A “rapid” rise in COVID-19, coupled with lagging vaccination rates, has left the mid west region in a “precarious” situation in trying to curb the spread of the virus, a senior public health medicine specialist has said.
Dr Anne Dee, Specialist in Public Health Medicine, the Department of Public Health Mid West, revealed Tuesday, that “the current epidemiological situation in the Mid-West is precarious, as case numbers are increasing rapidly, but vaccination rates are not yet as high as we need them to be”.
The warning comes as almost 3,000 COVID-19 cases were identified in the Limerick, Clare and north Tipperary region over the past eight weeks, an average of 375 cases a week.
Dr Dee urged people in the region to avoid large, high-risk social gatherings as the incidence rate of COVID-19 steadily increased.
As of July 18, the incidence rate in the Mid-West was 148.1 per 100,000 population; 226.3 in Limerick; 81.4 in North Tipperary; and 59.8 in Clare.
On July 17, Public Health Mid-West recorded 58 cases in the region, “which was the highest number of cases in a single day since June 12 (61 cases)” a Department spokesman said.
“Our department continues to be busy with workplaces, as we are investigating COVID-19 situations in 12 workplaces, involving 27 cases and 50 close contacts. The vast majority of these workplaces are retail, hospitality, offices, and factories,” he said.
The Department is also recording an increasing number of “complex cases” which are regarded as COVID-19 cases in settings with potential of outbreak or further transmission, largely due to new cases having multiple exposures.
“This adds extra pressure while we are busy investigating and managing existing outbreaks in the region,” the spokesman said.
As the restrictions on movements continue to ease and with the opening up of indoor dining due in the coming days, Dr Dee offered that “while there are lots of activities we can do, not every activity is safe, particularly for unvaccinated people”.
We are at a crucial stage of the pandemic” she said, but warned, “if you are unvaccinated, it is important that you protect yourself by wearing a mask, keeping a social distance, wash hands frequently, avoiding large crowds and indoor gatherings, and limiting your social contacts”.
“We nearly have enough people vaccinated to achieve a herd immunity among the adult population, but we must remain vigilant, not just for your own sake but for the sake of others, there are vulnerable people out there who can still die from this disease.”
“It is also important to be aware that no vaccine is 100% effective so even those who are fully vaccinated may still become infected,” Dr Dee said.
