Health

Coronavirus: 1,110 cases reported in State, with 21 people in ICU

People aged 18 and over can register for mRNA vaccine from tomorrow – Donnelly

Deputy chief medical officer Dr Ronan Glynn. Photograph: Gareth Chaney/Collins

Gerry Moriarty
Vivienne Clarke
Tue Jul 20 2021 - 18:39

A further 1,110 cases of Covid-19 have been reported in the State by the Department of Health.

There are now 21 people receiving treatment for Covid-19 in intensive care with a further 89 in hospital, according to figures issued on Tuesday evening.

Almost 7,700 cases have been detected in the last seven days, an increase of 88 per cent on the previous week.

The department said incidence rates have increased in every county over the past seven days.

READ MORE

The counties with the highest 14-day incidence rates are Donegal (725/100,000 population), Louth (474/100,000 population), Dublin (307/100,000 population), Limerick (258/100,000) and Galway (257/100,000).

As the latest figures were released, deputy chief medical officer Dr Ronan Glynn said: “During this spell of fine weather, we know that the vast majority of people are continuing to protect themselves and others by following the public health advice. This remains really important as we seek to protect as many people as possible through vaccination over the coming weeks.

“As we have said since the vaccine programme began, Covid-19 vaccines are extraordinarily effective at reducing each person’s individual risk of hospitalisation or severe disease. Vaccines along with the core public health advice remain our pathway out of this pandemic - please avail of the opportunity to get protected through vaccination when it is offered to you.”

People aged 18 and over can now register for an mRNA vaccine (Pfizer / Moderna) from tomorrow, Minister of Health Stephen Donnelly has tweeted.

Earlier on Tuesday, the secretary general of the Irish Pharmacy Union, Darragh O'Loughlin, called on the Health Service Executive (HSE) to supply the Pfizer vaccine to pharmacies participating in the vaccination programme.

Mr O’Loughlin told Newstalk Breakfast that pharmacies had received all the available supplies of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine with the next delivery (of 300,000 doses) scheduled for late August.

In the past two weeks over 100,000 people aged 18-34 have received the Johnson & Johnson vaccine in almost 800 appointed pharmacies around the country, this showed the enthusiasm of Irish young people and was “extraordinary” and “very encouraging”, he said.

That “dip in supply” would mean a drop in vaccinations in pharmacies unless the HSE was prepared to send Pfizer vaccines, said Mr O’Loughlin.

Later on RTÉ radio's Morning Ireland, Mr O'Loughlin said that pharmacists were also seeing older people who had not been vaccinated in the vaccination centres now availing of the programme through their local pharmacy.

There had also been an issue of some young people registering with multiple pharmacies in their eagerness to get the vaccine and then when they were called to schedule an appointment they apologised saying they had received it elsewhere. This was understandable, but was frustrating when it came to scheduling.

Northern Ireland

Health chiefs in Northern Ireland expressed concern on Tuesday that not enough people are taking up the opportunity to be vaccinated against coronavirus.

The North’s Minister for Health Robin Swann, chief scientific adviser Prof Ian Young and chief medical officer Sir Michael McBride stressed that the current mass vaccination scheme “cannot continue indefinitely”.

They issued their warning as the North’s Department of Health in its daily afternoon bulletin on Tuesday reported 1,138 new cases of Covid-19 in Northern Ireland with 118 patients being treated in hospital for the virus.

The department of health in Northern Ireland reported one more death taking the North’s coronavirus death toll to 2,164.

There are now six patients receiving Covid-19 treatment in intensive care units in Northern Ireland with overall hospital bed occupancy at 103 per cent.

Currently 82 per cent of adults have received a first jab of the vaccine in Northern Ireland, which compares with 88 per cent in England; 90 per cent in Scotland; and 91 per cent in Wales, up to July 18th. In the 18-29 age group, just 56 per cent had come forward for the vaccine.

“There’s still around 18 per cent of adults who have not come forward for the first dose of their vaccine,” Prof Young told the BBC.

“And that means 18 per cent of people who are just as susceptible to the most severe effects of Covid as they were earlier in the epidemic and at just the same risk of severe illness, long-term illness in the form of long Covid, hospital admission and death.”

Dr McBride said while achieving 82 per cent vaccination from a “standing start” in December was a “huge success” there were still 18 per cent who are still vulnerable to this virus, can still be infected with the virus, can still get sick with the virus, can still get long Covid and can still pass the virus on to others”.

He said: “All they need to do is turn up and walk in to our vaccine centre or turn up at one of our mobile clinics and get the jab and protect ourselves and make sure we can sustain progress on our way out on the other side of this pandemic.”

Dr McBride told the BBC that people should avail of the opportunity to be vaccinated now because next month the health service would start standing down the big vaccination centres.

“It’s going to become more difficult to access the vaccine although we will still be rolling it out to people who change their mind belatedly,” he said.

Mr Swann said that no one should put off getting the jab, thinking the current arrangements will always be there. “Don’t be left behind - don’t miss out,” he said.

“The right time to get your vaccine is right now. A new surge in Covid cases is under way and getting your jab will protect you and others. It will also help our health service cope, by pushing down infection numbers and hospital admissions,” said Mr Swann.

“Getting your jab will never be easier or more accessible than it is right now. All our regional vaccination centres are offering walk-in jabs without the need for appointment. And mobile vaccination teams are visiting local towns to provide walk-in clinics,” he said.

LATEST STORIES