Covid-19: Compliance having 'positive impact' as one death and 686 new cases confirmed

Level 5 measures will be extended until at least April and likely longer.

High levels of compliance amongst the public are having a positive impact on the levels of the virus in our communities, the Deputy CMO has said.

This evening, one additional Covid-related death has been confirmed by the Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC), bringing the death toll in the Republic to 4,137.

There have also been 686 cases of the coronavirus confirmed, according to the HPSC.

Dr Ronan Glynn welcomed the "positive impact" that efforts to suppress Covid-19 is having on our hospitals.

Dr Glynn said there were 269 cases in healthcare workers and four outbreaks in hospitals last week - a "very significant reduction" compared to the week to February 7 when there were 839 cases and 15 outbreaks.

As of 8am, there are 726 Covid-19 patients in hospitals across the country with 156 of these in ICU. There have been 33 additional hospitalisations in the past 24 hours.

Of today's cases, the largest number are located in the capital with Dublin accounting for 278 cases.

There are 49 cases located in Limerick, 37 in Kildare, 32 in Louth and 31 in Donegal. The remaining 259 cases are spread across all remaining counties.

The five-day moving average of new cases stands at 803 and the 14-day incidence rate per 100,000 is 240.

Dr Glynn reminded people to continue to rely on the "tried and trusted tools" of keeping our distance, washing our hands, wearing face masks and staying home as much as possible.

"In time, vaccination will be our most powerful tool against Covid-19 and over the coming weeks those who are highest risk in our families and communities will get vaccinated," he said.

"Our collective efforts move us closer to the continued re-opening of our schools and the resumption of non-Covid healthcare services."

Living with Covid plan

Today's figures come as the cabinet sub-committee on Covid-19 is meeting to sign off on the revised plan for the re-opening of the country.

Senior ministers will also agree a timeline for the phased re-opening of schools from March 1.

The broad brush-strokes of the revised plan have been clear for the last week.

March will see very little re-opening with the exception of schools on a phased basis, with some students coming back as early as March 1 and some not until closer to the middle of April.

Construction is unlikely to fully re-open next month but may be revisited towards the end of March.

Level 5 measures will be extended until at least April and likely longer.

What the Government really needs to achieve with the plan is an element of certainty for people - something that the situation makes difficult to provide.

An update on the vaccination timeline is expected, though this likely won't include specific dates for when sectors can re-open, the hope is to give some certainty around what certain vaccination levels will mean for the wider opening of the country.

With ministers set to extend the Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP) and Wage Subsidy Scheme until June, the only thing that is clear is we are a while away from that yet.

'Ray of hope' as over 100,000 expected to get vaccine dose this week

The head of the HSE says a ray of hope is emerging as Covid-19 vaccines ramp up.

As of February 19, 340,704 vaccine doses have been administered in Ireland - 214,384 first doses and 126,320 second doses.

Over 100,000 people are expected to receive a jab this week.

So far, Ireland has been vaccinating around 40,000 people a week but that is to increase in the coming days.

Almost 110,000 people are expected to receive a jab this week.

Of those, around 12,000 are in nursing homes, 62,000 are frontline health care workers and 36,000 are over the age of 85.

Head of the HSE, Paul Reid, says the numbers will increase even further in the coming weeks.

"Once we get the supply, we will deliver and we have proven that. We are at 95% levels on any given week. Anything we are getting in is administered," said Mr Reid.

"We are mobilising well - centres, GPs, training up our vaccinators. Really what will be a big factor is supply."

Mr Reid said it was projected that 1.24 million people would be vaccinated in Quarter One and this would be scaled up in Quarter Two to 3.8 million if the quantities that have been ordered arrive into the country on time.

People with underlying conditions may get vaccine earlier than planned 

Senior ministers will consider changes to the vaccine priority list at Cabinet tomorrow.

The Government is finalising changes to the list, which could see thousands of people with underlying conditions, getting vaccinated sooner than originally planned.

It is unclear if the country's 500,000 family carers will be moved up the list.

Sasha Delaney who has Cystic Fibrosis says receiving the vaccine would be a massive relief.

"It would certainly take a lot of the stress off basic situations," said Ms Delaney.

"It would just mean that I wouldn't be constantly worried after seeing anybody or when my parents come to deliver medications and stuff to the house. They stay outside but still you have that little bit of concern that something might creep up on you.

"It would absolutely make all the difference to that stress level."

473,000 people receiving PUP 

The total cost of the Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP) to date has topped €6 billion.

There is a slight decrease this week in the numbers in receipt of the payment, they are down by just over 4,200.

In total, more than 473,000 people will get the PUP this week at a cost of €142 million.

€12.49m is being paid in arrears to 38,600 people this week.

Sinn Féin TD Louise O'Reilly says this time people also need clarity about when businesses can reasonably expect to open.

"I think indicative timeframes have to be given. I know that tying down to dates is very problematic but hopefully we will hear from the Government today - not via a leak but a proper announcement - what the roadmap is going to be like and what the indicative timeframes are like.

"Not necessarily dates but I think people can have a reasonable sight of what the next couple of months are going to look like."

Four deaths and 187 Covid deaths in NI 

There have been a further four Covid-19 related deaths in the North.

The Department of Health reported 187 people have tested positive for the virus in the last 24 hours.

There are 386 patients being treated in hospitals for the disease in Northern Ireland, with 51 in ICU.

It was announced today that the SSE Arena in Belfast will be used as a vaccination centre.

It will open in April as a facility for those 60 and under, not already vaccinated through the health trust or GP programmes.