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Covid-19 Ireland LIVE updates: HSE Chief warns of ‘continual strain’ with over 1,000 Covid patients in hospital
There are currently 1,063 people in hospital with Covid
- Updated10:09, 10 JAN 2022
There is “continual strain” on the Irish health system as more than 1,000 people are now in hospital with Covid-19.
There are currently 1,063 people in hospital with Covid.
HSE chief executive Paul Reid said that the percentage of hospitalised cases coming through from the total number of positive cases on a daily basis is much lower than previous waves.
He told Morning Ireland that it was good news that the majority entering hospital was “significantly down on what it would be in previous waves”.
But even though Omicron causes a less severe illness, “there is no-one in hospital with a mild illness”.
“One good positive thing – we’re not seeing the same level of patients needing advanced respiratory supports.
He said: “We all want to avoid hospitalisation and the best way to avoid hospitalisation is to avoid getting Covid.”
Meanwhile, a DCU Professor has said that the number of Covid cases in Ireland is ‘likely much higher’ than the official figures announced by the Department of Health.
Even though cases are high, Professor Anthony Staines thanks the vaccination program as he believes the death rate would be higher without it.
He told Newstalk: “The real number of cases is considerably higher and unknown because the testing system is completely flooded.
“And the consequences so far are quite a few people in hospital but remaining within, I don’t know if ‘manageable’ is the right word, but ‘not overwhelming the system’.
“There’s a number of people in intensive care and the number of people dying has risen but to levels which – while they’re still concerning – are not what they would have been without vaccination.”
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Children registered to get Covid jab
HSE Chief, Paul Reid said: “As of yesterday evening 83,000 registered, thankfully there’s 27,000 5-11 year olds vaccinated now.
“We administered over 10,000 to the high risk category. In terms of take-up, it’s in line with what we experienced with 12-15 year old kids.
“It’s steady but slower than the adults age groups to take up, but the 12-15 year old is well into the 70 percent of take-up.
Majority of people who died from Covid-19 were unvaccinated
The Chairperson of the GP sub-committee of the Irish Medical Organisation Denis McAuley said that many people who have died from Covid-19 were unvaccinated.
He told Newstalk: “The vaccine campaign has got us where we are now, in that I think it is ameliorating the amount of disease we’re seeing.
“I think that is unfortunately so starkly shown in that quite a lot of the people who are dying from Omicron are sadly not vaccinated.”
Dr McAuley also said that even though Omicron is milder than Delta, it is impossible to say how deadly the next variant will be.
He said: “We don’t know when the next variant is coming.
“That could be a variant that is very much a Delta orientated variant, so I think getting a booster vaccine is really a good idea.”
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