Thurles Information

There have been 1,845 new cases of Covid-19 confirmed by our Department of Health within the past 24 hours, here in the Irish Republic.

There are 497 patients reported to be receiving hospital care; an increase of 24 on yesterday’s reported figures.

Patients in intensive care units have risen to 99, up 2 on yesterday’s announced figures, More than 60% of the people in ICU are unvaccinated.

Walk-in vaccinations in Nenagh this week:
This week’s no-appointment – walk-in – Pfizer Dose 1 & 2 vaccine clinics for adults, and for children aged 12 and over, will include full day operations in the Mid-West COVID-19 Vaccination Centre in Nenagh (Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday).
Tuesday October 26th – Thursday October 28th & Sunday October 31st; at the Abbey Court Hotel, Nenagh, – Time: 9:00am – 6:00pm – Pfizer Dose 1 & 2. (Note: Sunday October 31st Time: 9:00am- 5:00pm.)

Anyone attending these clinics for second doses should bring their vaccine record card. Please note that a minimum of 21 days must have passed after Pfizer Dose 1, before Dose 2 is administered.
This should be observed also for people who have received AstraZeneca Dose 1 and who are presenting for Pfizer Dose 2.
No appointment is necessary for these clinics, and there is no requirement to register on the national vaccine registration portal. However, please note that children under 16 years must be accompanied to centres by a parent or guardian.

The HSE expect to also develop pop-up vaccine clinics at maternity hospitals this week, which will be open to all women of any gestation, and to their partners, who may remain unvaccinated.

Meanwhile, an information campaign will now run over the next 10 days to encourage unvaccinated people and those who have received a first dose but not a second, to take up a vaccine.

World Health Organization’s (WHO) Director-General Mr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has stated that the Covid-19 pandemic will end “when the world chooses to end it. It is in our hands. We have all the tools we need – effective public health tools and effective medical tools – but those tools have not been shared equitably. With almost 50,000 deaths a week, the pandemic is far from over,”

WHO Spokesperson Ms Margaret Harris has stated that more variants will develop and we are going to see more transmissions as we have not got serious about crowding.

The Department of International Health and Tropical Medicine at RCSI, Professor Mr Sam McConkey has stated that he believes it is inevitable that all of us, as our vaccine wanes, will need a booster shot.

The General Secretary of the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation Ms Phil Ni Sheaghdha said an immediate decision is now needed with regard to prioritising front-line healthcare workers for Covid-19 booster shots. She stated that healthcare worker infection rate has increased, with already staffing levels being compromised within the sector.

In Northern Ireland a further 1,019 cases of coronavirus have been confirmed today, down from 1,061 on yesterday.

Choosing to get vaccinated is an act of protection for yourself, as it may save your life; but it is also an act of solidarity with others; the more of us that get vaccinated, the safer we all will be.

The Department of Health has confirmed 1,725 new cases of Covid-19 here in the Irish Republic within the past 24 hours.

There are currently 473 Covid patients in hospital, same figure up 24 on yesterday’s confirmed figure. The department has also confirmed that 97 people are now in intensive care, which is a rise of 4 as was reported yesterday.

Meanwhile, some welcome news; the number of people registering for Covid-19 vaccinations has increased, according to the HSE Chief Executive.

Health Service Executive (HSE) chief Mr Paul Reid has stated that there are no paediatric ICU beds available in the Republic and there are only 11 adult ICU beds free.

Worldwide the known total confirmed Covid-19 case numbers stands at 243,477,170, with known total deaths standing at 4,946,277. Total known vaccine doses administered todate stands at 6,798,043,785.

The number of confirmed cases of Covid-19 within the Irish Republic stands at 428,152 with, sadly, a total of 5,369 deaths.
A number of Irish hospitals have ceased or cut back elective care, due to pressure created by the high levels of Covid cases and respiratory illnesses and hospitals are facing huge demands with emergency care cases also going up, as rising numbers of people present for delayed care for Covid.

While government and HSE are using a “softly-softly” encouragement approach; most evident in their daily Covid briefings / announcements, it is obvious that a large majority of individuals are seriously failing to meet even basic public health guidelines; as in the observance of adherence to social distancing, face covering and handwashing.

In Ireland, opposition politicians from all groupings outside government and indeed some offering government support, are behaving reprehensibly and abominably in their failing to fully support the present Irish government; all whinging criticisms in their efforts to grasp at power, sadly at the expense of working communities under sentence of death from a worldwide pandemic, none of which is their fault.

In Northern Ireland, another 1,061 cases of Covid-19 virus were reported in the past 24 hours down from 1,323 on yesterday.

Sadly, today a further 5 Covid-19-related deaths have also been reported in Northern Ireland over the same time frame.
The total number of deaths linked to Covid-19 in Northern Ireland since the start of the pandemic now stands at 2,661.

As we enter into this bank holiday weekend, take particular care with the three Cs – Crowded places with many people nearby, Close contact settings, especially where people may not be vaccinated, and Confined and enclosed spaces with poor ventilation.

There have been 2,466 new cases of Covid-19 confirmed by the Department of Health here in the Republic of Ireland over the past 24 hours.
Todays figures are the highest number of daily infections reported since January 21st last, when 2,608 people were confirmed with the disease.

The number of people in our hospitals who have tested positive for the disease today, stands at 457; same 9 more than reported yesterday. Of these, 90 are receiving treatment in intensive our care units, an increase of two on yesterday.

An Tánaiste Mr Leo Varadkar has stated that there is always the possibility of restrictions being reintroduced, but the aim of all should be to get through winter without imposing further restrictions.
Mr Varadkar said it is becoming increasingly clear that the Covid virus is going to be with us forever, and it’s going to become an endemic virus that is seasonal in nature.

According to the Covid-19 Data Hub the total number of cases within the Thurles electoral area only, over the 14 day period from October 5th to October 18th, 2021, stands at 56.

Chief Medical Officer, Dr Tony Holohan, has warned that the bank holiday weekend will bring increased levels of socialising across the country and with the current trajectory of the disease it is important that every individual knows and acts on the basic measures to limit the spread of Covid-19.

The vast majority of Irish adults are expressing their displeasure with the re-opening of Nightclubs by the government, especially when their re-opening is introduced on a Bank Holiday weekend. Parents are understandably worried that second level students attending nightclubs, will come into contact with the disease, and carry same back into their homes and schools, resulting in another lock-down, coming up to the Christmas season.

The HSE is continuing to operate walk-in Covid-19 vaccination centres across the country for anyone aged 12 years and older.

In Northern Ireland, another 1,355 cases of the virus were also notified by the Department of Health, up from 1,051 on Thursday.

The latest hospital figures show that there were 358 patients with Covid-19 in their hospitals; same up from 357 patients yesterday.
Of these, 33 patients are in northern intensive care beds, compared to 35 on reported yesterday. Some 7 further coronavirus-related deaths have also been sadly reported in Northern Ireland today.

The total number of deaths linked to Covid-19 in Northern Ireland since the start of the pandemic now stands at 2,646, while a total of 264,803 cases of the coronavirus have been confirmed in Northern Ireland since the pandemic began.

As we come into the bank holiday weekend, take particular care with the three Cs – Crowded places with many people nearby, Close contact settings, especially where people may not be vaccinated, and Confined and enclosed spaces with poor ventilation.