IRELAND IS on course for a major drop-off in Covid-19 hospital admissions.
That’s according to the National Public Health Emergency Team who say admissions could drop to as low as 250 in less than a month.
It comes during a week in which Ireland recorded no new Covid-19 deaths in a 24 hour period for the first time in 2021.
The current number of Covid-19 hospital admissions in Ireland stands at 813.
NPHET estimates that figure could fall to just 200 by March 1 if the country continues on its current trajectory.
Speaking to FM104, Professor of Medicine at UCD, Dr. Jack Lambert, warned that the reopening of society would likely have an impact and some caution would be required.
"We need to make sure that we have all of our ducks in a row in the community in each of the settings that we're opening up,” he said.
"Because otherwise I think the virus will continue to transmit and we'll end up back in lockdown."
The recovery efforts could receive a significant boost if the game-changing single-dose Johnson and Johnson vaccine wins approval from the European Medicines Agency next month.
Like the AstraZeneca vaccine, the Johnson and Johnson jab does not need to be stored at extra-low temperatures, making transportation and distribution easier.
The company has submitted data and is now awaiting approval from the EMA, following positive results in several clinical trials.
Former HSE head Tony O’Brien believes the arrival of the vaccine could see Ireland returning to normal ahead of schedule.
"The speed at which it can be deployed and the pace at which we'll get vaccinated if this is approved will double.”
Ireland reported 744 new cases of coronavirus in the past 24 hours, along with 33 deaths.
