LAST UPDATE | 14 Dec 2021

PUBLIC HEALTH OFFICIALS have confirmed 3,887 new cases of Covid-19 in Ireland.

As of 8am today, 493 people were in hospital with the virus, and 109 are in intensive care.

Health Minister Stephen Donnelly also announced today that the gap between a second vaccine and getting a booster will be reduced to three months, down from the previously recommended five and a half months. 

Yesterday, 4,688 new cases were confirmed, a total of 518 Covid-19 patients were in hospital and 108 people were in ICU.

“Results today suggest that approximately 14% of our cases are due to the Omicron variant,” Chief Medical Officer Dr Tony Holohan said in a statement this evening. 

“In line with the experience of many other countries, we can expect this proportion to rise rapidly over the coming days,” he said. 

The CMO said “the goal now is to limit the spread of Covid-19 through our tried and tested preventive measures”.

“These measures can protect us and our families and will allow time for the booster vaccination programme to take effect,” Dr Holohan said. 

“This means that as we move closer to Christmas, we must try to reduce the number of people we meet, avoid crowds and work from home unless it is essential to attend in person.

“I encourage anyone eligible for a booster vaccination to take that opportunity. Boosters are proven to be effective in restoring protection against all variants of Covid-19.”

With reporting by Hayley Halpin