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There has been a significant drop in the number of patients hospitalized with Covid-19, according to the latest figures from the Health Service Executive.
Last night he reported 325 patients, a reduction of 32 cases.
The number of patients in intensive care has also decreased from four to 76.
Meanwhile, the Vaccination Working Group said the campaign aims for people 70 and older to be fully vaccinated by mid-May.
He said that “there is no detour” in the program and that those over 70 will have received their first dose in mid-April and the second dose in mid-May.
The Task Force said the supply chains for this group using mRNA vaccines have become more stable and larger deliveries are expected starting this month.
He added that full protection is reached seven to 14 days after the second dose, meaning this group will have full protection after mid-May.
As of last Saturday, 176,343 people age 70 and older had received their first dose and 14,292 had received their second dose of vaccine.
This Group 3 consists of just under half a million people and GPs are administering the vaccines.
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HSE Chief Executive Paul Reid said swab referrals are up 35% Monday and 42% yesterday compared to the same days last week.
In a post on Twitter, he said that with hospitalizations there is great hope, “but we have to be alert to the virus in our community.”
# COVID-19 swab referrals increased on Monday (35%) and Tuesday (42%) compared to the same days last week. Positively, hospitalizations have been reduced to 325 and 76 in the ICU. Available vaccines protect the most vulnerable. Great hope, but we must be alert to the virus in our community. @HSELive
– Paul Reid (@paulreiddublin) March 24, 2021
Yesterday, the Department of Health reported 24 more deaths related to Covid-19 and 371 new cases of the disease.
However, the National Public Health Emergency Team has informed the Government that the situation remains particularly fragile and precarious.
NPHET said progress that had been ongoing since the beginning of the year had recently stalled and disease incidence and test positivity have stalled at a high level in recent days.
He also said that population mobility indicators had increased in recent days.
Covid walk-in PCR testing, without a referral, will be introduced this week in areas of Ireland where Covid-19 rates are high.
“The public health strategy is to target the virus, suppress the virus, use walk-in PCR testing, implement antigen testing,” said Health Minister Stephen Donnelly.
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