A leading professor has expressed concerns that only a small proportion of children are vaccinated as schools prepare to reopen.
The Taoiseach warned yesterday that the country has not hit the peak of the Delta wave, and that case numbers will likely continue to rise until next month.
Only 25% of 12-15 year olds are partially vaccinated, while 65% of 16-17 year olds have one jab.
Professor Gerry Killeen, a UCC Professor and co-founder of the Independent Scientific Advocacy Group (ISAG) which advocates for zero Covid said the wrong decision has been made in not vaccinating many children.
He said: “We now that long Covid rates amongst children are in the region of 7 to 8 per cent, a minimum of 4 per cent, and you know 4 per cent might be a small proportion of a very large number of kids in the country and children rely on us as adults to make the right decisions to look after them and I just think those are the decisions we’ve got wrong over the summer.”
The Government is hopeful of easing restrictions later in September after it publishes a roadmap for further reopening on August 31st.