Taoiseach: School closures not under consideration
Masks National Classes National Government Wearing Pupils Cork Face Is Face The Nphet's At Picture: At Following In Of 6th School, To To Coverings Fourth Mandatory, Class Advice Now Ballintemple Cummins Crab Larry 3rd Schools Lane, Exemptions, Wearing With
Closing schools before the normal Christmas holiday schedule is not under consideration, Taoiseach Micheál Martin has said.
Speaking in Cork as he officially opened the Rotary Tree of Remembrance on St Patrick's St, Mr Martin said that instead of focusing on potential school closures, the key message is that some restrictions have already been brought in.
"We’re watching what is happening in the UK and our public health authorities are in very close contact with the public health authorities in the UK - in England, Scotland and across the board, but also in the EU.
"The EU health security committee is meeting also in relation to Omicron — there is a meeting of the European Council next week and I expect further discussions at that on Covid and particularly around the threat of Omicron and what it potentially has in store," he said.
Mr Martin said there is "no question about it" that there are worries around what the Omicron variant has in store.
"Certainly given the additional work underway and the emerging evidence from the UK, there clearly will be challenges ahead," he said. "The key is that the measures we have already taken will give us protection.
"If people behave as they are doing, and the Irish people have responded very well to this, and we get more and more vaccinations, we put strength and good protection there."
"Eligibility for vaccines is constantly under review by the National Immunisation Advisory Committee [Niac] and indeed the chief medical officer and others, so we have opened it up and are anxious to do so for as many as we possibly can.
"Obviously within the clinical guidance and so forth, because we do now know that in terms of Omicron, that the booster vaccine will give very, very significant protection. The more boosters we can roll out to as many people as possible, within the quickest time possible, is the agenda and the objective of Government."
Just over 4,000 cases of Covid-19 were reported to the Department of Health on Saturday, with a reduction of 30 people in hospital since yesterday. That number now stands at 481, with 111 in intensive care, an addition of one since yesterday.
HSE chief Paul Reid told RTÉ's that it is expected around 1.5m booster doses will have been administered by Christmas.