It’s the message nobody wants to hear.

But Chief Medical Officer Dr Tony Holohan is asking the public to consider cancelling their Christmas visits to family members aged over 65 if they have been out socialising over the past week.

Dr Holohan revealed that on December 11th, the seven-day coronavirus incidence rate for people aged 19-44 was 106 per 100,000 population. By yesterday this rate had more than doubled to 217 per 100,000.

Last night the HPSC was notified of 764 new confirmed cases of coronavirus and four further deaths from the disease. Of the new cases, 44 were in Cork, with 284 in Dublin, 70 in Limerick, 52 in Donegal, 37 in Wexford and the remaining 277 cases are spread across another 20 counties.

“Every indicator of disease severity is moving in the wrong direction, more rapidly than we had anticipated. We have particularly strong concerns about the prospect of inter-generational mixing around the festive season,” said Dr Holohan.

“If these younger people come into contact with their loved ones over the age of 65, we could see a spike in infections in this more vulnerable group. This would lead to very a serious pattern of disease, hospitalisations, ICU admissions and unnecessary deaths.

Is it responsible to meet with your family over 65?

“If you have been socialising in the past few weeks or over this weekend, consider your Christmas plans carefully.” Dr Holohan advised,

“Is it responsible to meet with your family over 65 later this week, if you have not kept your contacts low? Should you cancel your plans?”

Dr Holohan said the only way to protect loved ones until a vaccine arrives is “by keeping your distance from them if you have not restricted your movements to this point.

“As difficult as it may seem, staying away from older family this Christmas will protect them – and it would be an exceptional sacrifice made for the common good,” said Dr Holohan.