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The HSE is not calling for the reintroduction of restrictions to combat the spread of Covid-19 but there was a need for everyone to look at their own behaviour, its director general has said.
Paul Reid expressed concern at rising case numbers and said those hospitalised from the virus were having a disproportionate impact on the health system.
All the indications were that the daily infection figures were likely to rise to 4,000, he told RTÉ Radio’s Today with Claire Byrne show.
Earlier, Tánaiste Leo Varadkar said he too expected Covid case numbers to hit 4,000 either today or or tomorrow.
He said he could not rule out further restrictions being introduced as that would be “reckless” but no such restrictions were planned as the “vaccine wall” was working.
Mr Varadkar added the Government was encouraging the European Medicines Agency (EMA) to investigate use of a tablet which cut the threat of serious illness from Covid in half.
Asked about this, Mr Reid said any such treatment course was a clinical issue for the HSE, and the chief medical officer would lead on the issue.
Mr Reid pointed out that for every 1,000 cases there were about 35 hospitalisations. At present there were 463 Covid cases in hospital and 90 in ICU, Mr Reid said.
Of the patients in ICU, half were on invasive ventilation. There were a further 250 to 300 patients on “enhanced supports” and others in high dependency units or wards with supervised support.
“There are some extremely sick people in hospital.”
Mr Reid added that Children’s Health Ireland had reported an increase in emergency emissions for the first week of October from 8,500 to 11,600 between 2019 and this year.
That was primarily due to respiratory illnesses, not Covid, he said, and it was an indication of the winter season.
The winter plan for the health service had commenced, he added although negotiations were ongoing in relation to its funding.
Highlighting the impact on the wider health system, he said the 90 ICU beds currently being occupied by Covid patients could have been used for surgeries.
In addition, GPs were under pressure which led to delayed care.
The HSE’s director of acute services Liam Woods also highlighted the strain on hospitals, saying ten operations were been cancelled per day at each of 21 hospitals across the State.
Mr Woods said the increase in attendance in emergency departments had been driven by difficulties in accessing care in the community, particularly in the over-75 category.
When asked about access to testing services, Mr Reid urged people to use the self referral facility online and called on anyone who had symptoms to remain at home, call their GP and get a referral for a test.
“We’re managing, we’re coping with the numbers we’re seeing now.” If necessary capacity for testing could be increased, he added.
Absenteeism levels in the health service were normally at 4.5 per cent to 5 per cent, said Mr Reid, at present there was a Covid absenteeism rate of 2.7 percent separate from the usual levels.
Although 11,000 extra staff had been taken on since the pandemic, staff who have been forced to isolate because of Covid was putting pressure on the health service.
He said the booster campaign for healthcare workers would start this weekend and would carry “at pace” into next year. Some staff had not received their second dose until late in the summer and it would be early in 2022 when it was six months, the recommended break before the booster is administered.
On the question of vaccine hesitancy Mr Reid said that steady progress was being made and that 1,500 to 2,000 people who didn’t initially take up the jab were registering per day while a range of NGOs and embassies were working to address concerns of some communities.
Ultimately the message was “if you’re unvaccinated you’re at high risk” he said. “Please come forward. It’s never too late, we will support you in the vaccination process.”