There have been a further 5,590 confirmed cases of COVID-19 reported by the Department of Health today.
As of this morning there were 505 people in the country hospitalised with the virus, of whom 117 have been admitted to the ICU.
Chief Medical Officer Dr Tony Holohan said “The current high incidence of COVID-19 that Ireland is experiencing is driven by the Delta variant, which, coupled with the presence of the Omicron variant, means that the trajectory of the disease remains uncertain.”
“Booster vaccinations have been shown to produce very strong antibody responses and are likely to provide protection against severe disease, hospitalisation and death from most variants”.
This is true of both the Delta and Omicron variants “at least in the short term” Dr Holohan said.
“In the over 75 age group, where people have been taking up the offer of a third dose of a COVID-19 vaccine in high numbers, we are seeing significant reductions in the incidence of disease.”
The CMO urged people not to wait until after Christmas to get their booster vaccine, as the benefits “far outweigh” any potential risks in the meantime.
“You will begin to receive the benefit of your booster protecting with seven days of receiving your third dose.”
“This means that anybody who received their vaccine this week can be confident in the protection the booster will offer them as we move closer to the Christmas period.”
“As such, is it vital that all of us prioritise our booster appointments as soon as we receive them or make the time to attend a walk-in vaccination clinic if that option is available.”
The COVID-19 data hub provides information on the key indicators of the disease in the community, including the status of the vaccine campaign
