There has been a further fall in the number of coronavirus patients in Ireland’s hospitals.
There were 179 patients in hospital last night – five fewer than yesterday and a 9% decrease on the week before.
Meanwhile, the number of patients in intensive care has remained stable at 47.
It comes after 390 new coronavirus cases and 11 further deaths were announced last night.
Four of the deaths happened this month.
The five-day moving average now stands at 380, while the 14-day incidence has fallen to 113.9 cases per 100,000 people.
The coronavirus five-day moving average in Ireland. Image: NewstalkMeanwhile, health officials will decide in the coming days whether to begin rolling out the Johnson & Johnson (J&J) vaccine in Ireland.
The European Medicines Agency (EMA) yesterday found that the benefits of the vaccine outweigh the ‘very rare’ risk of blood clots associated with it.
There have been eight cases reported among the 7.8 million people who have been given the jab in the US.
The National Immunisation Advisory Committee (NIAC) has already limited the use of the AstraZeneca vaccine on the back of a similar finding and must now make a decision on J&J.
On Newstalk Breakfast this morning, Trinity Professor Kingston Mills said NIAC’s decision on AstraZeneca was ‘emphatically wrong’ and voiced hopes the vaccines would now be cleared for use in Ireland.
Also on the show, NPHET member Dr Mary Favier said a decision will soon be made.
“They have added a caution into the product detail around some risk of clotting – not as significant as AstraZeneca but they have added that,” she said.
“NIAC will give us an opinion on what we should do but it is very good news and good progress.”
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