This evening's briefing from the National Public Health Emergency Team at the Department of Health heard that there was one additional coronavirus-related death and 520 new cases.
Health officials spoke of a volatility in case numbers and hopes for a summer based on outdoor activities.
Here are five takeaways from the briefing:
Case numbers are volatile
Professor Philip Nolan said there had been progress made week-on-week, but described the current situation as "static" and said the "overall picture is volatile".
He said that over the last few days, there has been a drift upwards in terms of case numbers, with an increase in the five-day moving average. However, he said that it is "too early to say that it is an established trend".
The situation is 'static' with a concern over the case count in the last week, says Prof Philip Nolan. The overall picture is volatile, he says, and there has been a drift upwards in the five-day moving average in the last few days. | Read more: https://t.co/uvtDr7bLax pic.twitter.com/ADHivJLIlG
— RTÉ News (@rtenews) March 22, 2021
The Deputy Chief Medical Officer said that the biggest indicator of where we will be in terms of cases in two weeks time, is based on how people act now.
"If you are mixing with households, please don't," Dr Ronan Glynn said. "If you can work from home but are going to work, please work at home."
Concern over 'possible increase' of case incidence in children
Prof Nolan said it was "quite clear" that there is some concern about a "possible increase" in incidence in children between 0 and 12 years of age, adding that they need to see how that pans out over the coming ten to 14 days.
Dr Glynn said he has received reports from his public health colleagues to say exposure around schools, such as play-dates and socialising going to and from school, are leading to outbreaks.
He said this is in a limited number of circumstances and the vast majority of parents and households are doing the right thing.
There is an increase in Covid-19 cases in children, but very few of them are linked to school outbreaks, says Prof Philip Nolan. | Read more: https://t.co/uvtDr7bLax pic.twitter.com/yP7v124A0U
— RTÉ News (@rtenews) March 22, 2021
24% of cases linked to community transmission
Prof Nolan said they know where two thirds of transmissions are occurring but that 24% are confirmed to be linked to community transmission. "That means they can't track the source of infection," he said.
He said that 11% of cases remain under investigation.
He said the current picture is dominated by a large number of cases within households, and as soon as it gets in, "it is amplified".
Prof Philip Nolan says they do know where the transmission is happening - 60% of cases are happening through close contact with a confirmed case. One-third of those are linked to wider outbreaks while two-thirds are through simple contact. | Read more: https://t.co/uvtDr7bLax pic.twitter.com/KuJt7dtsLS
— RTÉ News (@rtenews) March 22, 2021
Prof Nolan said just under half of outbreaks are in private houses; about 10% are in an extended family; just under 10% are in workplaces; 5% are in complex settings in the community; 5% in childcare; 5% in schools and about 2.5% of the cases associated with outbreaks in Week 10 were associated with religious services.
Hope of a good summer
Dr Glynn said he thinks people can "look forward to a good summer premised on outdoor activities".
He said he is conscious not to give people "false hope" but that if "we can keep this under control, protect the most vulnerable and get the majority of the population somewhat protected, we can be hopeful of an enjoyable summer that is better than what we have had for the last six months."
Any easing of restrictions, he added, is contingent on keeping the virus under control and suppressing another wave.
The trajectory of the disease is going to dictate what our summer will be like, says Dr Ronan Glynn. If we can suppress a fourth wave, he would like to see a summer like last summer, he says, but it depends on what happens in the coming months. | Read: https://t.co/uvtDr7bLax pic.twitter.com/xpTbY43dKf
— RTÉ News (@rtenews) March 22, 2021
A 'bubble' reminder
The idea of a social bubble was brought up at the briefing with Dr Glynn reminding people that there are only certain circumstances that make it acceptable to form one.
He said the idea of a bubble is for "people who are living alone or have care needs or feel particularly isolated" and he reiterated that it " is not a mechanism for general household mixing".
'Bubbling' is meant to be a mechanism for people who live alone, have care needs or feel particularly isolated - it was not meant to become a way for people to generally mix households, says Dr Ronan Glynn. | Read more: https://t.co/uvtDr7bLax pic.twitter.com/Y5u8jD8OIV
— RTÉ News (@rtenews) March 22, 2021
