Compliance with public health measures critical to avoiding re-imposition of restrictions, Nphet warns

Dr Tony Holohan said Nphet concluded that the epidemiological situation has deteriorated and is now uncertain and precarious. Picture: Paddy Cummins /Collins Dublin

A re-introduction of tough Covid-19 restrictions may be warranted if the prevalence of the virus continues to increase, Nphet has told Government.

In its latest letter, sent to Health Minister Stephen Donnelly on Monday, Chief Medical Officer Tony Holohan said it is unlikely that vaccination alone, even at the high levels of vaccine coverage that we have now achieved, will bring the effective reproduction number below 1 such that we will achieve suppression of the disease.