Taoiseach ‘hopeful’ as boosters to be offered to all

People queue at the Covid-19 walk-in booster vaccination centre at Cork's City Hall. Picture: Dan Linehan

The Taoiseach says there is reason for hope despite the country being in the fourth wave of Covid infections, as he confirmed half the adult population have received their booster jab.

The Department of Health last night announced that all vaccinated age groups will be eligible to receive a booster by January 10, in parallel with all children aged 5-11 being offered their first dose.

Furthermore, it said that from next Wednesday, boosters will be available to 30- to 39-year-olds and anyone aged 16-29 who previously received Janssen jabs.

A number of studies have now confirmed that while Omicron is highly transmissible, it is significantly less likely to result in hospitalisation than previous Covid-19 variants.

Nphet last night reported another surge in cases with 7,411 positive tests confirmed. However, the number of people in hospital totalled 390, the lowest level since October 11, and the number in intensive care units (ICUs) was 98, the lowest since November 12.

Research from Imperial College London has found people with PCR-confirmed Omicron are 15-20% less likely to need admission to hospital, and 40-45% less likely to require a stay of one night or more.

Separately, scientists in a Scotland-wide study said that Omicron is associated with a two-thirds reduction in the risk of hospital admission compared with Delta.

HSE CEO Paul Reid said that many are still presenting for vaccine doses. Picture: Leah Farrell / Photocall Ireland

Nonetheless, HSE chief executive Paul Reid said that even if Omicron is confirmed as being milder than Delta, huge numbers of infections of the new variant will still result in "severe strain" for the hospital system.

He again stressed the importance of vaccination and highlighted that 54% of patients in ICU beds here are unvaccinated — a significantly disproportionate rate, given only 6% of the overall population is unvaccinated.

Mr Reid said between 17,000 and 20,000 people are still presenting for first or second doses each week.

In reporting last night's Covid-19 figures, Dr Tony Holohan said the high number was "not" unexpected, given that the highly transmissible Omicron variant now accounts for three quarters of all cases. 

We expect to see a rapid increase in case figures over the coming short period of time," he said.

In an interview with the Irish Examiner, Taoiseach Micheál Martin warned the start of 2022 will be very difficult. However, despite his concerns over this new wave and the potential for more new variants, he said the country is in a better place than this time last year.

“Omicron is the danger, but the positives are that Europe is gearing up to give the green light to Pfizer and Moderna to develop a vaccine for Omicron,” he said.

These companies can do that within 100 days. So that tells me that we are developing greater capacity in Europe and in the world to deal with this virus. Antivirals are coming on stream, and medicines will get better.

“I see hope for 2022, notwithstanding the potential for more variants. I just feel our firepower is improving in terms of fighting this virus. That’s why I have more hope for 2022.”

He said the strength of the economic recovery this year, once public health restrictions were eased, bodes well for next year, and that the Government is not expecting “as much scarring on the economy” as was originally thought when the pandemic started.

“Exports are flying; manufacturing, life sciences, and technology companies are doing very well, the domestic economy is up about 3.5% in the last quarter,” he said. "Things are moving well.

“Omicron is what we have to watch — and not undermine the progress in the first quarter of next year.

That will give us capacity to do things in terms of the broader economy, in areas like childcare.

“Economic recovery is crucial to everything.

“The strategy we have taken this year has worked very well. We had the fastest-growing economy in quarter three in Europe. The finances are improving. 

"The taxation is about €5.9bn ahead of profile — and that’s not all corporation tax, it’s income tax and VAT.”