Gardaí mounted a checkpoint at Bonagee in Letterkenny today, at the start of roadworks which have proved contentious in recent months.
Gardai have confirmed several speeding fines were handed out.
On a social media post this evening, they remind motorists that the speed limit in this area in which there are ongoing roadworks is 50kph.
17,656 cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed this evening.
There has been a total of 5,952 deaths related to COVID-19 notified in Ireland. This includes 40 deaths newly notified in the week since last Wednesday.
As of 8am today, 928 people with Covid 19 were in hospital, of which 94 are in ICU. 60 of today’s cases are at Letterkenny University Hospital.
The Chief Medical Officer,Dr Tony Holohan says the increase in hospitalisations is worrying.
North of the border, 7,133 new coronavirus cases have been reported thias afternoon.
There have been an additional three covid related deaths.
There are 403 patients being treated in hospital for the disease, with 32 in ICU.
Meanwhile, from today, people in NI who get a positive lateral flow test will no longer need a PCR test to confirm that result.
They are being asked to report the positive test immediately.
NI Executive statement –
From today, people in NI who get a positive lateral flow test will no longer need a PCR test to confirm that result. If your lateral flow is positive, you should assume you have COVID-19 and that you are infectious. You should therefore self-isolate immediately for the required period. You won’t need to take a confirmatory PCR test.
It is extremely important that you report your positive lateral flow test. This will trigger contact tracing processes to alert people you have been in close contact with and to provide them with advice regarding their potential to become infected and spread the virus.
If you have a condition that puts you at highest risk from COVID, reporting your lateral flow test will alert your clinical team to your positive result.
Lateral flow results should be reported online at https://www.gov.uk/report-covid19-result
If you cannot use the online service, you should call 119 (free from mobiles and landlines) to report the result of your lateral flow test.
The removal of the requirement for a confirmatory PCR testing is a temporary measure in response to the very high prevalence of COVID-19 in NI at present. When prevalence of COVID is high, a positive lateral flow test is a reliable indicator of current COVID-19 infection.
With infections at the highest they have been since the start of the pandemic and demand for tests very high, it makes sense to use LFD and PCR tests where they have the most impact in reducing the spread of COVID-19 and protecting the most vulnerable.
If you have a positive COVID-19 test, the earliest you can end your period of self-isolation is on day seven – providing your lateral flow tests on day six and seven are both negative and you do not have a high temperature. Your day six and day seven lateral flow tests should be at least 24 hours apart. If either is positive, you should continue to isolate until you get two negative lateral flow tests taken 24 hours apart, or after you have completed 10 full days of isolation – whichever is earlier.
People aged 16 to 29 who had their first round of COVID-19 vaccination at least 90 days ago may now book an appointment to get a booster vaccine at the Letterkenny Vaccination Centre.
To book a free appointment for a booster vaccination go to hse.ie and search ‘book booster’ or click here:
https://www2.hse.ie/screening-and-vaccinations/covid-19-vaccine/get-the-vaccine/booster-booking/
Appointments are now available to book on:
· Saturday 08 January between 3.30pm and 7.30pm
· Sunday 09 January between 1.30pm and 7.30pm
The hse.ie booster booking page is updated regularly with additional dates.
If you have had COVID-19, you can get your booster dose vaccine 3 months after your positive test result.
People aged 30 or older can also book a booster appointment on hse.ie
News, Sport and Obituaries on Wednesday January 5th…………….
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Donegal start their Dr Kenna Cup campaign on Friday night against Down at MacCumhaill Park in Ballybofey.
Oisin Kelly and Martin McHugh will have full match commentary on highlandradio.com from the 7.30pm throw in in association with Highland Motors.
Declan Bonner will take his side into unknown terriorty the following Saturday the 15th January.
Donegal’s game with Antrim has been fixed for Roger Casements GAC in Portglenone Ballymena.
The whole country will be under a yellow snow and ice warning from tomorrow afternoon.
Met Eireann has issued the alert for 4pm Thursday, until 11am Friday.
Scattered showers of snow, hail and sleet are on the way, with hazardous conditions expected.
Some isolated thunderstorms are also due tomorrow.
Meanwhile, Donegal County Council says its gritters are already operational, and all roads on the gritting schedule are being treated.
ALL routes will be gritted from 5PM on Wed. 05/01. Donegal gritting route index as follows:
06: Inishowen West
04: Inishowen South
01: National Primary North
02: National Primary Central
03: National Primary South
07: Milford South
08: Milford North
09: Cill Ulta East
10: Cill Ulta West
11: Na Rosa
12: Binswilly
13: Stranorlar North
14: Stranorlar East
15: Stranorlar West
16: Donegal West
17: Donegal North
18: Donegal South
19: Donegal National Secondary
05: Inishowen East
BT: Buncrana Town
LT: Letterkenny Town
Check Donegal County Council’s interactive map for gritting routes
Assume that no road is ice free.
Conor Tourish. Photo Stephen Doherty
Finn Harps have announced the signing of Conor Tourish ahead of the 2022 campaign.
The 26-year-old defender joins the club from Ulster Senior League outfit Letterkenny Rovers having previously played with Institute FC in 2019 before the season was cut short due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Tourish told club media: “It was a no brainer when Ollie gave me the call. I really enjoyed my season with Institute before the season was cut short. As a local lad I’m excited to be a Finn Harps player and hopefully the club will have a strong season.”
Manager Ollie Horgan added: “It’s great to be able to get Conor in, he’s a strong central defender and a good lad who fits in well with the squad we’re putting together. It’s definitely a step up into the Premier from the Ulster Senior League but he’s well able for it.”
Tourish follows Rob Slevin and Jess Devers as the new arrivals at Finn Park.
Home STI testing has been extended to Donegal.
Anyone aged 17 and over with an address in Donegal can now order an STI test online.
By ordering a free kit online, people can complete the samples, return them by free post, and have results quickly and discretely returned to them by text message or phone call.
Online services can help lower some of the barriers which people may face including: travelling to a clinic, taking time off work to attend an appointment, concerns about discretion and anxiety waiting for results.
The service is available for people who don’t have symptoms.
Two Sexual Health clinics currently operate in the North West, in Letterkenny and Sligo University Hospitals.
New patients are currently being seen by appointment only on Thursday evenings in Letterkenny and on Tuesday evenings in Sligo.
For more information go to sh24.ie
More details –
This service is for individuals who do not have symptoms of an STI. Information about symptoms of an STI are available here, www.sexualwellbeing.ie/sexual-health/sexually-transmitted-infections/. If you have symptoms or need urgent support, contact your local sexual health service or your GP.
Information on the STI testing pilot and how to order a test is available on www.sexualwellbeing.ie and www.sh24.ie. If you need help with an existing order or wish to discuss your results, you can get in touch with the clinical team by replying to any text message from SH:24
You can also visit sh:24.ie for further support and information.
For more information on sexual health and wellbeing visit www.sexualwellbeing.ie
The Sexual Health clinics that are available in the North West are located in Letterkenny and Sligo University Hospitals. They provide a full range of free services for STIs. This includes screening, vaccination, diagnosis, treatment, advice, advice to women who are pregnant and have an STI, vaccinations for men who have sex with men (MSM), Pre exposure prophylaxis for HIV (PrEP) and Post exposure prophylaxis for HIV (PEP).
New patients are currently being seen by appointment only on Thursday evenings in Letterkenny and on Tuesday evenings in Sligo. Covid-19 precautions are in place. Those without symptoms are encouraged to first use the www.sh24.ie service.
To contact the clinics to enquire about an appointment you can telephone Letterkenny at (074) 91 23715 and Sligo at (071) 917 0473. Clinics are also available at other locations; for details see https://www.sexualwellbeing.ie/sexual-health/hse-sti-services-in-ireland.html‘
40 percent of primary schools fear they may have insufficient staff to fully reopen this week.
That’s according to the Irish Primary Principals Network, which says many schools are struggling to source substitute teachers, as covid-related absences grow.
The group says many principals are opting to redeploy special needs staff to keep schools open.
Meanwhile, on today’s Nine til Noon Show, the Deputy Principal of a Donegal Primary School told Greg Hughes that many of the supports teachers were promised have not been forthcoming, and they haven’t been able to get the help and advice that they need………….
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The Taoiseach says he doesn’t expect any major new Covid restrictions to be recommended this week.
NPHET is due to meet tomorrow and will consider if further measures are needed to deal with Omicron.
Hospital numbers are at their highest level since last February, with 928 patients being treated, 56 of them at Letterkenny University Hospital.
Taoiseach Micheal Martin says the restrictions already in place are working……..
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