The Deputy Chief Medical Officer has appealed to anyone planning on meeting up with others against advice this Easter to do so outside.
Dr. Ronan Glynn says people should physically distance themselves and wear masks where that isn’t possible.
It comes as six deaths were reported yesterday with a further 411 new cases, up to four in Carlow with none in Kilkenny for the second day running.
The numbers with the virus in hospital have dropped by 18 in 24 hours to 272, while there is 64 in ICU.
One of these is at St Luke’s General for Carlow and Kilkenny, among four with the virus there. One is also in critical care at University Waterford with nine others the virus there and four more suspected cases.
Dr. Ronan Glynn says if people are mixing in the coming days, they should avoid doing this inside.
Healthcare
The third wave of Covid-19 has caused ‘extensive disruption’ to non-Covid healthcare, according to NPHET.
It says waiting lists have grown significantly since the beginning of the surge.
21% more people are waiting for inpatient treatment now than in February 2020, and the figure is 12% higher for outpatients.
Professor Bill Tormey, a consultant in Beaumont Hospital in Dublin, says this will lead to increased deaths for three or four years.
Meanwhile, the number of patients going to GPs with Covid-19 symptoms has increased by 50% over the past three weeks.
Dr. Shane McKeogh is a founder of GP Buddy, which collects data from surgeries around the country.
He says we’re still going in the wrong direction.
Meat Plants
There have been 42 clusters of Covid-19 in meat and poultry factories during the third wave, involving 1,071 cases.
A survey recently found nine out of ten workers in the sector don’t get sick pay.
People Before Profit will today introduce a bill that would aim to address that problem.
Deputy Paul Murphy says urgent action is needed to prevent more cases of the virus in these plants.
Vaccine
The Education Minister has told her Fianna Fail colleagues the National Immunisation Advisory Committee needs to explain its decisions on the vaccine roll-out plan to people.
Norma Foley was part of the meeting that signed off on the change to a system based on age on Tuesday.
There’s been outrage at the change in priority for vaccinations with the program to based solely on age once the most vulnerable have got their injections.
Assistant Professor of virology at UCD, Dr Gerald Barry, says the government’s decision to change the system is surprising.
The UK
The emphasis of England’s Covid-19 vaccine rollout has turned to second doses – with everyone called forward encouraged to turn up straight away.
GPs are being told to prioritise the booster jab – and vaccinating over 50s and vulnerable groups.
The country is now facing a slowdown in supply.
Meanwhile, there’ll be confirmation later that a provisional date of the 26th of April has been given for pubs and restaurants to reopen in Wales.
First Minister Mark Drakeford’s announcing the latest easing of the Covid-19 restrictions.
Travel across the UK could be allowed therefrom next Monday.
Study
A study’s suggesting nearly a third of Covid-19 patients who receive hospital treatment need to be readmitted within a month of being sent home.
More than one in 10 died after they’d been discharged.
Researchers believe people who’ve been hospitalised with Covid may have ‘increased rates’ of multi-organ dysfunction.
They say more work needs to be done to look at risk factors.
