‘Lockdowns’ a thing of the past – Taoiseach
The Taoiseach has moved to quell fears, but drew short of completely ruling out future lockdown-type situations, as the number of new Covid cases trends above 3,000 new cases per day.
Speaking at the commemoration event in Cavan last week, Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin said the country is in a “much different position” to where it was last year, praising the “powerful impact” vaccinations have had on limiting the effect of the virus on people.
“That means we will obviously be managing and containing the virus this year much differently than last year. The booster campaign is well underway now with over 60 year olds, and also in the context of healthcare workers, and the widespread use of testing and tracing,” he told the Celt.
He also welcomed progress on the development of therapeutic anti-virals coming forward for authorisation. “That is the direction of travel in terms of managing COVID-19. The key issue will be to reduce and contain the impact of the virus in terms of hospitalisations and our health service.”
Drawing comparisons to HIV, he said it will become the norm that a combination of medicines will “enable society” to cope with the pressures of Covid going forward.
The Taoiseach said NPHET predictions were that Covid cases could reach their “peak” by the end of November. Given the high numbers of new confirmed cases, the Taoiseach shied from giving his opinion on potential “stabilisations”.
Lockdowns however he continued was a “phrase” best ascribed to the earlier stages of the pandemic.
“The fact we are so heavily vaccinated, at 93%, does give us a lot of protection. In fact, if we didn’t have the vaccination programme, we would be in lockdown. The fact we now have the booster programme coming on stream, and in operation as we speak, that’s going to give protection as well against mortality and against admissions to ICU,” said the Taoiseach.
Vaccines for under 12s is another issue “on the agenda” to be decided in the coming weeks, and the Taoiseach concluded by appealing to anyone not yet vaccinated to avail of one, and to come forward when called for the booster dose. “The booster does significantly enhance protection against the virus,” he said.
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