DUBLIN: National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET) says Zero Covid is not practical for Ireland.
NPHET has made it clear that Zero Covid is unrealistic, as the fall in Covid-19 cases is now slowing. This statement indicates that NPHET has reached a softened stance on the Zero Covid matter.
The CMO has confirmed that a new Zero Covid campaign has been launched, but does not think that it will work in the current situation. CMO Dr. Tony Holohan said that many still do not take the COVID-19 seriously. This month too, people are booking summer trips, despite the suggestion that only the essential local trips are allowed.
“I don’t think we are headed to a summer where millions of people from Europe can expect to be heading to beaches that are other than their own localities”, Dr. Holohan said.
“People need to take real care in any setting in which they come into contact with others,” he said. The CMO requested retail and other workplaces to review their Covid health protocols for staff and customers. He said the UK variant is a constant concern.
Professor Philip Nolan said he does not now think it is practical to return to the lifestyle of January 2020. Dr. Siobhán Ní Bhriain, a psychiatrist and HSE lead on integrated care, said reports had surfaced that anxiety and depression are symptoms of long COVID. She said mental health teams now see people with more serious illnesses than previous lockdowns.
Ten deaths and 1,062 new cases confirmed
The Department of Health confirmed 10 deaths and 1,062 new cases in Ireland yesterday. With this, a total of 3,317 deaths and 197,553 cases of COVID-19 were reported in the country since the pandemic began.
Dublin recorded highest number of cases yesterday. Of the remaining cases, 137 in Cork, 73 in Wexford, 58 in Galway, 54 in Kildare and the rest 405 cases are spread across all other counties.
A total of 1,37,066 tests were completed and the positive rate for the last seven days is 6.6%.
Of the cases, 506 were men and 546 were women; 57% of cases were under 45 years of age. The median age is 41 years old.
Waterford has the highest infection rate, at 690.3 per 100,000. The rate of infection at Limerick is 458.7. Nationally, the rate has dropped to 478.7.
According to HSE’s COVID-19 Hub, 150,500 people have received their first vaccination jab and 49,300 people have been administered the second dose. By the end of January, the number of vaccines given in Ireland had reached 199,800.
Kindly click the link below to join WhatsApp group chat to get important news and breaking news from Irish Samachar