Covid-19: One death and 215 cases confirmed

Chief Medical Officer, Dr Tony Holohan, said it is important that people continue to avoid crowded places, physically distance and wear face coverings.

There has been one additional death related to Covid-19, the Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC) has said.

This brings the death toll in the Republic to 2,097 following the denotification of three deaths.

The HPSC has been notified of 215 cases of the coronavirus.

There is now a total of 74,682 confirmed cases in Ireland. This figure reflects the denotification of one confirmed case.

As of 2pm, there are 210 Covid-19 patients in hospital, of which 31 are in ICU.

There have been eight hospitalisations in the past 24 hours.

The national 14-day incidence rate per 100,000 currently stands at 80.2.

Donegal continues to have the highest rate in the country with a 14-day incidence rate per 100,000 of 220.5.

Six other counties currently have a 14-day incidence rate above 100 - Kilkenny (178.4), Louth (158.3), Limerick (138.5), Monaghan (118.9), Wicklow (118) and Carlow (117.7).

Dublin, which had the highest number of cases again today, currently has a 14-day incidence rate of 94.6.

Dublin accounts for 74 cases, followed by 22 in Donegal, 15 in Kilkenny, 14 in Louth and 11 in Limerick.

The remaining 79 cases are spread across 18 other counties.

Of the cases notified today, the average age is 37 and 60% are under 45 years of age.

The Government today approved Nphet's advice on prioritisation of Covid-19 vaccines.

Chief Medical Officer, Dr Tony Holohan, said this is an important step in the development of the vaccine strategy.

"While each of us awaits our opportunity to be vaccinated, it is important that we continue to protect each other in the meantime, particularly over Christmas and in the months ahead," said Dr Holohan.

Continue to follow public health advice; avoid crowded places, physically distance, wear face coverings, wash hands regularly and practice cough/sneeze etiquette.

Minister for Health, Stephen Donnelly, today revealed the priority list for those who will get the vaccine when it arrives in Ireland.

Nursing home residents, frontline healthcare workers and those over 70 will be first in line for the Covid-19 vaccine.

Mr Donnelly said he expects Ireland to have a similar turnaround time to the UK from approval to administering the first jabs.

"First of all, the European Medicines Agency has to OK the vaccine. Remember, the first one they are going to make a decision on is the Pfizer vaccine and they say they are going to do that on December 29 at the latest.

"If they do it on the 29th, we will be rolling out the vaccine within days just like the UK has done."

This morning in the UK, 90-year-old Margaret Keenan from Enniskillen became the first person in the world to get the Pfizer-BionTech vaccination in Coventry in England.

Micheál Martin hailed a “truly historic day” after the first coronavirus vaccine was administered.

The Taoiseach, Sinn Féin president Mary-Lou McDonald and Labour leader Alan Kelly all described a “turning of the tide” in the pandemic.

Mr Martin described the development as a “vindication of science as the ultimate route through dealing with this terrible virus”.