Covid-19 case numbers have “stabilised” in recent weeks, says CMO

The Chief Medical Officer has shared some "encouraging" news regarding the virus.

Chief Medical Officer (CMO) Dr Tony Holohan has said Covid-19 case numbers in Ireland have "stabilised somewhat" in recent weeks. The CMO shared some "encouraging" news regarding the virus in a video posted to Twitter on Saturday (2 October). "We're seeing that the number of cases has stabilised somewhat in recent weeks," he said. "But one of the important and encouraging indicators that we've seen is that the incidence in children largely of primary school age between 5 and 12 - which did increase as a result of the significant increase in testing after children in the first week or two returned to primary school - that's fallen right back down as we predicted and expected that it might." He stated this was "exactly" the same pattern as earlier stages of the pandemic. "It continues to show that the school environment, and particularly the classroom environment, is a safe and appropriate environment - that the measures that have been taken in that environment is helping to keep children safe and is helping to preserve and protect the ongoing provision of education which is really encouraging," he added. https://twitter.com/CMOIreland/status/1444258441048911875 The CMO also said that as we head into the winter months and will be spending more time indoors, people need to try to be conscious of the "extra measures" they can take to protect themselves. He urged those who have not received a Covid-19 vaccine yet to do so and said that wearing a face mask was important, particularly in indoor places where you are meeting up with other people that you do not know or live with. Meanwhile, earlier on Saturday, 1,586 new cases of Covid-19 were reported in Ireland. As of 8am on Saturday, 298 Covid-19 patients were hospitalised, of which 56 were in ICU. Main image via Twitter/CMOIreland