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EACH WEEK WE’VE been taking a look at Ireland’s Covid-19 situation by examining and comparing data from previous weeks.
With just over one month until the Government’s target date of giving 80% of adults in Ireland at least a first dose, let’s take a look at our progress.
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The HSE provides granular detail on the progress of the rollout, allowing it to be tracked in a reasonably precise way.
However, while the crippling cyberattack on the health service’s computer systems didn’t impact the vaccine rollout, it has impacted the publication of data relating to it.
This means we can’t offer the usual estimate we give in this piece every week – of when Ireland might hit the crucial target of 80% of the eligible population being administered a first dose.
But from the data that is available, it’s clear that we’re still on track.
HSE chief executive Paul Reid told a HSE press briefing this week that more than 1.6 million first doses had been administered as of Wednesday.
This would put Ireland pretty much exactly on the trajectory we predicted last week, as this equals just shy of 41% of the eligible population with a first dose.
He said 563,000 people are fully vaccinated, which equals 14.4% of the population.
But these are not the full figures; as many as 40,000 doses administered by GPs are yet to be validated and included in the total number.
This means the pace of vaccination has increased yet again, with as many as 290,000 doses being administered in just one week. The record for doses administered in one day was broken as well, Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly told RTÉ’s Morning Ireland.
If there are no further supply problems or safety concerns, Ireland is still firmly on track to hit that 80% target in early July.
The potential stumbling block here is Johnson & Johnson deliveries. Reid said there is currently a lack of clarity of when doses will arrive in June, and in what numbers.
Just 60,000 have been delivered so far.
The Department of Health was unable to provide delivery figures for the past week.
The registration portal opened this week for those aged 45 to 49 (people aged 46 to 49 can register now, with registration opening for those aged 45 tomorrow). It was inaccessible for a time on Thursday but is now back online.
Meanwhile, the National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET) this week confirmed a total of 1,690 new Covid-19 cases between Monday and Thursday – compared to 1,664 new cases reported over the same period last week and 1,647 the previous week.
However, validation of these cases may change due to the HSE attack.
There were 107 patients being treated for Covid-19 in hospital, 38 of whom are in ICU, as of Friday.
The figures from the department did not contain any information about recorded deaths connected to Covid-19.
Data relating to the number of Covid-19 deaths, as well as case numbers by county, have been affected by last week’s cyber attack on Ireland’s health service.Chief Medical Officer Dr Tony Holohan said that the National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET) is continuing to monitor variants of concern.
“NPHET is closely monitoring variants of concern, and are concerned about possible higher transmissibility of the so called Indian variant and its spread in other countries as well as early reports of its impact on vaccine effectiveness,” said Holohan.
“The public are keeping the disease under control and the HSE is increasing the number of people vaccinated every day. But the variant may nevertheless pose a risk to the progress we have made.
“NPHET will keep a close eye on this as we move towards the end of May and consider the advice we need to provide to Government on any further easing of restrictions.”
There have been a total of 72 cases of the so-called Indian variant identified so far, and it is a concern.
Dr Tony Holohan described the situation like this:
“In broad terms, so you could characterise it as the skies are, for the most part, blue but there is a black cloud on the horizon which is the Indian variant. We are genuinely concerned about the reports we’re seeing, the credibility we attached to them, around the increased transmissibility associated with that particular variant.”
Despite all this, Chair of the Irish Epidemiological Modelling Advisory Group, Professor Philip Nolan says that indicators of the disease are stable.
“Despite recent challenges to the Health Service’s IT systems, we continue to monitor key indicators of the disease in Ireland. The number of people hospitalised and in ICU are stable, the daily incidence is stable and the amount of people protected through vaccination continues to grow.”
With systems down due to the recent ransomware attack, the HPSC are reporting daily cases to the department based on those daily positive lab results. Validation of these results will re-commence once systems are back up and running.
This must be true, it’s written by a senior Fianna Failer and they’re experts on cynical power grabs! They never reformed the Seanad in any way in all the years they were in power yet now they say ‘it needs reform’ because someone’s threatening to abolish it, pretty cynical there really.
Abolish and you create the biggest political power grab since the British occupation of this country.
Dont know why your red thumbing Alan . That is factually correct . The irish president also loses any power to oppose implimenting laws from the EU only the Dail will now be required to pass them
Abolish and you get rid of a talking shop with no power or teeth. Good riddance.
Whats cynical is that political parties are using the referendum as a political point scoring exercise and a leader who is more interested in photo bombing than debating . And lets not forget his lies in the dail last week €20 million to be saved !
How can you grab power from an institution that never had it I’m the first place…?
It’s not all about you, O’Reilly.
From that response you obviously haven’t a clue on whats at stake. I suggest reilly who trot back to bed wake up a read up on this important referendum. Or fall in line with the rest of the ill informed FG group.
Not a clue? Like those asking that this ludicrous joke be kept?!
Way to ignore all those calling for reform there enola. :D
I hear the bell a ringin’,
It’s coming to an end,
And I ain’t been this happy since,
I don’t know when.
It’s the end of Seanad Eireann,
Crumble and down she’ll fall,
But that bell will keep a tollin’,
Till they reform the Dáil.
AlanH, what are the Seanad currently gate-keeping that renders its abolition a significant cause of concern?
Agree. Vote NO in the forthcoming referendum to stave off political vandalism. If the Seanad is perceived to be ineffective who do we think might be responsible for that? No less a person than our esteemed Taoiseach stated in a radio interview a week or so ago that the “Seanad had been hijacked by the Dail”. There you have it. Clear as crystal – The Seanad has been hijacked by the Dail. If its broken fix it.
Regardless buddy I have a medical kit in my press. I have not opened it at all in the two years ive had it , so far it has served me no purpose at all and it taking up space in the press. But maybe im just mad thinking its best to have something and not need it than need something and not have it
Speaking of power my only piece of power hasn’t arrived in the letter box yet, my voting card!!!
You don’t need your voting card. Just bring ID to your usual polling station.
Cool man thanks for the heads up
No problem Marc
Cynical in that the money being saved is already ear marked for a new court of appeal
That’s also a bad idea, Shay.
the Seanad is a joke , given the EU and European courts etc there is much more oversight then could be imagined when it was setup originally. Everything about this issue is token though , why don’t we get asked about serious issues???? I want a referendum that a future treacherous government wont have the power to bailout private banks and be more concerned about the interest of foreign hedge funds over its own citizens.
It’s a bit rich for Fianna Fail to lecture us on power grabs. Just two Fianna Fail politicians, Brian Cowen and Brian Lenihan, decided on the blanket bank guarantee in September 2008. The rest of the cabinet wasn’t even consulted, never mind Dail Eireann, never mind the Senate.
Paul the Cabinet were in different locations on the night of Sept 30th 08….they had a conference call meeting and all who couldn’t be contacted were consulted for their voted…it is illegal to make government decision without the consent of the cabinet…this government arguably are behaving unconstitutionally by virtually running the country through the 4 man EMC ( economy management council ) made up of Msrs Howlin , Noonan Kenny and Gilmore…
What was Niall Collins saying when Fianna Fáil was preventing by-elections to the Dáil in order to preserve its artificial majority? The fundamental protection of citizens is through the right to vote. A right that was denied them too long by Fianna Fáil who know what a real power grab looks like. Where were you then, Niall?
It looks like FG are trying to do all that is necessary to reduce the possibility of FF or anybody standing on FG’s heads again..FG don’t give a toss about the Seanad or anybody else…This is an exercise in self-preservation.
Now theres a surprise a politician asking us not to shut down there handy part time number that they can rely on even if the ordinary citizens dont elect them.
No medical cards for children with special needs but theres unlimited funds for the political elite !
Whats your point MK..??
I’m loath to agree with Fianna Fáil on much these days, but, they’re right to oppose this referendum. It’s bad – very bad – for our democracy. See the reasons why I’ll be voting no here: http://wp.me/pJEMW-cQ
Finna fukoff…
How did FF deny people their voting rights Colin..??
Wouldnt listen to a word out of a FF polititian, and the way things have transpired over the past few years i wont be listening to any FG or LAB clowns either
The only way forward is reform of the senad. It’s a crèche for failed politicians and appointments. Elect them like in the Dail but ban all teachers from applying.
have your say