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Taoiseach Micheál Martin has said that he is genuinely concerned about the new variant of Covid-19 that was first detected in the UK and about its possible impact in Ireland.
Speaking ahead of a special Cabinet meeting on Monday, Mr. Martin said that the rapid rise in Covid-19 cases in the run-up to Christmas was also cause for concern.
“I am very concerned about this new mutant variant, which has an additional 70 percent transmissibility, which far exceeds anything we have experienced to date,” he said.
The Taoiseach said the government will keep the situation under review.
He also defended the new measures that the Government has introduced in the face of the increase in the incidence of the coronavirus.
“We have introduced very severe Level 5 measures. We will keep this under constant review. The cabinet will consider all this in the next term.
“The only areas not covered [by the restrictions] are non-essential retailers, the impact of which has been shown to be not huge, and the 5km [on movement was not reintroduced]. “
He said that much depended on behavior, individual and collective.
“That’s the key,” he said, adding that reducing social contacts, wearing face masks and observing other public health protocols was the best way to keep coronavirus numbers low.
On the subject of the Covid-19 vaccination program, he said that it would start on Tuesday and would be “significantly increased” in the new year, initially targeting healthcare settings and also nursing home residents. The implementation plan will be extensively discussed at the cabinet meeting.
Varadkar’s reviews
Previously, Tánaiste Leo Varadkar had indicated that he does not foresee the lifting of the Level 5 Covid-19 restrictions in the short term.
He said there were reasons to say that the Tier 5 restrictions should remain in effect until those most at risk are vaccinated. The current levels of restrictions would be reviewed by the Cabinet on January 12, he said.
Mr. Varadkar said that cases were expected to increase early in the new year and then, “hopefully”, they would decrease. However, he cautioned that some form of Level 5 restrictions might have to last for months, not just weeks. Any plan should take into account all the consequences.
Varadkar said there were concerns that the new, more transmissible variant of the virus circulating here will have to change the National Public Health Emergency Team’s calculations. Previously, when there were Level 3 and Level 5 restrictions, the R rate of Covid-19 had been reduced, but the new variant could have an impact on that, he said.
Mr. Varadkar also defended the pace at which the Covid-19 vaccination program will begin in the state after several EU countries began rolling out their programs over the weekend.
He told RTÉ Radio’s Morning Ireland that the pace at which the vaccination program will be implemented is due to issues such as vaccinator training and informed consent.
Medical experts had advised that the program start in acute care hospitals so that there would be full back-up should something happen. There have been some cases of anaphylactic reaction to vaccination in other countries, he said.
When asked if the issue of litigation had been a cause for concern, Mr Varadkar said that was always the case in Ireland with “anything to do with any kind of medical care”. There had been “great concern” about the litigation and the need to “make sure everything is okay.”
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