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Further Restrictions Recommendations Expected As Clare GPs Braced For Rise In Cases

The Tanaiste says further Covid restrictions are likely to be recommended tomorrow.

It comes as a North Clare GP is predicting the number of covid cases in the community will increase in the next number of days due to spread of the Omicron variant.

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The new Omicron strain now accounts for 14 percent of cases – up from one percent last week, and it’s expected the variant will become dominant by next week.

NPHET’s due to meet tomorrow morning to consider the current Omicron situation.

Tanaiste Leo Varadkar says public health measures and an accelerated booster programme won’t be enough to tackle the new variant, though restrictions on international travel may be eased.

Higher Education Minister Simon Harris has said booster vaccines will be key over the next few weeks.

Clare’s current incidence rate of the virus stands at 1,120.2 per 100,000 people, which is the second lowest in Munster.

1,331 new cases of the disease have been confirmed in this county in the last 14 days.

A North Clare doctor says he and his GP colleagues are bracing themselves for further increases in the number of people presenting with COVID in the coming days and weeks.

It’s after Public Health Midwest warned people here to ‘exercise caution’ and that officials locally are preparing for the worst but hoping for the best.

Lahinch practitioner, Dr. Michael Kelleher, is concerned about younger cohorts contracting the virus.

NPHET is due to meet tomorrow to make recommendations.

It’s then possible a Cabinet meeting will be called on Friday.

But with Taoiseach Micheál Martin in Brussels until early afternoon on Friday, it could be a late night announcement ahead of the weekend.

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