Eire has reached a “unhappy milestone” with greater than 1,000 sufferers in hospital with Covid-19.
he stark determine comes a day after the Authorities unveiled strict new lockdown measures amid escalating hospital admissions and a file variety of circumstances.
The top of the HSE Paul Reid tweeted: “We’ve reached a tragic milestone that no one wished to occur. We’ve now 1,022 sufferers very sick in hospital with #COVID19 and 88 in ICU.
“It considerations me relaying this. However I do know we’ll get by means of a troublesome time forward, along with your assist. On the different aspect, it will likely be higher.”
We have reached a tragic milestone that no one wished to occur.We have now 1,022 sufferers very sick in hospital with #COVID19 & 88 in ICU. It considerations me relaying this. However I do know we’ll get by means of a troublesome time forward, along with your assist. On the different aspect, it will likely be higher. @HSELive
— Paul Reid (@paulreiddublin) January 7, 2021
Greater than 100 folks had been admitted to hospital with the virus and 18 extra sufferers wanted vital care within the final 24-hour interval.
Cupboard signed off on new restrictions on Wednesday as a file 7,836 new circumstances have been confirmed, and chief medical officer Tony Holohan additionally warned of an incoming spike in deaths.
Colleges are to shut, most development work will stop and new protocols on worldwide journey have been introduced as a part of the Authorities’s new measures.
House owners of companies similar to pubs and eating places have been warned they could be closed till the tip of March.
Minister for Well being Stephen Donnelly stated the measures are to bolster the “keep at house” message because the UK variant of the virus is in Eire at a “important stage” and throughout all components of the nation.
Mr Donnelly warned that the variant makes it tough to mannequin when the virus will peak.
“The strategy is keep at house and scale back contacts to as minimal as doable and in time that may result in a discount in hospital circumstances,” he instructed RTE Morning Eire.
“The plan is to not run out of ICU beds, that’s why we moved to Stage 5 earlier than Christmas. We have now a base lively of 285 vital care beds and might go as much as 350 on surge capability.
“We’re placing preparations in with personal hospitals, they’ve about 50 vital care beds.”
What is just not secure is about 1.1 million folks travelling to and from faculty.Stephen Donnelly
He stated the surge capability coupled with personal hospital intensive care beds is “enough” for what is required.
Greater than 30,000 frontline well being staff will probably be vaccinated by the tip of the week, he added.
The HSE acquired a supply of the Moderna vaccine hours after it was accepted on Wednesday.
Mr Donnelly stated the Authorities expects to obtain round 110,00 doses of the vaccine within the first quarter of the 12 months.
He stated that together with 360,000 doses of the Pfizer vaccine, the Authorities could have 470,000 doses by the tip of March.
Mr Donnelly stated all nursing house residents and healthcare staff will probably be vaccinated by the tip of subsequent month.
The minister defended the Authorities’s choice to permit Leaving Cert college students to proceed to attend faculty three days every week.
A locked gate at a main faculty on the north aspect of Dublin (Brian Lawless/PA)
PA
Mr Donnelly stated the “unambiguous” recommendation from the chief medical officer is that colleges are secure.
“What is just not secure is about 1.1 million folks travelling to and from faculty,” Mr Donnelly added.
“The clear recommendation from the CMO is for these college students going to high school, it’s secure. We’re minimising the quantity of journey.”
He stated it was the “absolute intention” of Minister for Schooling Norma Foley to proceed with the Leaving Cert in its common manner.
“We try to keep away from mass motion twice a day coming to and from colleges,” he added.
PA
