Less than 5 new cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed in Clare this evening, with 411 confirmed nationally.
The exact number of cases is now specified by NPHET.
Clare’s five day moving average of new cases is now 6, while our fourteen-day incidence rate per 100,000 of 60.6 is the seventh lowest in the country.
The Health Protection Surveillance Centre has today been notified of 6 additional deaths related to COVID-19.
All reported deaths occurred in March.
Dr Ronan Glynn, Deputy Chief Medical Officer, Department of Health, said; “Together with all of the basic public health measures with which we are all now so familiar, vaccination will significantly reduce risk of COVID-19 over the next relatively short period of time. It will radically reduce mortality when those over 70 are fully vaccinated but will initially have a smaller effect on hospitalisation and critical care until the wider adult population, especially vulnerable adults and those aged 50-69 years, are protected by vaccination.
“There is a critical window over the next 8 weeks where any significant increase in close contact is likely to lead to a significant fourth wave of infection in the range of that experienced in January 2021.
“We can and should be optimistic for an enjoyable summer ahead but, in the meantime, we have to continue to work together to prevent a further wave of infection as we accelerate vaccination across society and maintain our health services.”
Professor Philip Nolan, Chair of the NPHET Irish Epidemiological Modelling Advisory Group, said; “The Reproduction number is currently estimated at 1.0 – 1.3. If the epidemic is growing again now, the doubling time is estimated at 35 days or longer.
“When comparing the risks of levels of social mixing now and over the coming months with that which applied in 2020, we need to take into account the B.1.1.7 variant and how easily that transmits, and we must also take account the vaccination-induced immunity that will progressively protect us and make it more difficult for the virus to transmit.
“Vaccination will contribute greatly to the easing of measures in the coming months, however now we need keep transmission as low as possible so that vaccination of the population can take place and have the desired effect.”
