8,815 new Covid cases as Nphet to discuss lifting mask requirement in schools

Nphet will meet on Thursday to consider lifting the requirement to wear facemasks in schools. Picture: Larry Cummins

A total of 8,815 new Covid cases have been confirmed by the Department of Health today.

There were 4,160 PCR-confirmed cases while 4,655 people registered a positive antigen test result through the HSE portal yesterday.

As of 8am this morning, there are 635 Covid patients in hospitals around the country. Of which, 63 are in intensive care.

The National Public Health Emergency Team (Nphet) will meet on Thursday to consider lifting the requirement to wear facemasks in schools.

Ministers believe the move could happen as early as next week if given the go-ahead by health officials.

Labour's Education Spokesperson Aodhán Ó Ríordáin says schools are being treated very differently.

"The sense from wider society is that things have moved on. You can go to a pub, you can go to a restaurant and Covid is almost over," he said.

"Yet, if you go into a school it is very much dominated by Covid. It's very different in a primary school to where it was even this time last year because children from third class up are wearing masks whereas this time last year, they weren't."