THE Health Protection Surveillance Centre has today been notified of 3,161 confirmed cases of Covid-19.
As of 8am today, 498 Covid-19 patients are hospitalised, of whom 78 are in ICU.
Dr Tony Holohan, chief medical officer, Department of Health said: ‘Today we are reporting 3,161 cases of Covid-19, 498 hospitalisations, with 78 patients in ICU. We know that vaccination provides our strongest defence against severe illness and hospitalisation. I encourage anyone who has yet to be vaccinated to come forward for vaccination. It is not too late to become part of our vaccinated pool of people and your participation in the Covid-19 vaccine programme will be welcomed.
‘We are now also boosting and offering a third vaccine dose to healthcare workers and people over the age of 60. We are beginning to see encouraging signs, in the decreasing levels of infection among those age groups that have received their booster dose. The importance of coming forward cannot be overstated. If it is time for your booster, please come forward to receive that booster.
‘Finally, I would also like to note that the flu (influenza) vaccine programme is currently open and I encourage people of all ages to avail of it. Children are twice as likely to get the flu than adults. Children are also more likely than adults to get severe complications of flu. The flu vaccine will help protect your child against flu and reduce the spread of flu to others such as siblings, parents and grandparents. Children and young people aged 2 to 17 can get the nasal flu vaccine for free.
‘’Please continue to practise basic public health interventions to limit the spread of disease this winter – washing our hands, opening windows, wearing masks and most importantly, staying home when we have symptoms. These simple measures are very successful at breaking the chains of transmission of disease.’
