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LAST UPDATE | 4 Jan 2022
IRELAND HAS THE highest booster uptake in Europe, according to new data released by the European Centre for Disease Control (ECDC) this evening.
New figures show that 57% of over 18s in Ireland have received a Covid-19 booster jab, giving Ireland the highest level of vaccination uptake in the EU, with both Denmark and Austria behind at 53.1% and 53% respectively.
Over 85% of over 60s and 94% of over 70s and 80s have received a booster jab, with over 2.2 million boosters being administered in total.
It comes as hospitals have begun to suspend some elective care amid growing pressure on the health service due to Covid-19.
Taoiseach Micheál Martin praised vaccination centre staff, pharmacists and GPs for their work on the booster rollout.
He encouraged people to continue to get boosted, saying that it gives better protection against severe illness and hospitalisation with the Omicron variant.
“This is important because boosters are proving effective in reducing serious illness and hospitalisation against COVID and the Omicron variant,” said the Taoiseach in a tweet.
Impact on hospitals
Paul Reid said today that it remained unclear when Ireland would reach the peak of the current Omicron-driven wave of the virus.
The number of people in hospital with Covid-19 jumped by 80 overnight. As of 8am this morning, 884 people were in hospital with the virus, of whom 93 are in intensive care.
In a letter to health service managers, Reid said that where there are staff shortages in Covid-related services, staff must be redeployed from other areas to provide support.
Reid urged health managers to prioritise unplanned Covid care as he outlined that the number of patients in hospital with Covid-19 has jumped from 360 to 884 in 10 days.
He added that there are a “significant number” of health staff off work with Covid-related sickness.
On the letter sent to managers, Reid told RTÉ’s News at One:
It does set out clear priorities for all of the services to focus on and they are simply: time-dependent care, which is really important, emergency care, Covid-related care. And importantly, for us keeping testing and tracing and indeed vaccinations resources going.
Reid said that at the peak of the January 2021 wave of infection there were 2,020 Covid-19 patients in hospital with 220 in ICU and that “we are all trying to avoid” similar numbers this year.
He said there are indications that the severity of the Omicron variant of Covid-19 “is not as strong at an individual basis” than earlier strains but that “the force of impact of the volume of cases” on the health service represented a risk.
Leaders meeting
Reid was speaking as the leaders of the three government coalition parties met this afternoon to discuss the ongoing Covid-19 situation.
Taoiseach Micheál Martin, Tánaiste Leo Varadkar and Green Party leader Eamon Ryan were considering worker shortages caused by strict close contact rules and the prevalence of Covid-19 due to the highly-transmissible variant Omicron.
It is expected that the government will ask Chief Medical Officer Dr Tony Holohan to relax the isolation rules for fully vaccinated close contacts of confirmed cases of Covid-19.
A full Cabinet meeting is to be held tomorrow.
GP services
It comes as the Irish College of General Practitioners (ICGP) said it has been asked to prioritise the vaccination of patients over the age of 16 as the Omicron variant spreads.
The GP group has stressed that they are still available to patients for urgent queries, and urged people with health concerns to contact their GP, but added that routine work such as insurance medicals, surveillance bloods and planned reviews will be deferred.
The Medical Director of the ICGP Dr Diarmuid Quinlan said “many GP practices now have staff working remotely due to Omicron”.
“While face-to-face consultations were the norm, good care can be delivered remotely. We understand that some people will be frustrated at their inability to contact their GP as readily as heretofore.
“To support our national response to Omicron, General Practice will prioritise Covid-19 work, while also assessing people with acute illness.”
Testing capacity
Despite a high number of daily Covid-19 cases being reported each day, the true number is estimated to be much higher again due to the lack of PCR tests being available to people at the moment.
Due to the current large volume of cases at present, reported daily case numbers are currently based on lab-confirmed positive swabs sent to the Covid Care Tracker rather than officially processed cases.
The latest figures sent to the Covid Care Tracker show that positivity rates for lab-based tests now almost 57%.
20154 positive swabs, 56.93% positivity on 35,402 tests.
— COVID-19 Data Ireland (@COVID19DataIE) January 4, 2022
7 day test positivity is 50.3%.
- Tuesday, January 4th 2022#COVID19Ireland pic.twitter.com/IABcR9pF1P
Damien McCallion of the HSE’s vaccination programme and test-and-trace system has said that PCR testing capacity has been increased to 300,000 tests per week but that access to testing “remains a challenge” due to the high levels of Covid-19 in the community.
As of yesterday, people aged 4-39 with symptoms of Covid-19 are being asked to book HSE antigen tests before booking a PCR tests if the antigen tests are positive.
The antigen tests will be sent out to the individual with McCallion saying the HSE has capacity to send over 350,000 tests per week.
“We did 39,000 PCR tests yesterday and we made a change in the system yesterday were those people in the lower risk groups from 4-39 now avail of antigen testing and we have a capacity there of 350,000. So in total this week, has a capacity for 650,000. But we still expect challenges to remain just given the high level of prevalence,” he told RTÉ’s Morning Ireland.
McCallion added however that there is a limit to testing capacity and that this is being experienced “globally” due to the Omicron variant.
He said it is hoped that yesterday’s change will ease the pressure on PCR testing capacity but that the system is likely to be under strain for weeks.
“Hopefully that will alleviate it a little bit but I do expect the system still to be under strain over the coming weeks, just given the high numbers that we’re seeing coming through, the high level of positivity and just the anecdotal evidence I suppose that we’re hearing in all communities.”
With reporting from Rónán Duffy, Tadgh McNally and Press Association.
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12 car parking spaces!
@Alan: 50 bike spaces- how many bikes will be there after a match?
Obviously no room for a team
Bus to park
@Alan: seems reasonable to me
@You’re Not Serious: a strange conclusion to draw about the team bus
@Alan: haha, this evenings match is delayed due to several of the team having not turned up as they relied on Dublin bus website, timetable and real time information to plan their journey
@SYaxJ2Ts: but maybe not to fans of teams from outside dublin
@Alan: Its 12 too many for the Greens,how many cabbages could you plant in that space (excluding Eamon Ryan)
@Alan: plenty of alternatives, including local car parking spaces
@Mike 100: The obsession with that man is unreal.get yourself out more.
@Alan: they have a luas, loads of buses and it’s walking distance from the city centre. last time i was there for bohs dundalk last season i cycled and locked it out on the street which wasn’t ideal, some secure bicycle parking in the grounds would be nice.
@eoin fitzpatrick: Away teams bring fans too. Should they cycle or get the luas. I can see hundreds of fans cycling to Dublin for a match. Get real!
@Ollie Fitzpatrick: There is loads of alternative parking within walking distance of Dalymount. Also lots of fans come in coaches/busses. Get real!
@Ollie Fitzpatrick: where in Europe do the away fans drive to city centre football grounds? Ffs.
@You’re Not Serious: there will be lots of fans cycling from Ballybofey, Derry, Cobh and Kerry.
@eoin fitzpatrick: I’ve been to countless dozens of matches in all the Dublin grounds over the years and always drive to them and always will. It’s my perogative!
You’ve probably only been to the ones beside you. How do you travel to away games if you even go to them?
@SYaxJ2Ts: “Fans come in coaches/busses” hmm not very well stated is it?
Seriously why does everything now be have to done to a Cabbage Head
agenda?
@Ollie Fitzpatrick: you mean a more environmentally friendly agenda. If you wanna continue to drive to games, you go ahead.
@Ollie Fitzpatrick: well personally i wouldn’t drive to phisborough on a friday evening ever as the traffic is crazy and there’s feck all parking.
it is one of the best places in dublin for public transport connectivity and it is a short walk from o’connell st. the ground not having parking isn’t an issue.
@eoin fitzpatrick: I am from a provincial town and to get to any of the grounds in Dublin would take a few changes of busses etc. I have a vast knowledge of Dublin and have my parking spots for all grounds (same ones for years) ….. even Dalyer. Driving up is far faster and more enjoyable.
By the way I am a pensioner and have free travel!
@Ollie Fitzpatrick: right well i guess you wont be able to go any more if you’re insistent on driving there
@eoin fitzpatrick: Oh yes I will ;>}
@Alan: What a bizarre thing to pick up on in a grant of planning for a football stadium. I know the comments section of the Journal is hardly The Hist but I honestly didn’t see car parking spaces coming. Do people honestly think that the provision of match day car parking spaces is the responsibility of a sports club? The people that matter here, the actual human beings who attend dalymount on a Friday night (rather than haunting online comments sections), be that once or twice a season as an away fan or every other week as a Bohs fan, won’t even notice how many cars are parked in the ground. Everything else is just noise. Weird, proxy anti Green Party noise. We’ll make there like we always have – by foot, bus, tram or in a car parked up on a side street. Buala bós Bohs
@Ollie Fitzpatrick: no modern stadium provides parking spaces for fans. Phibsborough is one of the best-served areas in the country when it comes to public transport amd team buses have always dropped players at the NCR/Dalymount laneway. The new development will be perfect to meet Boh’s needs into the future.
@SYaxJ2Ts: are you having a laugh …. Local car parking spaces … do you know the area ????
@Ollie Fitzpatrick: Then what are you moaning about?? Drive away and park where you like but thankfully you won’t be getting parking at the future stadium.
@Sal Paradise: I will be within 4 mins walk from it!!
@Ollie Fitzpatrick: Perfect so you don’t need to worry about the lack of parking spaces. Might sell my guest parking passes for the road I live on at a premium. Only 5min walk from Dalymount! Cost €1.25 for 24hr pass. I’ll be fair and sell for €20.
@eoin fitzpatrick: but you’re an ‘avid’ cyclist, most people are not, nor do they ever want to be…lots of folk are travelling long distances or are older persons or with accessibility issues or with children in tow and still need to drive. Everyone needs to be catered for not just cyclists and public transport users..
@Thankcrunchieitsfriday:
Phibsborough Shopping centre does have several parking places?
As a Shamrock Rovers fan, would love to see this. A strong Bohs and better facilities will continue to grow the league. The product is improving and is a much better value than the occasional €1000 + euro for an over night to Manchester or Liverpool to watch foreign teams
@Shay Dunne: where are you getting that figure from? I’m going to a Liverpool match next week, match tickets 250 and hotel 70?
@Shay Dunne: not to mention better quality than that pish
@ferrett: do you swim and walk there?
@ferrett: Are you flying or walking.Only kidding.
Wanted to see Arsenal V Brentford game recently and best price was €700.
Way over the top.
Also usually the tickets are for poor visibility seats and be honest in your reply
That is the amount we are paying to house Ukrainians per month . A scandalous amount of our tax money thanks yo FFG
@BL Music: i am very sorry but this amount is rather paid for a week my friend…yes a week
@BL Music: scandalous we’re helping people who’s country is being invaded and bombed a chance somewhere else, definitely in future we’ll look back at this time in shame that we offered so much help, the shame of it all.
@BL Music: The EU are also refunding the Government for costs associated with Ukrainian refugees.
The scheme EU-React was initially €40bn it has since been added to but I can’t find the amount or has it been ratified by the EU.
But it’s not the taxpayer that is funding all of the costs associated with the Ukrainian refugees.
@Cornelius Paul O Mahony: * not 100% funded by the taxpayer/ Exchequer.
@BL Music: Remember during our genocide,when the native Americans gave us money,when they were suffering,Remember when the irish went to the four corners of the world due to murder,rape,destruction,genocide and slavery at the hands of a foreign invader,its the least we can do to help countries like Ukraine and Palestine.
@eoin fitzpatrick: why are they entitled to higher benefits than that of a refugee, blatant racism! In fact why are they entitled to more benefits than that of an Irish citizen?
@BigEd: go protest outside the russian embassy and tell them to leave Ukraine
@BL Music: you’re some plank aren’t you?
It’s great to see it’s going to be developed but wouldn’t it be better if they got the capacity up to at least 10,000? After waiting all that time, all that money & then ending up with just 6,000 seats. If the facilities were upgraded I’m sure it would sell out, it’s such a central location.
@Maurice F Glennon: The architects were absolutely clear when they presented this to the bohs fans. This is the maximum size of a stadium you could build on that site. The only way they could’ve added more was to add an additional tier to one of the main stands but that would’ve required the purchase of land from the shopping centre.
this is as big as it will get given the difficulties of the tight site
The spiritual home of Irish soccer.
BAM Construction is itching to award the contract to them. It will be the state of the art stadium.
@Bomber: not even funny anymore… BAM are so corrupt it’s crazy. I know this as having dealt with them in an underwriter capacity.
12 car parking spaces, 50 bicycle spaces. Green Party again. The away team coach will take 4 spaces alone. Absolute joke. Planned stadium should be minimum 12-14000 capacity. Total joke.
@Fred Coloe: C’mon it’s Bohs. Their Climate Justice Officer probably didn’t want any car park spaces at all, til it was pointed out they’d have to have something for the away team bus and the officials.
@Fred Coloe: Green party control Bohs now. You’re all deluded on this site seriously.
Why would this stadium need much parking? Who drives to Bohs games? Not many, and they tend to park wherever they can in the neighbourhood.
I never go without having a few pints anyway nor does anyone I know.
It being Dublin I’d imagine the councillors will vote NO anyway. It’s their default setting.
Dublin – why be imaginative, creative or daring when it’s much easier to settle for mediocrity.
@Gerry Kelly: The counsellors voted yes Gerry
@Gerry Kelly: the article is literally about the fact the councillors have voted to accept the plan
Should be good for Bohs
Follow Shamrock Rovers example
@RIP: What’s that? Start building a stadium, go bust during the build, abandon the building work, get the council to step in after years of having a half built structure, then be held up as a model club?
@RIP: tallaght stadium is god awful, i’d take the dilapidated dalymount with our 3 bars over it a thousand times
@eoin fitzpatrick: that’s why bohs have to play European games in a different stadium and aren’t allowed use 2 stands. Jealousy doesn’t suit you
@Longlin: didn’t bohs have collection buckets at games when they nearly went bust? No LOI team fan can say anything about any other teams finances
@Martin Mongan: yeah fair play to rovers for their success but the grounds will never compare with dalymount, almost in the city centre surrounded by great pubs and loads of options to go out after a match on a friday, it’s a great night out.
@eoin fitzpatrick: what are you talking about dalymount is a shambles yeah the surrounding area is great for a night out but the stadium itself is dire especially the away section
@Martin Mongan: which is why the stadium is being redeveloped duh
Helicopters will be provided!
Sounds good… hopefully they just get on with it.
Haven’t been there since the Bob Marley gig.
12 car parking spaces?? How did this get approval??
@Will Roche: there should be no car parking spaces. Any city centre foorltball ground in England only have dedicated spaces to disabled. What is the issue.
This has been going on for at least 15 years. They were supposed to do it when they were bidding for the euros and share it with shels but nothing ever came of it. Apparently they don’t own the stand above the shops either
@Martin Mongan: This is the same as the euros plan, it has had some tweaks since Shels pulled out, and construction inflation meant everyone had to go back to the drawing board to make it a cheaper design.
Great news for Football,
There must be no end to the tax money and get wasted in rediculous areas instead of prioritising health and housing sure doesn’t effect those at the top so sod the rest I suppose
@Paddy C: I don’t think using taxpayers money to develop sports facilities is ridiculous. Public money is being squandered on a lot worse.
The 1,800 standing places will not be allowed for European competitions.
Super bohs
Would be incredible to see a proper soccer club stadium in Ireland instead of the usual kips.
Did anybody notice the size of the parking at the stadium for the superbowl that is what needs to be done
have your say