16,986 new cases as Covid-related staff absences hit health service, supply chain

More than 6,000 healthcare staff are now understood to be on Covid-19 related leave - a significant increase on the 3,800 or so who were unavailable for work before Christmas. File picture: Denis Scannell

A further 16,986 new Covid-19 cases have been confirmed, as health officials warn high levels of staff absences as a result of the virus may see non-essential work curtailed at hospitals around the country.

As of 8am today, 804 patients with covid-19 were hospitalised – a rise of 87 compared with yesterday's total. 

Of these, 93 were receiving treatment in intensive care, up six.

More than 6,000 healthcare staff are now understood to be on Covid-19-related leave – a significant increase on the 3,800 or so who were unavailable for work before Christmas.

On Sunday, the Health Service Executive (HSE) warned that some Irish hospitals will have to curtail some non-essential work in the coming days due to staff shortages.

The HSE's chief operations officer, Dr Anne O’Connor, and its chief clinical officer, Dr Colm Henry, have both warned that the situation is likely to deteriorate further.

Speaking on RTÉ’s This Week programme, Dr Henry warned the current level of Covid transmission would put the health service under further pressure due to the "sheer force of numbers".

This day last week, 461 people were hospitalised with the virus.

Staff absences putting 'stress' on critical supply chain, Ibec warns

Staff absences as a result of Covid-19 may also cause disruption to Ireland’s critical supply chain, the head of the Irish Business and Employers Confederation (Ibec) has warned.

Speaking this morning, Danny McCoy said the proportions of staff absent from work in the food manufacturing and the retail distribution sectors were 15% to 18%.

“That's of the businesses that are open and that we know about,” he said.

These numbers may increase further in coming days and weeks, given the current 10-day isolation period for those who contract the virus, he said. 

"It looks like for every one positive case you may have up to three close contacts and sometimes they will be asymptomatic with negative antigen tests. 

"That's where a lot of the stress is coming from, particularly in critical supply chain issues,” Mr McCoy told RTÉ Radio’s Morning Ireland.

Danny McCoy of IBEC said other jurisdictions had reduced isolation periods to cope with staff absences and resulting supply chain issues. File Ppicture: Damien Storan/PA Wire

He said supply capacity was now “going down right across the economy” and urged the Government and the health authorities “to act fairly quickly this week to give some guidance".

“The derogations might be very important in particular industries, they just have to be there to make sure that the supply chains are actually working so if they are a close contact with a negative antigen test – given what we're learning about the Omicron virus, there's a lot of people who are close contacts but are healthy and are currently not in the labour force."

Mr McCoy said other jurisdictions had reduced isolation periods to cope with staff absences and resulting supply chain issues. 

“That's one of the frustrations we're getting from employers, we can see this wave coming and the problems that will be there, it's best that it be done on the move,” he said. 

“The rules are not clear on what is acceptable [antigen or PCR] – the other frustration is they cannot ask the vaccination status of their employees.

“We need guidance and we need it in real-time as people start to come back after the Christmas period in manufacturing in particular, which is really crucial to the economy,” he added. 

On the same programme, the vice-president of the Garda Representative Association (GRA), warned that An Garda Síochána was also being impacted by staff shortages. 

"We're back to the old style, fewer people expected to do more so it's an added burden on our members," said Brendan O'Connor.

“It's just a fact that units are stripped down so we have less people parading for duty so there may be the same number of calls coming in and there's just less people to do them."

Mr O'Connor said some officers were now having to travel further distances to deal with matters, with others forgoing time off to address the shortages.

"Just like any workforce, there are just fewer people trying to deliver services, putting more pressure on those still in place providing that service," he added.