Latest from NPHET - 1,571 cases reported. 14 day incidence rate is now 526 per 100,000 people, a figure NPHET describes as "an extremely high incidence of disease"
Modelling chief Philip Nolan says that the peak of the disease is still likely to be mid-September. Says Ireland's 14 day incidence rate is now significantly over the EU threshold
There have been 41 admissions into hospital each day over the past 5 days, and 5 admissions into ICU, figures which are seven times what they were in July, when the average was 6 admissions per day
16-29 age group has dominated the caseload for the past two weeks Nolan says, adding that the cohort is "largely unvaccinated"
He says that the dynamic combination of social mixing and increased levels of vaccination is expected to move Covid-19 to "plateau" in the coming weeks
"It is primarily at the moment a disease of young, unvaccinated adults," Nolan says
He says that in terms of growth levels "Ireland is in the middle, where you don't want to be, where cases are both high and growing quickly"
Nolan says they don't know how large the peak will be, "somewhere between 2,000 and 5,000 cases per day, closer to 2,000 as we currently stand". Cases in ICU will be in the region of 150 at that stage, he says
"In conclusion, the incidence rate is high, growth rate is uncertain," he says. 80% of the adult population is vaccinated, we're between 4 and 6 weeks away from reaching maximum population protection
Tony Holohan is asked whether all restrictions are likely to be gone by Christmas, as suggested by Stephen Donnelly earlier. Answer is not particularly positive. "We have no basis to say anything other than we expect incidences to grow," he says.
"It's simply not right for us to express such optimism at present," Holohan says. Adds that they'll have a better idea of where we stand in 4-6 weeks. "We need to keep going with vaccination," he says
"Regarding the scenes of people massing outside Croke Park on Sunday last, Holohan says "People are well aware of what constitutes appropriate socialisation and engagement"
The CMO says that if you're not vaccinated you shouldn't be going anywhere near the All Ireland final in two weeks. He adds that advice applies to any large gathering, not just the GAA
Asked about the fact there are currently 3 paediatric ICU beds free ahead of unvaccinated children returning to school on Friday, Nolan says it's a "big leap" to go from schools reopening to ICU beds for children
Repeats well worn line about children not being major transferrers of the virus. "The real challenge is to look after adults," he says.
Asked once more about restrictions being done away with by Christmas, Holohan says he hopes "we'll get there sooner than that", but it depends on how well the country does in matching NPHET's criteria before then
Asked if he'd concede there is a disparity between 40k people at the All Ireland and the events sector remaining unopened, Holohan says "check back and you'll see" that NPHET has never advised against live events
Instead it has provided advice on how outdoor and indoor gatherings can be staged. Neat trick that
Interesting, asked to clarify that he had said it is not the right time to be saying restrictions will be gone by Christmas, Holohan appears taken aback, and seeks to clarify
"I don't think I said that. Did I? Let me clarify, now is not the time to say that we've gotten to where we want to get to, but we have reason to believe that we'll get to the levels of vaccination that we want to get to."
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