are feeling really rough.
‘No one is really sick enough to go into hospital yet which is good,’ she confirmed.
Dr Duffy said that positive cases in her practice have gone ‘right up again’, adding: ‘Definitely we’re seeing rates in younger kids that we never saw before. ‘I think the big message again is about the symptoms,’ she said, warning parents to be aware of a runny nose and a mild cough. The latest Health Protection Surveillance Centre data, from July 2 to July 15, shows there have been 405 cases in children under the age of four, 734 cases in children aged five to 12, and 1,370 cases in children aged 13 to 18. It comes as Dr Holohan warned that Ireland’s 14-day incidence rate now stands at 231 per 100,000 population – the highest it’s been since February 24.
He said: ‘While we continue to enjoy the good weather, we are unfortunately also continuing to see a rise in incidence of disease across all key indicators. Our fiveday average is 1,159 cases per day, the highest it’s been since February 2.’
He continued: ‘If you are waiting to be fully vaccinated, then it is best to continue to socialise outdoors. Events like barbecues, meeting in a park or going to the beach can be enjoyed safely once we do our best to minimise the risks of transmission – only meet in small groups, wash or sanitise your hands regularly, don’t share utensils, and wear a facemask where appropriate. If you are meeting indoors, ensure that the room is well ventilated.’
His advice came as the HSE yesterday invited people aged between 18-24 to opt in for an AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine by registering online.
Meanwhile, Irish pharmacies yesterday surpassed 100,000 doses of the Johnson & Johnson jab administered following a surge in demand this month after it was made available to younger age groups.
The Irish Pharmacy Union confirmed the milestone yesterday and urged people to be patient as more supplies are expected in early August.
‘A rise across all key indicators’ ‘The highest since February 2’