Covid variant Eris no significant threat to health, say experts

While more transmissible than the Omicron variant, Eris has not been causing more severe disease in those infected.

The latest covid-19 variant does not pose a serious threat to most people and our health system will be able to cope, the country's leading virology experts have said, as they encouraged people to continue socialising.

A new covid variant, known as EG.5 and nicknamed Eris, has been identified in Ireland and globally.