A Clare native infectious disease expert says the Government needs to implement medium to long term solutions to halt the spread of the Omicron variant.
It comes as the Cabinet is considering opening pop-up vaccination centres and extending their opening hours.
The Omicron variant is now estimated to make up 11% of Covid cases in Ireland, a tenfold increase in a week.
In response, length of time between a person’s second dose and a booster jab has been reduced from five months to three after new advice from NIAC.
The group has also recommended a fourth dose of an mRNA vaccine three months after a third for those who’re immunocompromised.
Following the advice, the Health Minister says it’s “all hands on deck” in order to speed up the roll out of the booster campaign.
Minister Stephen Donnelly says they’ll also look at how to support GPs and pharmacists.
However, a Shannon pharmacist is raising concerns about burn-out amongst his colleagues ahead of an accelerated booster roll-out.
Local IPU member Feidhlim Hillery is worried the increased workload will add to the pressure being faced by pharmacists.
Just over 26,500 boosters were administered yesterday.
Professor Sam McConkey says the HSE needs to aim for much more:
One Clare native, who’s an expert in the field of infectious disease, believes Ireland and other countries now need to start planning to live with the virus for a number of years.
Schools in Clare were yesterday set aside 1.75 million euro under the minor works grant, with this money permitted to be used to buy air filtrations for classrooms where schools deem they’re needed.
Sixmilebridge native Professor James McInerney, who’s Professor of Life Sciences at the University of Nottingham, says measures like this need to be implemented across the board.
