1,124 new Covid cases confirmed as health expert expects 'slow steady' case decline

349 people with Covid-19 are in hospital, including 65 in intensive care. Picture: Stephen Collins/Collins Photos

Health officials confirmed 1,124 new cases of Covid-19 have been recorded today.

Some 349 people with Covid-19 are in hospital, including 65 in intensive care.

Both figures are up on Monday's when 333 Covid patients were hospitalised, of which 64 were in ICUs. 

Today’s confirmed cases are up on Monday’s figure of 892, the first time since July that the case total was below 1,000.

It comes as a Nphet member said that concern surrounding the reopening of schools was understandable but Ireland is in "a good place" with Covid-19. 

That's according to Professor Philip Nolan who said the reopening of schools has been done well. 

“There was quite reasonably some anxiety and concern ahead of schools reopening," he said when discussing the current status of the virus in the country ahead of the scheduled removal of all remaining Covid-19 restrictions on October 22. 

“We've done really well with the re-opening of schools," he said. 

Prof Nolan said due to the success of the vaccination rollout the current risks posed by Covid-19 have been reduced and that a long and slow decline of cases is to be expected. 

“We're fortunate with our very high level of vaccination and the sensible manner that everyone has taken with precautions seemed to help in the suppression of transmission of the virus.

"The risks (from Covid) are very reduced because of vaccination, I see this as a long, slow final phase. Right now we’re in a good place," he said. 

The chair of the Nphet Irish Epidemiological Modelling Advisory Group said the current spread of the dominant variant of Covid-the Delta strain-is preventing other variants from entering the country. 

“Delta is prevailing and preventing other variants from getting in and this is good news,” he said.

Researchers found that the reduction in vaccine effectiveness against infection over time is probably due to waning immunity, and not the Delta variant escaping the protection offered by the jab.

Prof Nolan said that more cases "for many months to come" but if handled correctly, "we can go about things that are important to us" as a result of the reduced risks provided by the high levels of vaccination. 

Prof Nolan's comments follow a health expert's assertion that healthy people under the age of 60 do not need a booster vaccine shot immediately. 

Immunologist Professor Luke O’Neill said the situation could change in the next six months but healthy people under the age of 60 should not need a booster jab. 

Responding to a report in the Lancet medical journal following a study of 3.4 million people which showed the vaccine’s effectiveness in preventing hospitalisation and death remained high at 90% for at least six months. 

However, it drops to 47% after that.

Looking at specific variants, researchers found that the reduction in vaccine effectiveness against infection over time are probably due to waning immunity, and not the Delta variant escaping the protection offered by the jab.

The researchers say the new US study highlights the importance of improving vaccination rates worldwide and monitoring vaccine effectiveness to determine who should be prioritised for a booster dose.

Speaking on RTÉ radio's Today with Claire Byrne show, Prof O’Neill said that the main takeaway from the study was that the vaccine was “holding firmly” against Delta.

The data suggested the drop was due to waning efficacy rather than more contagious variants.

There was still protection against hospitalisation, said Prof O’Neill and that "the vaccine is holding firmly against Delta is the message”.  

The European Medicines Agency (EMA) yesterday said cleared the way for Pfizer booster shots to be given to people over the age of 18 with healthy immune systems. 

It concluded that booster doses “may be considered at least six months after the second dose for people aged 18 years and older”.

Prof O'Neill added that if you're healthy and under 60 you don't need a booster however this could change in the future.  

“But that may change when it gets to nine months out or 12 months then that might be slightly different, that's why the EMA (European Medicines Agency) have said just in case, anybody over 18 might be given a booster - each Government is given the job itself to decide what to do with the EMA guideline.” 

However, if there was evidence of increased risk in six months time “then you may start giving a booster - it may well become a three-shot vaccine, finally. The Hep C vaccine is three shots, some vaccines are three shots, it may turn out that we need three shots to be fully protected.” 

Speaking about the potential future of the virus, Prof O'Neil said the Delta variant may be the last disruption to prolong the pandemic. 

He said there was some evidence that the Delta variant of the virus “may be as bad as it's going to get. There's some hope Delta may be the last throw of the dice for the virus”.

The campaign to deliver a third dose of the Covid-19 vaccine to medically vulnerable groups will begin this week, HSE chief executive Paul Reid has said.

Appointments are likely to be made from Wednesday, with the third dose administered to those who are immunocompromised and over the age of 12 on Friday.

Mr Reid said contact would be made with those who are deemed at highest risk, adding that risk would be determined by clinical teams, focusing on the most vulnerable groups.