1,292 new Covid-19 cases reported in Ireland as virus hospitalisations stand at 331

54 patients are in intensive care with the virus.

There have been 1,292 new cases of Covid-19 reported in Ireland on Thursday (9 September). The figures released from the Department of Health on Thursday did not contain information regarding deaths related to Covid-19. As of 8am on Thursday, 331 Covid-19 patients are hospitalised, of which 54 are in ICU. The Department of Health said that the daily case numbers may change due to future data validation. https://twitter.com/roinnslainte/status/1435999852777852934 On Wednesday, the department stated there has been a total of 5,155 deaths related to Covid-19 notified in Ireland. Also on Wednesday, Health Minister Stephen Donnelly announced that Ireland has given the green light for Covid-19 vaccine booster shots to be administered to residents aged 65 years and older living in long-term residential care facilities and for those aged 80 years and older living in the community. The update to the country's Covid-19 vaccination programme follows recommendations made by the National Immunisation Advisory Committee (NIAC) to Chief Medical Officer (CMO) Dr Tony Holohan. The CMO subsequently endorsed these recommendations, a statement from the government read. NIAC recommended a booster dose of an mRNA vaccine (Moderna or Pfizer) for those in the two elderly cohorts, regardless of whether they previously received an mRNA or adeno-viral vector vaccine. The booster dose can be given after a minimum interval of six months following completion of the primary vaccination schedule.