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The National Public Health Emergency Team will meet again today amid growing concern that progress in the fight against Covid-19 at the national level appears to have slowed significantly over the past week.
The latest figures show that new confirmed cases of the virus are registering at just over 400 a week, virtually unchanged from a week ago.
Medical Director Dr. Tony Holohan said he is increasingly concerned that the progress made during the first three weeks of the Level 5 restrictions has not been sustained.
It’s unclear why progress in reducing the incidence of Covid-19 has stalled, but the average number of daily cases has dropped by just eight per day over the past week, compared to average reductions of between 200. and 300 per day during the first three weeks of Level 5 restrictions.
There has also been a large increase in the number of outbreaks or clusters in private homes, with 954 of these clusters in the last week, up from 443 in the previous week.
Getting to the bottom of why this has happened and doing something about it will be high on the agenda when NPHET meets today.
There are still two weeks to go before the planned removal of Level 5 restrictions, but unless progress in reducing the incidence of the disease can be quickly restarted, it could put that plan at risk.
Yesterday, Health Minister Stephen Donnelly said that the fact that just over 2,000 people have died from Covid-19 in Ireland is a sad and sobering milestone.
The total number of deaths related to Covid-19 is 2,006, with 69,058 confirmed cases.
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Last night, Taoiseach Micheál Martin told his party friends that people will be able to have a pleasant, safe and meaningful Christmas.
Mr. Martin said the government will make a decision next week on how the country will exit Level 5 restrictions in early December.
An infectious disease specialist said that if the country enters December with infection rates at lower levels, it will make it easier to control the coronavirus in the future and allow more areas of society to reopen.
Speaking on RTÉ’s Morning Ireland, Professor Sam McConkey said there are around 100 outbreaks a day right now, and unless Ireland returns to very low levels, it’s hard to see indoor dining rooms and wet pubs reopening.
He said the highest rate of infection levels appears to be related to socializing during Halloween.
However, if the number of cases falls, nonessential retail could reopen with strict adherence to public health guidelines, he said.
Professor McConkey said he is optimistic that several new tools will come into play next year that will help better control the spread of Covid-19 and that this should involve building a world-class public health system with IT units that can identify and control outbreaks.
Meanwhile, Dublin Airport’s first Covid-19 testing facility will open this morning.
The private driving test center will be available to all consumers, whether they are traveling or require a test for another reason.
Another trail testing facility will open at the airport next Monday.
Dublin Airport has come under pressure to provide test services as Ireland joins the EU traffic light system for international travel.
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