HSE boss, Paul Reid has warned that the number of people in ICU with Covid-19 has risen by 20% in the past week.
Speaking yesterday, Mr Reid called on the public to come forward and take their vaccination when offered. This comes after it emerged that 67% of these ICU patients had not been vaccinated.
He also said that the rise in cases has also led to an increase in people needing hospital treatment.
"What we have seen over the past four days in particular is rising cases, and particularly rising hospitalisations", he said.
The HSE CEO continued, “So right now today we’re at 382 people Covid-positive in hospital and 74 in ICU, so that’s up about 20% this day last week".
“In the ICU’s 67% of those patients have not been vaccinated at all and three percent have been partially vaccinated", Reid added.
“So it is a very strong call from myself to urge people who have not been vaccinated. “If you are not vaccinated you are at higher risk of hospitalisation and a higher potential to transmit further".
Paul Reid also added that a third additional vaccine will also be provided for the over 65s that are in long term care facilities. One third of care homes have been completed in recent weeks.
Reid also said that people over the age of 80 living in the community will get a third dose from their GPS.
Paul Reid also insisted that "no one is proud" of the long term waiting lists. He added that the HSE has also entered into talks with private hospitals, for extra capacity.
It was reported that the waiting lists surged from 570,000 to 900,000 since 2017.
Mr Reid put these numbers down to “very serious systemic legacy issues”, that have worsened over the pandemic.
“We’re engaging with the private sector and procuring some further capacity for them to carry out some activities for us in terms of (reducing) waiting lists", he added.
“We are working with the NTPF (National Treatment Purchase Fund) in terms of particularly prioritising the longer waiters. So we’ve a particular focus on that".
