Local public health teams need to be reinforced before Covid-19 restrictions can be eased, according to an infectious disease expert.
12 more deaths were confirmed last night, while another 1,024 cases were detected.
Of these three were in Kilkenny and for the first time in a long time Carlow had no new instances.
In public hospitals last night there were 1,212 people with Covid-19 receiving treatment, while there are 179 people in ICUs nationally.
St Luke’s General for Carlow and Kilkenny were down to 15 patients with the virus after one new admission with three people in intensive care there and one further suspected case.
University Hospital Waterford has 91 battling Coronavirus after one more person was admitted with six in ICU and four more showing symptoms.
Professor Sam McConkey of the RCSI says every public health team in the country needs an IT upgrade and a serious boost in manpower.
Vaccine
Healthcare workers will start to get the first dose of the AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine from today.
It’s after the first 21,600 doses of the vaccine arrived in the country on Saturday, although 35,000 were promised by the end of this week.
Meanwhile, GPs will start the roll-out of the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines from today to those aged over 85.
Deliveries will be prioritised to areas with a higher proportion of older people.
However, South Africa’s pausing the use of the AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine.
It’s after research suggested it offers limited protection against mild symptoms caused by the variant discovered there.
But there’s nothing to suggest it gives any less defence from serious illness or death.
Professor Shabir Madhi, who led the study, says the results are not surprising.
Travel
Anyone crossing the border from the North without a reasonable excuse will be hit with a €100 fine from this morning.
Every adult in a car will be subject to the charge, not just the driver.
Over 3,500 people were fined in the Republic for non-essential travel, according to figures up to the end of last week.
Damien McGinnity from Border Communities Against Brexit says the new fines are needed – because of the lack of cross-border co-operation on the pandemic.
Remote Working
43% of workers don’t want to return to the office when the pandemic is over.
A new Esri Ireland survey shows over half of people want to work from home at least part-time once restrictions have lifted.
One-in-ten would like to move to a rural area.
Esri Ireland Managing Director, Paul Sinnott says more amenities need to be given to remote workers in rural areas.
