Vaccine take-up has ‘protected thousands of people’

THE Chief Medical Officer has praised Ireland’s response to the vaccination rollout, saying that our ‘efforts have protected thousands of people’ from death and hospitalisation.

More than 91% of adults are now fully vaccinated – the second best figure in the EU. It was also revealed yesterday that the number of Covid outbreaks in schools almost halved in the last week.

Dr Tony Holohan yesterday hailed the collective efforts of people to drive down the spread of the virus, but said it is important to continue this work. ‘Our collective efforts have protected thousands of people from experiencing the worst outcomes from Covid-19,’ he said. ‘As more of the activities we enjoy become available to us this week, it is important that we continue this national effort to break the chains of transmission of Covid-19. Vaccination remains our best means of protection.’

Another 1,453 cases of Covid-19 were confirmed yesterday. There have been 40 Covid-related deaths notified in the past week with 300 patients in hospital, of whom 60 are in ICU. There was a 45% decrease in new outbreaks of Covid-19 in schools last week, with 49 in total recorded – down from 90 the previous week. However, despite the lower number of outbreaks in schools, infections among children aged five to 12 years old currently account for 20% of all cases.

Meanwhile, Irish passport holders who have been vaccinated in the North are now eligible to obtain a European Union Digital Covid Certificate, the Department of Health has announced.

Elsewhere, Roscommon University Hospital announced that visiting restrictions have been introduced due to an outbreak of Covid-19. In a statement, the Saolta University Healthcare Group said that exceptions ‘will be made on compassionate grounds’.