Time for system-level responses to a changed world

Even in the best-case scenario of an efficient national rollout of the vaccine booster programme with high uptake, the effects on case numbers and hospital admissions will not be seen until early 2022

In the current phase of the pandemic, Government policy has been too reliant on vaccination combined with a focus on personal responsibility. File picture: Gareth Chaney

Europe is again at the epicentre of the Covid-19 pandemic, with the World Health Organization projecting up to 500,000 additional deaths by early 2022. 

In Ireland, cases of Covid-19 have increased sharply over the past two weeks and are currently among the highest in Europe despite our very high vaccine uptake rates.