'We are in the middle of a Covid wave': HSE warns about hospital pressure
Dr Colm Henry said: “This is a virus for all seasons.” Photo: Leah Farrell/Photocall Ireland
The HSE’s chief clinical officer has acknowledged that the country is in the middle of another wave of Covid-19 driven by the BA4 and BA5 subvariants which has led some hospitals to impose visitor restrictions.
The sub-variants now account for 90% of cases and the previous protection from re-infection has gone, Dr Colm Henry told RTÉ radio’s News at One.
Previously, people who had contracted the virus had a natural immunity from re-infection, but that protection is undermined when it comes to the new sub-variants, he warned. The virus was no longer seasonal.
“This is a virus for all seasons”, he said.
Dr Henry said vaccinations had offered long-term protection against serious illness, hospitalisation and death, but stressed that hospitals are now under "considerable pressure".
Two hospitals – Kerry and Beaumont - have introduced visitor restrictions. If Ireland followed the same pattern as Portugal then the wave would be six weeks after which it would plateau, he said.
Earlier, it was reported that the government is to focus on the vaccine booster campaign.
It emerged this week that laws allowing for the re-introduction of mandatory mask-wearing in designated settings are to be drafted as a precautionary measure.
The move, outlined at Cabinet on Tuesday, is understood to be a preparatory step in case such a public health measure is required in the event of the Covid-19 situation worsening this winter.
When asked on RTÉ Radio on Wednesday about whether the mandatory wearing of face coverings would be brought in during the current Covid-19 wave, Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe said: "The Government will consider at what right point that legislation could be merited.
"We will look at whether that measure is needed later on in the year."
He said that face masks have contributed to the national effort to contain Covid-19, but appealed to people to get a booster vaccine if they had not already.
"As we speak at the moment, I think 46% of the population have now received a second booster, so that means there's over half who still haven't.
"So in particular, for those in their late 60s, for those who are immunocompromised, our message is please avail of the booster, because that is the greatest line of defence to the disease and getting very sick, impacting on your health and that of those who are near you.
"And that is where we will focus for the time ahead."
