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PUBLIC HEALTH OFFICIALS have confirmed 3,578 new cases of Covid-19 in Ireland.
As of 8am today, 520 people are in hospital with the coronavirus disease, of whom 83 are in intensive care units.
Yesterday, 3,161 new cases of the illness were reported. A total of 498 people were in hospital with the illness, including 78 in ICU.
“We have reported over 44,000 cases in the past 14 days. The volume of disease in the community is really very high and represents a significant risk to those who are most vulnerable in our society,” Chief Medical Officer Dr Tony Holohan said.
“We need to continue to use all of the tools available to us to protect ourselves and others. By layering all of the public health measures with which we are now so familiar, we can help to break the chains of transmission.
“Ensure that you are washing your hands regularly, wearing a mask on public transport and in other social settings, try to meet others outdoors and ensure that indoor spaces are well-ventilated. And of course it remains essential that anyone with symptoms isolates and gets tested,” Dr Holohan concluded.
Taoiseach Micheál Martin updated Cabinet today on Covid-19, stating that rates across the country are high and have been increasing at a concerning rate, especially in the 19 to 24 age group.
The growth rate of cases is currently estimated at an average of 3.3% a day, he said, though he noted that booster rollout in older age groups will help reduce this.
Outbreaks in settings with vulnerable populations, such as nursing homes, continue to be closely monitored, he added.
There has been a fall in the ratio of case numbers that translate into hospitalisations from 35 admissions per 1000 cases to 25 in recent weeks, though he said it is too early to know if this is an established trend, or could it be because of case numbers in younger populations and boosters for older age groups.
The Taoiseach said the hospital system is coming under sustained pressure due to Covid-19 and non-Covid admissions.
He said even in optimistic scenarios, numbers in ICU are unlikely to fall below 50 until December at the earliest, and could rise again.
Micheál Martin said the HSE’s Winter Plan has commenced to relieve pressure on hospital admissions through increased diagnostic capacity and with the use of private hospital beds.
To date in 2021, 55,000 bed days in private hospitals have been used, treating 17,500 patients, he said.
Currently, there are 297 permanent baseline critical care beds, up from 255 in early 2020, said the Taoiseach, adding that work is ongoing for another 43 permanent beds.
Cabinet was also told that the demand for testing and tracing remains high, and the Expert Advisory Group on Rapid Antigen Testing in considering the wider roll out of antigen testing, as per a request from NPHET.
In terms of vaccinations, more than 90% of over 12s are now fully vaccinated.
Cabinet was updated on Pfizer’s application to the EMA for approval of a vaccine for children aged 5 to 11, and were told the outcome will not be known for a number of weeks.
In regards to the vaccination programme, the booster campaign for long term residential care facility residents is now substantially complete.
Booster vaccinations for those aged 80 and older living in the community is expected to be close to completion by mid-November, with 129,000 completed to date.
As of 31 October, an estimated 43,000 people of the 73,000 identified as being immunocompromised had received their booster. The HSE’s operational plan for those aged 60 to 79 is underway.
The 336,000 in the 70 to 79 group will get boosters via a GP, while those aged 60 to 69, around 475,000 people, will be done via vaccination centre by the end of December.
With Christina Finn
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Hmmm not good at all. We really don’t know how to live with covid… Basically we are all selfish folk… Hospital staff must be beyond burn out. Folks this isn’t a flu!!
@James Lough: you’re one of the lucky ones so, but hey, who cares about the rest huh? As long as James Lough is in a good place.
@James Lough: me too
@James Lough: your profile photo doesn’t have a face
@James Lough: Can I just clarify you are saying covid extends peoples lives to longer than the average life expectancy?
@James Lough: we’ve got a covid resistance badass over here.
@James Lough: “the flu kills around 250,000 a year in the USA”
No. CDC estimates that flu caused 12,000 – 52,000 annual deaths between 2010 and 2020.
https://www.cdc.gov/flu/images/about/burden/Flu_Burden_Triangle_FINAL.png
COVID-19 has so far killed 755,000 Americans, 327,000 died of COVID-19 in 2020. The 1918-1919 flu killed 675,000 Americans.
The COVID-19 pandemic killed more Americans than any previous Flu pandemic.
@James Lough: Not sure where your ‘you wouldn’t say it to my face, keyboard warrior’ comment is gone but why wouldn’t they? Why do people like you go on as if no one ever calls anyone a c_nt to their face? Are you big and scary? Are you gonna use your big fists to hit them? :(
@Sarah Lou: no, l’m saying that the average fatality of covid-19 death is 83 yo. That is factual. In Ireland, not all countries the average life expectancy is 82 yo. Very closely aligned when compared to covid fatality. Most elderly people, unfortunately, are not fit enough to survive covid-19, or flu, or other illnesses at that age. Fully vaccinated younger people are very unlikely to die. More chance of fatality due to heart disease, cancer, diabetes, accident.
@James Lough: James I have worked in care of the elderly for some time and I call bull on your comment. You are generalising ++++ and simply using snippets of “facts” to make a point you want to make to drive an agenda you want to drive. Any chance you could dig deep into your self and find an ounce of empathy rather than talk about people who are over the age YOU feel they should be alive and try to normalise their death. If not for covid many of these people would be alive.
@James Lough: They would still be alive if not for Covid. Besides that, some of us have lost family who weren’t even OAPs yet and no underlying conditions that they were aware of prior to getting Covid so let’s stop this ‘ah if you’re not old you’ll be grand and sure you were gonna die anyway’ BS.
@WiseUp: I’m so sorry for your loss. I totally get where you’re coming from.
@James Lough: haven’t been vaxxed haven’t a cold since November 2019 when I believe I got covid.built up big immunity fighting a lingering cough for 3 months after it.I was 35 at the time and it took the wind out of me mate, your lucky you got a mild dose
@James Lough: you are great
@meg: correct, l’m not disputing that or saying it’s ok to die of covid at OAP age. Younger people have also fell to covid-19, luckily, it’s a rare occurrence and with vaccines even less. I’m alluding to the fact that there are other causes of deaths. Covid has taken precedence at the detriment of other medical conditions, social, economic, mental health – we have to live with covid and balance it out with everything else in life.
@Fozz: Have to download the app for that, can’t stand it! Need people like him to bring me back down to earth when I’m my mood is suspiciously good anyway. This is where I’d put a half-laugh emoji if theJournal allowed it
@Brian Burns: l was vaxxed at the time luckily. Hope you’re on the road to recovery.
@James Lough: James, I’ve tried to contact you through Twitter please respond when your free and we can discuss you comment to me in person. I very much look forward to hearing from you. Thanks
@WiseUp: you too
@James Lough: Dunkey!!
@WiseUp: WTF????
@Peter Lewis Jnr: Wtf what ?
@James Lough: what is the life expectancy of an 82 year old in Ireland James?
@James Lough: well U are the lucky one because a lot of people have died & with many more left with long covid plus all who have survived ICU after a horendous time there & a lot of them not elderly ,If u had a family member very ill U certainly would not be so flippant
Pubs are like Christmas Eve every weekend.
@Patrick Kelly: As long as they are all vaxxed what’s the problem? We’re living with covid
@Patrick Kelly: how do you know?
@Patrick Kelly: isn’t it great. I can’t wait for the rules to be scrapped completely
@Man incognito: Here here.
@Patrick Kelly: and rightly so
@Patrick Kelly: do you understand how sad that comment makes you
@Rob: living a watered-down existence!
@Rob: Living with COVID means you are happy to accept a certain number of deaths ever day. Could be your family, friends, or even you. Are you comfortable with that ?
@Declan O’Farrell: Yes, we can’t protect everybody sadly
@Declan O’Farrell: I should add the current government plan is called Living with Covid lol
@Rob: the problem is spreading coronavirus to people who have compromised immunity systems and vaccination isn’t effective for them. Also allowing coronavirus to spread may allow it to mutate into a vaccine resistant variant of concern. Then you are up the Swanee without a Pfizer paddle.
@feargal de cantuin: So whats your suggestion, close everything and more lockdowns?
@Rob: yeah because the vaccine gives 100% immunity doesn’t it.
No, it doesn’t.
Unvaxed can give it to vaxed. Vaxed can give it to unvaxed. Unvaxed can give it to unvaxed.
Basically humans can give any other human the virus. That’s how it spreads. Maybe you missed this important point last March.
All the vaccine does is reduce the chances of serious illness or death. But even a mild dose can be bad for a person, despite what James Lough says above.
Next 10 days are critical.
@Victoria Victoria: spot on Victoria
@Victoria Victoria: Agree. Unfortunately poor checking of vaccine cert and photo id as well as people using other peoples certs is contributing to the problem.
@Ger Murphy: Do you really believe that? Hospitality was never the main route of transmission for COVID-19 at any stage of the pandemic. It’s highly unlikely you’ll catch COVID grabbing a coffee at Costa.
@Tomo: how about in a nightclub?
Singapore have the right idea. https://www.iflscience.com/health-and-medicine/novax-tax-singapore-to-stop-covering-covid19-treatment-of-antivaxxers/
@Steve: No they really don’t. Unless of course those people are no longer paying tax to contribute to the treatment of other people’s illnesses?
@Mo: tax doesn’t come into it there, you pay an extremely low amount of tax in Singapore and it doesn’t really go to healthcare, their system operates on a profit basis, it doesn’t get the government support that ours does, but that’s a whole different argument. Singapore is not the gold standard for us, I do agree. Vastly different. Not comparable to us.
@Mo: it you don’t want to protect yourself via a vaccine or don’t believe in the existence of COVID-19 then of course you should pay for treatment of you catch it. It’s not like you weren’t warned.
@Steve: tripe
@Steve: happy days
@Steve: would you say same to people who have bad reaction or even mild reactions to the vaccine..we took them knowing they had warnings about side effects and signed a consent form ..should medical bills be sent out to those unlucky people too, they too were warned
@Steve: If a smoker ends up in hospital with lung cancer should they be refused treatment. If an obese person ends up in hospital with diabetes or heart problems due to bad diet and lack of exercise should they be refused treatment. A drinker with liver disease.
It could be said a lot of people end up in hospital one way or another due to not taking proper care should they all be penalised. I had a young family member end up in icu after his 1st Pfizer vaccine. He was extremely ill. He had a blood clot and other problems. That was a couple of months ago and he still has not recovered fully. He will not be getting his 2nd shot. Should he pay. Stop with these ridiculous comments. Every person is entitled to medical treatment irrespective of what you think.
@Franny Ando: smoking and obesity aren’t transmissible. Anti-vaxxers can still get medical treatment for covid but they have to pay more for it than a vaccinated person. Seems quite reasonable.
@Steve: No it doesn’t we are all entitled to equal treatment.
@SquintEastwood: yawn……
@Franny Ando: Gimme a break…..really broken record stuff!!
@Steve: Not transmissible but they are both a personal choice. You choose to smoke and you choose to be obese just like you choose not to take the vaccine. All 3 may equally land you in hospital.
Close the pubs.
800 in hospital and 150 in ICU are the red lines, we’re grand
@Rob: considering 3 out of every 10 people admitted to ICU die, we’re certainly not grand, we need to keep people out of ICU, and that requires us all to keep following ALL public health measures
@Stephen Kearon: Yawn
@Stephen Kearon: I assume those health measures would include the recommendations on HEPA filters for schools too? No sign of the Department of Education doing a whole lot about that
@Stephen Kearon: defacing the shamrock putting a poppy over it
@P.S. I Hate You: it’s the Irish poppy that remembers all the Irish men and women who died during WW1.
@David Jordan: why weren’t they admitted to ICU ? No capacity, failed to admit themselves etc.? Very high figure.
Electricity went off today for an hour.
@a: Christ!!!
@a: Where did it go?
Circuit breaker
@Metaljester: I’ll give it until the end of the week before it’s on the table. Ffs. Ffs. Ffs.
Stick your booster up your swiss
@Aunties: I thought they gave it to you as a jab in the arm rather than as a suppository?
Ground hog day
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