There are 23,817 new cases of covid 19.
This is the highest figure to date since the outbreak of the pandemic.
941 patients with the virus are in hospital, of which 90 are in ICU.
The Department of Health has issued today’s figures.
At least 8,500 HSE staff are absent due to Covid-19.
However the Head of the HSE says the true figure could be double that.
It comes as NPHET meet to discuss potentially changing the length of time close contacts have to isolate.
The Government requested public health officials review the isolation rules as businesses and essential services struggle to cope without staff.
HSE Chief Executive Paul Reid admits the official figure is a week old.
https://www.highlandradio.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/reid3pm.mp3
The Department of Health says people will start to receive updated Digital Covid Certs from this afternoon.
The updated certs will reflect a person’s booster status.
The department says the process will take a number of days, and people are advised to check their email.
The updated cert will be in the same format as before, with the QR code displayed and stored on the Covid Tracker App.
From the 1st of February, people travelling within the EU will need to be fully vaccinated or have had a booster within the past 9 months.
The HSE is asking people to be patient as they work through the large volume of referrals for PCR tests.
Nationally, the HSE has vastly increased its testing capacity to respond to the spread of disease – in September, it was providing 100,000 PCR tests per week, but is now providing over 300,000.
Clinical referrals for PCR testing, including GP and close contact referrals, continue to be prioritised, and there are just a limited number of Self Referral PCR testing slots available in the North West.
The HSE locally says anyone who has a positive antigen test should continue to self-isolate and book a confirmatory PCR test online with the HSE.
Statement in full –
The HSE is asking people to be patient as they work through the large volume of referrals for PCR tests.
The Omicron variant is generating unprecedented demand for SARS-CoV-2 PCR testing both in Ireland and across Europe.
As a result, the HSE has vastly increased its testing capacity to respond to the spread of disease – in September of this year it was providing 100,000 PCR tests per week, but is now providing over 300,000 PCR tests per week and has increased capacity for 350,000 antigen tests per week, providing a total capacity of 650,000 tests per week between PCR and antigen.
Clinical referrals for PCR testing, including GP and close contact referrals, continue to be prioritised even with high demand. Some areas are still trying to clear any referrals outstanding and most are progressing through these. If you have been referred by a GP you will receive your appointment in the coming days.
A limited number of Self Referral PCR testing slots are available each day online across CHO1. People are advised to check the website. As slots become available they are released.
Those aged between 4 and 39 who have symptoms of COVID 19 are asked to antigen test, rather than get a PCR and can book their antigen tests online at HSE.ie which will be delivered to their home. They will receive a box of antigen tests and they should do three tests. They should do the first test as soon as possible when they receive their antigen tests, the 2nd test 24 hours later, and the 3rd test 24 hours after that. It is very important that anyone with symptoms of COVID 19 self-isolate, if their antigen tests remain negative, they should continue to self-isolate until 48 hours after their symptoms have passed.
HSE CHO1 Head of Service Primary Care Dermot Monaghan said :”Providing home antigen tests to this age group will ensure that we can prioritise PCR testing for those most at risk, including older age groups, those identified by their GP as requiring PCR testing, and close contacts of a confirmed cases of COVID 19 who have symptoms. PCR testing will also continue to be prioritised for Health Care Workers and other vulnerable groups.”
Anyone who has a positive antigen test should continue to self-isolate and book a confirmatory PCR test online with the HSE. If their PCR is positive, this will confirm their diagnosis and they will be reported in case statistics and included in contact tracing as usual. It will also enable them to access any illness benefits and recovery certificates needed in the future. Is someone has a positive PCR they will get information on what they need to do at www.hse.ie
There were more Covid outbreaks linked to schools in the second half of last year than any other public place.
New HPSC figures show just over 4,100 outbreaks were recorded from the end of June to the end of December.
514 of them were associated with schools – followed by workplaces at 458.
Overall, the highest number was family outbreaks in private homes at 919.
The West and North will bear the brunt of a cold snap that will begin shortly.
Met Eireann’s yellow alert for Snow and Ice comes into force at 4pm and will run until late tomorrow morning.
It has warned of hazardous conditions for people setting off on a journey, with some isolated thunderstorms likely too.
Alan O’Reilly from Carlow Weather says this is because of a mix of freezing air and heavy downpours:
https://www.highlandradio.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/oreilly3pm.mp3
The Saolta University Health Care Group has confirmed that it has recently tendered for a new credit management company.
The hospital group says it is in line with HSE financial requirements to recoup outstanding patient debt across its facilities, including Letterkenny University Hospital.
The use of debt collectors to retrieve unpaid patient fees was suspended for a time due to the pandemic.
An instalment plan is available for people who experience difficulty in paying required fees.
Saolta says the use of a credit management agency is a standard practice to ensure patient services can be sufficiently funded.
A mobile Covid-19 test centre has opened today in Strabane.
It follows many calls for a testing centre to be re-established in the town due to the high level of the virus in the community.
Many people from the town have been forced to travel to Derry, Enniskillen or as far as Antrim to receive a PCR test in recent weeks.
The centre opened at 10am this morning in the Canal Basin and will operate tomorrow from 9am to 3pm.
A Foyle MLA is calling for a strengthening of legislation to protect the River Foyle and other waterways.
Sinead McLaughlin was speaking after she was told that there have been four prosecutions for pollution on the Northern side of the River Foyle over the last five years, leading to fines totalling just £3,500.
Responding to questions posed in the Assembly by McLaughlin, Minister Poots said there had been four prosecutions.
Two were brought by the Northern Ireland Environment Agency and were concluded in 2016. One related to a company prosecuted for a pollution detected in 2015, which was fined £1,000, the other was a company causing pollution in 2016 which was fined £2,000.
The Loughs Agency can also take action, and it took two prosecutions relating to water pollution in the River Foyle, both heard in 2017. One individual was fined £500, while one company was convicted, but not fined.
Ms McLaughlin has written to Minister Edwin Poots saying much stronger sanctions are needed, along with new laws to ensure better protection.
39 people are waiting on a bed at Letterkenny University Hospital today again.
The hospital is the second most overcrowded in the country for the third day in a row this week.
10 patients are waiting on trolleys in the hospital’s Emergency Department while a further 29 are on wards.
Elsewhere in the North West, 27 admitted patients are waiting on a bed at Sligo University Hospital.
370 people are waiting on trolleys at hospitals across the country today according to the INMO’s Trolley Watch report.
