The HSE says hospitals are coping with the current levels of Covid19, but remain under significant pressure.
A further eight deaths linked to the virus were confirmed last night with 2,121 new cases – 18 of them in Carlow with 12 in Kilkenny.
There were 1,911 patients with Covid in hospital last night – and 199 in intensive care. Three of these people are in the local ICU at St Luke’s General Hospital for Carlow and Kilkenny, among 30 there being treated for the virus after three new admissions, with no further suspected cases.
The HSE’s Dr Vida Hamilton says the high number of people being treated is a challenge.
Vaccine …
Cabinet will today consider a multi-million euro deal that would see doctors and pharmacists administer Covid19 vaccines.
It would see roughly 1.5 million people inoculated against the effects of the disease.
The Health Minister will present the €91 million deal to his colleagues. If approved, it would see GPs and Pharmacists get €60 for vaccinating a patient with two injections and €35 per single dose once the option’s available.
The plan would begin from early February and run for six months.
It’s expected the soon-to-be-approved Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine will feature heavily as it doesn’t need to be kept at very low temperatures.
It’s hoped 1.5 million people will be vaccinated under the agreement.
It’s as the Chief Medical Officer has called on hospital managers to uphold the “highest standards” in administering Covid19 vaccines.
There’s been criticism of two Dublin hospitals after it emerged a small number of staff family members were given leftover doses.
The Rotunda and the Coombe have both said it was to ensure none were wasted.
New guidance issued recently requires hospitals to have a standby list of 120 healthcare workers for any leftover doses.
Dr Tony Holohan says hospitals need to ensure the jabs are distributed to the highest priority groups.
Meanwhile, abdominal pain, nausea, fatigue and dizziness are among the reported side effects of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine.
The Health Products Regulatory Authority says up to last Monday, it has been notified of 81 mild to moderate suspected cases.
More than 77,000 doses of the vaccine have been administered.
Chief Executive of the HPRA, Dr. Lorraine Nolan, says no serious allergic reactions have been reported.
In the US
Joe Biden’s team has quashed Donald Trump’s plan to lift the travel ban on visitors from Brazil and most of Europe.
The American president, who leaves office tomorrow, announced his intention to remove the current restrictions next Tuesday.
But the president-elect’s team says he will be reversing the move, and instead will strengthen measures around international travel.
