Over 70s urged to ‘limit the number of people you meet to a very small core group’

Acting Chief Medical Officer Dr Ronan Glynn said the number in the last seven days “represent a significant escalation in the profile of Covid-19 in Ireland.” File picture.

People over the age of 70 and those who are medically vulnerable have been urged to limit their contacts.

The advice from the National Public Health Emergency Team (Nphet) comes as 613 new cases of Covid-19 were reported yesterday.

224 of those cases are in Dublin, with 58 in Donegal and 46 in Cork.

10 deaths were also reported, with eight occurring prior to September 2020.

Acting Chief Medical Officer Dr Ronan Glynn said the number in the last seven days “represent a significant escalation in the profile of Covid-19 in Ireland.” 

He warned: “For those aged 70+ and those who are medically vulnerable to Covid-19, it is strongly recommended that you should limit the number of people you meet to a very small core group of family members, carers or friends, for short periods of time, while remaining physically distant.

“We need to work together once again to make a significant impact on the number of cases in the community, and ultimately to reduce the number of people getting sick, being admitted to hospital and critical care, while protecting non-Covid healthcare services.

Dr Ronan Glynn. Picture: Colin Keegan, Collins Dublin

“I urge people in every county to follow the public health advice to stop the further spread of Covid-19.” 

However, Professor of Health Systems at DCU, Anthony Staines, has said Dr Glynn's advice to older people isn't going to do enough.

“That’s a very large part of the population,” he said. “I understand his advice and it is sound. But it is not a solution.

“What we’re seeing happening is case rates rose in younger age groups. And has no started rising in older age groups.

“Because there is a leakage of cases from the younger age groups to the older age groups.”

Yesterday, Nphet chair Prof Philip Nolan warned that the country could see more than 1,000 cases a day in October if nothing changes.