Young person’s virus
People aged 16 to 34 driving spread of Covid as Ireland records 1,800 new cases
COVID-19 has become a young person’s virus, with the over-65s making up just a tiny fraction of new cases, the latest figures show.
Only 3% of cases are in people aged 65 and older, deputy Chief Medical Officer Ronan Gylnn said yesterday, with the highest number of cases among those aged between 16 and 34.
Dr Glynn made his comments as the head of the HSE, Paul Reid, said over 5,000 people had used vaccination walk-in centres on Friday and Saturday. The walk-in centres are aimed at young people and do not require an appointment.
According to the HSE, 89% of the adult population are now partially vaccinated, with 77% of adults fully vaccinated.
Earlier this week, HSE figures on vaccine uptake showed there was a 99% vaccine uptake rate among those over 70 years of age.
The uptake rate for people aged from 60 to 69 stood at 96% as of Thursday.
Last weekend, more than 30,000 people attended walk-in vaccination clinics, with the majority of these aged under 30 years of age.
Yesterday, Mr Reid said these centres – as well as Covid test centres – will ‘play a key role’ ahead of next weekend.
Meanwhile, the Department of Health was yesterday notified of 1,828 new cases of Covid-19.
There were 198 people in hospital who have tested positive for the virus, a rise of nine on the previous day. 33 of these patients are being treated in ICU, three more than Friday.
Meanwhile, the Covid situation in the North continues to remain very serious.
One further coronavirus-related death was recorded in the North yesterday, according to health officials.
This means that this weekend has seen seven further deaths in total, with six recorded by the health department on Saturday. Another 1,129 cases of coronavirus were also reported. The total number of deaths linked to Covid19 since the start of the pandemic in the North has now reached 2,220. Meanwhile, Fianna Fáil MEP Billy Kelleher has called for a simplified set of Covid restrictions after the success of the vaccination programme.
The Cork native said Ireland has spent a year and a half living under a huge array of different restrictions that need to be reviewed as the majority of the adult population is now vaccinated.
Mr Kelleher also called for a new, simplified set of rules to be brought in when the country has been fully vaccinated, which is expected to be later this month.
‘The HSE has said that it expects full vaccination to be completed by the end of August, and at this point, we need a new, revised and simplified set of rules that reflects the progress that has been made,’ he said.
Mr Kelleher said that there has to be a reward for vaccinated members of the public, despite the threat of the new Delta variant.
‘The people of Ireland must feel the bonus that comes from exceeding all expectations when it comes to vaccination uptake,’ he added.