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A ‘challenging’ level of COVID-19 cases in January is ‘more likely than not,’ warned Dr. Tony Holohan.
NPHET believes that daily case numbers have reached a low point and will not drop further this side of Christmas.
Increased socialization during the Christmas period is also expected to lead to an increase in the transmission of the coronavirus.
Today i saw a more than 242 cases of the virus confirmed in the Republic, with the incidence rate of 14 days now at 80 per 100,000.
While both the 14-day and 7-day incidence rates are the lowest in Europe, the latter is “going up”.
Speaking tonight, Dr. Holohan said: “The five-day average is now just under 290 cases; we are bottoming out, so to speak. We believe we have passed the lowest point.
“It is very likely that the level of socialization that we will see will reduce to a challenging level of transmission in the first weeks of January.
“While we think there are measures we can recommend … to minimize the risk of that, if we honestly ask ourselves how likely it is that we can avoid a significant spike in infection in January … we think it is probably less likely than more likely “.
Dr. Holohan urged people to limit the activities they choose to do for the next several weeks.
He explained: “If you go to the shops, followed by a visit to a restaurant, followed by a visit to a museum, gallery or whatever takes your fancy … if you do all those things you will increase your chance of getting this infection. “.
Main image: Stock photo. Image by: Xinhua News Agency / PA Images
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