4,799 new cases as Ireland braces for Christmas Omicron surge
Ireland is braced for ‘record’ Covid-19 numbers.
And with the Omicron strain of the virus now dominant across the country, a further 4,799 new cases of Covid-19 have been confirmed this evening.
A total 0f 467 Covid-19 patients are in hospital, with 104 of those patients in intensive care (ICU).
“The level of disease and positivity rate amongst young adults has increased sharply in the last week. One in four people in the 16 – 34-year-old age group that are going for a PCR test have received a “detected” result.” said Dr. Tony Holohan, Chief Medical Officer, Department of Health.
“This is one of the highest rates since the beginning of the pandemic.”
“This high level of disease in young people represents a high risk to those they come into contact with who have yet to be vaccinated or receive their booster. Therefore, if you have not yet received your booster you are best to avoid unnecessary contact with people outside your household.”
Speaking on RTÉ’s Morning Ireland, Tánaiste Leo Varadkar admitted that “there will be very high cases numbers” in the coming days, but said that the Government is ‘hoping and expecting’ that they won’t translate to deaths and hospitalisations to the extent of previous waves.
The line for booster vaccinations was moving steadily in Cork today, with the HSE announcing that there was no queue outside City Hall on a number of occasions.
UPDATE – current queueing times
📍City Hall Cork – no queue— HSE Ireland (@HSELive) December 20, 2021
Dr Holohan said he hopes the new restrictions, which came into play this morning, would help slow the spread of the highly transmissible Omicron variant.
With all restaurants and bars, excluding takeaways and delivery services, are now closed at 8pm until January 30th, he urged the public to follow “not just the letter but the spirit” of the guidelines as the country braces for a record number of infections over Christmas and into the New Year.
