Ireland’s Chief Medical Officer Dr Tony Holohan has advised everyone to consider themselves “potentially infectious” with Covid-19 as the Omicron variant spreads.
The country’s highest ever number of confirmed cases was announced yesterday, with 16,428 new cases and 22 deaths newly notified in the past week.
As the New Year approaches, Dr Tony Holohan is calling for continued caution over socialising and travel.
He said: “The Omicron variant is accelerating rapidly in the community and given the very high levels of transmission of this new variant nationwide, every individual should consider themselves potentially infectious, and strictly adhere to the public health measures by washing hands regularly, keeping a safe distance from others, avoiding crowded places and reducing social contacts as much as possible.”
He also called on shoppers plan their trips wisely: “If you are planning to visit retail environments in the coming days, please choose retailers that adhere strongly to the public health guidance and leave any environment that feels unsafe.
“The current levels of infection we are experiencing mean that shopping in crowded environments, where physical distancing is not possible, should be seen as a high-risk activity and should be avoided unless absolutely essential – especially by those who are not yet fully vaccinated and boosted.”
The HSE is inviting people aged 30 – 39 to get their booster vaccine this week. People aged 16-29 who received a Janssen primary dose will also be invited for a booster vaccine.
For more information, visit: https://www2.hse.ie/screening-and-vaccinations/covid-19-vaccine/get-the-vaccine/covid-19-vaccine-booster-dose/
