Public should scale back their number of social contacts as Covid-19 cases rise, CMO warns

Chief Medical Officer, Dr Tony Holohan: 'If you experience symptoms isolate immediately and arrange a PCR test. Do not go to school, college or socialise until you receive a negative result.' Leah Farrell / RollingNews.ie

The rapid increase in the Covid-19 incidence rate among all age groups up to the age of 75 is likely down to mid-term break socialising and greater levels of social activity around the country, the Chief Medical Officer (CMO) has said. 

At a public health briefing this evening, Dr Tony Holohan urged the public to scale back their number of social contacts and to be mindful of who they meet in the days after social events, particularly if they have friends or family members who may be immunocompromised or vulnerable to Covid-19.

Dr Holohan was speaking as a further 3,174 cases of the virus were reported by the Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC).

The HPSC also confirmed 56 additional Covid-19-related deaths in the last 7 days, bringing the country's overall Covid death toll to 5,492.

The @hpscireland has today been notified of 3,174* confirmed cases of #COVID19.

As of 8am today, 460 COVID-19 patients are hospitalised, of which 86 are in ICU.

*Daily case numbers may change due to future data validation.

— Department of Health (@roinnslainte) November 3, 2021

As of 8am this morning, there were 460 patients with the virus hospitalised, 86 of which were being treated in intensive care.

Socialisation now 'at highest level since the pandemic began'

Echoing the CMO's remarks, Chair of the NPHET Irish Epidemiological Modelling Advisory Group Professor Philip Nolan said that the level of socialisation among the general population was now "at its greatest level since the pandemic began." 

 Pictured at this evening's briefing are: Professor Philip Nolan, CMO, Dr Tony Holohan, and Professor Martin Cormican, Clinical Lead on Infection Control at the HSE. Picture: Leah Farrell / RollingNews.ie

"While we have high vaccine uptake in our country, it is not the only intervention needed to suppress waves of infection," he said. 

"Infection prevention action in your own daily life will help limit transmission in your own circles, as well as the wider community."

Alluding to the announcement that healthcare workers will begin receiving Covid-19 booster jabs from this weekend, Director of the National Virus Reference Laboratory, Dr Cillian De Gascun said vaccines remained "very effective in protecting against severe disease and hospitalisation." 

"Recent data indicate that vaccine effectiveness in preventing infection and transmission of SARS-CoV-2 may decline over time. 

"As such, even when vaccinated, you should continue to be mindful of your potential to transmit the virus to others, and continue to adhere to the other public health measures,” he said.