Taoiseach Micheál Martin has urged people who have not got vaccinated already to do so while he also urged anyone due a booster jab to get one. The call comes as Covid-19 numbers reached almost reached 6,000 cases amid growing concern about ability of the hospital system to cope.

Mr Martin said that the Irish people had responded positively to the advice regarding vaccination resulting in a 92 per cent uptake on the vaccine but he called on anyone who was still unvaccinated to get the jab to protect both themselves and their families and friends and others.

“We are very concerned at the high [virus case] numbers but we are in a different position because of how highly vaccinated we are as a country. That does give us a protection against severe illness,” Mr Martin said at the official opening of the refurbished runway at Cork Airport on Saturday.

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“I would urge people who are still not vaccinated to get vaccinated. It prevents severe illness and it prevents admission to ICU. The number of unvaccinated people is disproportionately represented in the hospitals and ICUs,” he added.

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Mr Martin said Ireland achieving a 92 per cent vaccine uptake rate was a reflection of the confidence that people had in the Irish public health system and the advice that the government was receiving from the National Public Health Emergency Team (Nphet) and the National Immunisation Advisory Committee (Niac).

“The fact we’ve had up to 92 per cent uptake on vaccination programme, one of the best in the world, illustrates that people have confidence in our system where you have the National Immunisation Advisory Committee which is free from politics which makes this decision in terms of clinical advice.”

Mr Martin defended the Government’s roll out of the booster jab amid criticism that the Government was slow to respond to international evidence from August that booster jabs would be necessary as he pointed to the fact that booster can only be given five months after the last vaccine dose.

“It’s a different campaign to the previous one because of the five month interval but the booster programme is well in train – long term residents of nursing homes are substantially complete, over 80s substantially complete, significant numbers in the over 70s, so the campaign is going well.

“Over half a million people have already received the booster and it’s progressing well and I’ve been in touch again this morning with the HSE and they are reporting a very good uptake now in the over 70s and a good uptake in the over 60s.

“I would also say to those who get a call to get the booster (jab), take it when you are offered it because it not only restores the immunity that has waned but it gives additional protection,” he added.

International travel

Asked if he had concerns about international travel contributing to Ireland’s growing Covid 19 numbers, Mr Martin said it was important that the Government maintained a balanced approach to dealing with Covid.

“International travel is not the key issue here. I think the key issue is that there has been waning immunity in respect of the existing vaccines – that’s why the booster is so important and will help us as we move forward over the next four to five weeks and more and more people get the booster.”

“There has to be a balanced approach to this and the whole objective is to keep people safe but, given where we are with the overall vaccination programme, to keep society open and people in employment and in their jobs – the important tis that we work together throughout the pandemic.”

Mr Martin was critical of some in the pub and hospitality and entertainment sectors that were ignoring Government guidelines on checking for Covid 19 certificates before admitting people to their premises and he urged them to take such responsibilities seriously.

“Some are not playing by the rules and that’s wrong and I am asking them to think again because they are damaging the entirety of society with their approach and I always think that at times like this, we should always listen to those who have had Covid or those who lost loved ones to Covid,” he said.

“When you hear their stories, they are heartbreaking and they tell about the awfulness of this disease and how damaging this disease – no one should want to get it or be reckless about their behaviour in any setting and one has to take precautions to the best of one’s ability.

“We can prevent this from spreading by changing our behaviour and there is a role for all of us individually and there is a role for all of us collectively and many people are compliant and there are ongoing inspections [of premises] but we have to work together collectively.”