Omicron getting around immunity and the return of mandatory mask-wearing – what is going on with Covid-19 in Ireland?

Omicron is back in the form of sub-lineages BA.4 and BA.5. They are particularly good at getting around immunity which people got from previous infections. This is why so many re-infections are being reported.

Antibodies triggered by vaccination are also less effective at blocking these two than earlier strains of Omicron.

Booster shots

Covid-19 booster shots can reboot the body’s immune defences against Covid-19. The National Immunisation Advisory Committee (Niac) has so far only recommended a second booster shot for the over-65s and those who are immunocompromised.

The experts believe the first booster jab is still giving good protection for other groups, although a top-up for the wider population is expected to be recommended for early autumn.

The numbers of patients in intensive care with Covid-19 continues to be stable and stands a 28 today. Around one in five of those in intensive care due to Covid are not vaccinated. But some patients who are fully boosted are also seriously ill.

There is a strong level of protection against severe disease among those who are vaccinated or who had a previous infection. The worry is the number of over-65s who are in hospital directly due to Covid-19 and the sluggish take-up of second booster doses.

Hospitalisations and disruption

There are 751 patients with Covid-19 in hospital today, up 30 from yesterday evening, but still 14 lower than Sunday.

Admissions have risen by around 30pc in the last week. However, only around half are in hospital due to complications of the virus and the rest are incidental. Some patients are also picking up the virus after admission to hospital.

There were 317 Covid-related deaths in March, 332 in April, 92 in May and nine up to mid-June.

Infection rate

The proportion of people who are testing positive after a free HSE PCR test in the last seven days is around 35.2pc.That is up from 30.8pc in the previous week.

But the true level of infection is difficult to measure now.

Last week 10,435 new PCR positive cases were reported and another 13,059 registered as positive after a home antigen test.

The trend is still upwards but the hope is that it will peak soon. If we look to Portugal, which was the first country in Europe to be hit with the current surge in May, there is evidence that cases have now plateaued but at a high rate.

The numbers in hospital are as high as in the original Omicron wave. It is still unclear how intense it might be.

Old habits

When it comes to wearing a mask, keeping a two-metre distance and the other anti-Covid habits ingrained in us for so long, the trend is downward.

The ESRI tracker on behaviour, which covered early June, found six in 10 people said they rarely if ever followed these behaviours and it has probably dipped further.

Inter-county travel has risen to its highest level since January last year and there was a sharp increase in household visits.

It emerged today that contingency public health legislation is being prepared to allow for the Government to reintroduce the mandatory face mask mandate this winter if deemed necessary.