Covid-19 infection rates among healthcare workers down 68% in two weeks

Deputy Chief Medical Officer Dr Ronan Glynn said that while vaccinations will, over the next few months, become Ireland’s biggest weapon against the virus, for now the restrictions are the best protection. Picture: Tom Honan/PA Wire

Level 5 restrictions have helped to cut Covid-19 infection rates among healthcare workers to a fraction of what they were less than two weeks ago, the Deputy Chief Medical Officer has said.

Deputy Chief Medical Officer Dr Ronan Glynn said there were just 269 such cases and four new hospital outbreaks last week, down from 839 cases and 15 outbreaks on February 7.

He made his comments as the National Public Health Emergency Team confirmed one further death and 686 new cases of Covid-19 on Monday.

“We continue to see really high levels of compliance amongst the population and this is having a positive impact on the levels of disease in our communities,” Dr Glynn said.

He said that while vaccinations will, over the next few months, become Ireland’s biggest weapon against the virus, for now the restrictions are the best protection.

“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."

The 14-day incidence rate of the virus per 100,000 of population is now at 240, down from 1,291.2 on January 10, at the height of the third wave.

Earlier, HSE chief executive Paul Reid said 100,000 doses of the various vaccines will be delivered this week, and will allow for a major ramping up of the roll-out.

However he admitted on RTÉ radio that he feels a touch of envy watching the high levels of vaccination in the UK, as they reached 17.5m doses given.

“It is challenging. As we head through this quarter and into the next quarter, we will see the EU supplies ramping up,” he said.

The Government data hub shows 340,704 doses given here up to last Friday, including 126,320 people now fully vaccinated and protected against the severe effects of Covid-19. In long-term residential care settings including nursing homes, 52,687 people have been fully vaccinated.

Mr Reid said the programme for the over-85s is on target, with 13,500 vaccinated up to Sunday, a figure which will appear in the Government’s figures later in the week.

He attended a GP-led vaccination clinic at Dublin City University for this age-group at the weekend, and described it as a "joyous, electric occasion". Overall, he estimated 80,000 doses given in the last week, close to double the week before.

The bulk of Ireland’s vaccination programme will kick-off in April, when supplies are now expected to reach 250,000 weekly, but until then the roll-out is limited by supply.

The February delivery will hit 470,000 doses by the end of the month, and Ireland will receive 620,000 doses in March, with a further 200,000 now arriving on March 31.

Speaking later to Newstalk Breakfast, Mr Reid said there were 928 people in hospital on Monday, which is still higher than the peak in April. There were 158 people in ICU.

“We are still at significantly high levels, there is nothing normal about those levels,” he said.

Mr Reid said doctors are reporting people are staying longer in ICU than was typical last year, which he agreed could be due to the B117 variant identified in the UK. However, he said this was not yet proven.