Ireland’s Chief Medical Officer Dr Tony Holohan said Tuesday’s case numbers indicated that about 14% of new infections in the state are now due to the new variant of Omicron.
Meanwhile, the government has asked the health service to provide a revised Covid-19 withdrawal plan that will immediately accelerate the level of vaccination in a few days.
This will mean more hours for workers in the jab centres, new satellite centres and the redeployment of personnel from the entire public sector.
The plans emerge as party leaders prepare for a meeting with members of the National Public Health Emergency Team on Monday night.
There is significant resistance at the upper level to any call for additional restrictions. Sources believe that Ireland has been an outlier compared to other European countries in terms of the duration and severity of the blockades.
It is understood that Medical Director Tony Holohan is briefing party leaders and key ministers tonight on the latest trends in Covid before Christmas.
Tell us your thoughts in the Facebook post and share this with your friends.