Ireland’s 14-day incidence rate has fallen to its lowest rate since Christmas.
It comes as 359 new infections have been reported – the lowest daily number of cases since mid-December. Up to four of them were in Carlow with none in Kilkenny.
14 additional deaths have also been recorded.
475 patients are receiving treatment in public hospitals, while the total in intensive care is now 115.
Four of these are in the unit at St Luke’s General for Carlow and Kilkenny among eight with the virus there.
Three are in ICU at University Hospital Waterford among 25 with Coronavirus after four new admissions and with two further suspected cases.
Dr. David Nabarro, the World Health Organisation’s special envoy on Covid-19, says the number of cases in Ireland is still concerning.
Vaccine
Researchers are going to look more closely at how patients with suppressed immune systems react to the Covid-19 vaccine.
The Medical Research Council will focus mostly on people with conditions like cancer and kidney disease – and those most at risk of complications from Covid.
Some scientists think the current injections may not be the most effective for people with underlying health conditions.
In Northern Ireland
A public health Professor says Northern Ireland’s plan to re-open schools fully is ‘very peculiar.’
Gabriel Scally has blasted the roadmap to exiting lockdown for not containing target levels of infection to trigger each phase.
The 5 step system was agreed by Stormont Executive members yesterday.
However Dr Scally says the fact that restaurants will re-open party before schools are fully open doesn’t make sense.
In the US
The US plan to have enough Covid-19 vaccines for every American adult by the end of May.
President Joe Biden made the announcement last night, accelerating his previous commitment of enough injections by the end of July.
Some are suggesting it could allow the US to begin donating vaccines to other countries by the summer.
Meanwhile, Dolly Parton has received her first dose of the Moderna Covid 19 vaccine, and is appealing to others to take one.
The country star says it would be a great first step to getting back to normality.
She says people who are apprehensive about taking the shot should not be such a ‘chicken squat.’
Dolly has also adapted one of her hit songs to suit the occasion with her famous ‘Jolene’ resung as ‘Vaccine’.
