It’s a summer wave we want to crash soon. The Covid-19 resurrection may not have ruined the summer, but reappeared in the usual lack of compassion as the country longed for rest after the winter and spring waves.
Two highly infectious forms of the virus are circulating, and despite more field activity, the number of infections is still increasing.
What do you need to know about this surge and when can it end?
Spread faster
Omicron is back in the form of Sublineage BA.4 and BA.5. They are especially good at avoiding the immunity that people get from previous infections. As a result, numerous reinfections have been reported. Antibodies triggered by vaccination are also less effective at blocking these two than early strains of Omicron.
Booster shot
Covid-19 booster shots can restart the body’s immune defense against Covid-19.
So far, the National Immunization Advisory Committee (Niac) has only recommended a second booster shot for people over the age of 65 and immunocompromised.
More than three months after getting a jab, it is believed that its ability to prevent infection is very low.
However, experts believe that the first booster jabs are still well protected by other groups, but it is expected that more people will be replenished in the fall.
The number of patients receiving intensive care with Covid-19 remains stable, at 28 yesterday.
One in five cases of intensive care with Covid itself has not been vaccinated. However, some patients who are fully boosted are also seriously ill.
There is a strong level of protection against severe illness among those who have been vaccinated or have been previously infected.
What is worrisome is the number of people over the age of 65 who are directly hospitalized due to the late intake of Covid-19 and the second booster.
Hospitalization and confusion
The number of Covid-19 patients hospitalized yesterday was 751, an increase of 30 on Monday night, but still 14 less than on Sunday. Admission increased by about 30pc last week.
However, as a result of the virus’s illness, about half are hospitalized and the rest are accidental. However, a significant number of patients are picking up the virus after admission.
There were 317 deaths in March, 332 in April, 92 in May, and nine Covid-related deaths by mid-June.
Infection rate
The percentage of people who test positive after a free HSE PCR test for the last 7 days is about 35.2 pc.
This is an increase from 30.8pc last week. It is difficult to measure the true level of infection. The latest June weekly figures indicate that 10,435 new PCR-positive cases were reported and an additional 13,059 were enrolled after the home antigen test. There are other ways to assess how widespread it is by analyzing wastewater.
The trend is still on the rise, but it will soon peak and is expected to tell a lot next week. There is evidence that cases have peaked at a high rate in Portugal, which was the first in Europe to hit the current surge in May. The number of hospitals is as large as the original Omicron wave. Therefore, it is still unclear how intense it is.
Staff shortage
Some business units, including the hospitality industry, are desperate for staff. The rise of Covid and the need for staff quarantine are another layer of turmoil, including airlines. If you suspect that you have symptoms, it is imperative that you need to self-quarantine up to 48 hours after you go.
Old habit
When it comes to wearing masks, keeping a distance of 2 meters, and letting other habits soak into us for a long time, the trend is on a downtrend.
In the ESRI tracker for behaviors targeted in early June, 6 out of 10 people said they rarely followed these behaviors, which could be even worse since then. The summer holiday season is in full swing and you are less likely to get Covid style during breaks.
Travel between counties has risen to its highest level since January last year, and household visits have skyrocketed.
Return of Face Mask Man Date
Yesterday, it was revealed that an emergency public health law was in place to allow the government to reintroduce mandatory face mask obligations this winter as needed.
As speculated, this wave is a warm-up in the winter surge, and if influenza or other viruses are introduced, obligations could be reinstated, especially on public transport. Masks are most effective when worn by everyone.
covid-19 cut
July marks a new stage in HSE’s response to Covid-19 by reducing contact tracing and closing more vaccination centers. The contact tracing team will stay in Dublin and Cork to serve the country. A team specializing in complex cases is stuck.
With 15 vaccination centers nationwide, there is room for pop-up clinics. Pharmacies and some GPs provide qualified people with access to vaccines. There is also an emergency plan to deploy ambulance service recruits and conduct tests, depending on the condition of the ambulance.
Long Covid
Thankfully, hospitalization for a serious Covid-19 illness isn’t like the worst wave of a pandemic, but it’s unclear what the fallout will be from a long Covid perspective.
There are concerns about repeated waves of viral infections. What does it do for the health of the population? In most cases, the infection goes through and is okay, but many young people, in particular, remain symptomatic for weeks, including fatigue.
The exact number of people affected by long Covid is unknown, but studies show that 10-20% of Covid patients experience prolonged symptoms during the weeks or months after infection. But not all news is tough. New generation vaccines are being developed and these may be here in late fall.