Health experts have warned that the peak of this wave of Covid-19 is expected next week. Christine Loscher, Professor of Immunology in DCU, said there are two-to-three times more positive cases than are being reported via PCR and anitgen tests.
She said the pattern is that subvariants have arisen every three months. She said Ireland will move on from BA.4 and BA.5 variants, but it is unknown if the next variant will be mild or not.
Prof Loscher added that there are a lot of unknowns but a decision on the vaccine strategy is a priority. The number of people with Covid-19 in ICU today stands at 36, down one from yesterday.
The total number of people in hospital with Covid-19 has reduced to 903 people today, down three from 906 yesterday. Clare GP Dr Yvonne Williams said people need to act as if it is the early days of the pandemic and assume when they go to crowded spaces that someone there may have Covid-19 without knowing.