Ireland now has one of the lowest coronavirus rates in the European Union.
Only Portugal, Finland and Malta are reporting rates lower than Ireland’s 127.51 cases per 100,000 people.
Meanwhile, there were 36 patients in intensive care in Ireland last night, the lowest figure since early January.
There were 123 in the country’s hospitals – up one on the day before, which was the lowest figure since early October.
It comes as the Chief Medical Officer encourages people be hopeful and to start planning for the summer.
Dr Tony Holohan said next week’s easing of restrictions can be a “significant turning point in this pandemic” if people continue to follow the rules that remain.
Families and friends enjoy the good weather in Merrion Square in Dublin, 24-04-2021. Image:Leah Farrell/RollingNews
Dr Gerald Barry, an assistant professor of virology in UCD, told Newstalk that people can be optimistic for the summer ahead.
“I am planning my holidays, I am going to be travelling around Ireland as much as possible and getting out of my own county,” he said.
“I am looking very hopefully on the future. I think with the vaccine rollout the way it is going, the general burden of the virus on the country should be dramatically reduced in the coming months.
“With that should come hope and the ability for people to start t, I think, relax and return to an element of normality.”
A view of the Citywest Covid-19 Vaccination Centre in Dublin as Ireland is on course to receive almost four million vaccine doses in the second quarter of the year, Taoiseach Micheal Martin has said. Picture date: Wednesday April 7, 2021.As of Tuesday, 1,655,866 vaccine doses had been administered in Ireland.
Some 1,201,373 people had received their first dose – More than 30% of the adult population.
Dr Barry said caution is still needed.
“We’re still nowhere near high levels of vaccination yet,” he said. “We still don’t have a protected population.
“So, we need to go slowly. If we go too 1uickly we will end up in another lockdown.
“I think we need to be a little bit cautious still. Just take things slowly and allow the vaccination rollout to work rather than try to pre-empt it; jump and run before we can walk.”
Next Monday the ban on inter-county trave will be lifted, while public worship and click-and-collect shopping resume.
Barbers and hairdressers will also reopen and up to three households or six people will be allowed to meet outdoors.
