The head of Ireland’s health service has urged residents to avoid crowded places such as shops. Tony Holohan’s warning comes on St Stephen’s Day, the national holiday in Ireland after Christmas Day, when many shops traditionally have sales. Holohan already gave the advice before Christmas not to enter people from other households to meet.
In Ireland, the number of corona infections is increasing rapidly. The contagious omikron variant of the virus is now dominant there. On December 24, the country had the highest number of infections in one day, with 13,765 infections: more than twice as many as four days earlier. The number of hospital admissions is currently at its lowest level since October. But the Irish government expects this number to rise again in the coming days.
The Irish government has restricted the opening hours of bars and restaurants and closed nightclubs. But no official restrictions have yet been imposed on shops, apart from the obligation to wear face masks. “It is important that we all limit our contacts and avoid crowded places as much as possible,” Holohan emphasized. “And if you have yet to get a booster dose of the Covid-19 vaccine, take every possible precaution to protect yourself until you qualify.”
More than 90 percent of all Irish people over the age of 12 have been fully vaccinated, which is one of the highest vaccination rates in Europe.
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