Search icon

News

22nd Jul 2021

Delta poses “huge risk” to Ireland’s Covid-19 vaccine progress, warns HSE chief

Stephen Porzio

Four out of five adults in Ireland are now partially vaccinated against the virus.

The more transmissible Delta variant of Covid-19 poses a “huge risk” to Ireland’s vaccine progress, HSE CEO Paul Reid has warned.

His comments come after 1,378 cases of the virus were reported on Wednesday. Of the cases, 96 were in hospital and 22 were in intensive care units.

Tánaiste Leo Varadkar said yesterday that Ireland is “without a doubt” well into a “fourth wave” of the Covid-19 pandemic.

In a tweet on Thursday morning, Reid wrote that Ireland has administered 5.34 million vaccine doses, with 66% of adults in Ireland now fully vaccinated and 80% partially.

However, he added: “Delta poses a huge risk to this progress but one that we can meet head-on.

“Let’s aim to support our healthcare workers having a manageable August. One that they all deserve.”

All those 18 and over can now register to receive an mRNA vaccine.

Earlier in the week, Health Minister Stephen Donnelly said Ireland’s vaccination programme is “ahead of schedule and continues to perform really well”.

“Huge thanks to our vaccination teams and volunteers in vaccination centres,” he added.

LISTEN: You Must Be Jokin’ with Conor Sketches | Tiger Woods loves Ger Loughnane and cosplaying as Charles LeClerc