As 200 people with Covid-19 received treatment in intensive care units around the country today, at least another 200 others were getting high levels of respiratory support outside ICUs.
A consultant respiratory physician at one of Dublin's largest hospitals said that around 80% of people who come to hospital with Covid are there because of breathing problems - and that a "sizeable minority" of them will need some form of "advanced respiratory support".
Dr Brian Kent from St James's Hospital said that while some patients will need to go straight to intensive care and be ventilated, there are others for whom that type of treatment is not appropriate and who could benefit from other methods. "Some of these people, it would be inappropriate