As the National Public Health Emergency Team reported 1,571 new cases, the Chief Medical Officer said that there is an "extremely high incidence" of the virus circulating in communities.
Here are five takeaways from the latest NPHET briefing on Covid-19:
16-29 age group 'dominates' case counts
Professor Philip Nolan said NPHET is seeing very high incidences of the virus in adults and teenagers aged 16-29.
He said that people in this age group have "dominated" case counts over the last period of time and that they are largely not fully vaccinated.
The briefing also heard that the incidence rate of the virus in children is similar to middle-aged vaccinated adults.
Prof Nolan said data suggests that children under 12 are less susceptible to infection than older adolescents and adults.
People aged 16-29 have 'dominated' #Covid19 case counts in recent times, Professor Philip Nolan, Chair of the NPHET Irish Epidemiological Modelling Advisory Group says, while the data suggest children under 12 are less susceptible to Covid infection | https://t.co/SjjVx0oTz0 pic.twitter.com/riKyCTep68
— RTÉ News (@rtenews) August 24, 2021
Covid mainly a disease of young, unvaccinated adults - Nolan
The NPHET briefing heard that Covid-19 is "predominantly a disease of young unvaccinated adults".
"The message that comes from that," he said, "is to get the vaccine, get the second dose of the vaccine and then wait the seven to 14 days to allow the vaccine to become fully effective."
Prof Nolan said over 70% of the 1,571 cases reported today are in unvaccinated or partially vaccinated people.
#Covid19 is now 'predominantly a disease of young unvaccinated adults' Professor Philip Nolan, Chair of the NPHET Irish Epidemiological Modelling Advisory Group, says. Over 70% of cases reported today are in unvaccinated or partially vaccinated people | https://t.co/SjjVx0oTz0 pic.twitter.com/B1fVBcoOCn
— RTÉ News (@rtenews) August 24, 2021
Peak of Delta wave expected next month, says NPHET
Prof Nolan said NPHET has a high degree of certainty that given the levels of vaccination that will be achieved next month, that they will reach a peak in September.
He said the modelling suggests "we should soon reach the peak of the current wave of infections caused by the Delta variant".
At the briefing, Prof Nolan said how big that peak is depends on two things that are very "profoundly uncertain" - the level of social contact over August and September, which he says we should keep low, but also the degree to which children are susceptible to and transmit this virus.
Prof Nolan said the incidence of the virus is high across all counties, with over 1,800 cases a day on average and a 14-day incidence of over 500 per 100,000.
#Covid19 incidence is 'high across all counties', Professor Philip Nolan says, with rates especially high in border counties | https://t.co/SjjVx0oTz0 pic.twitter.com/fxuoy8ax8U
— RTÉ News (@rtenews) August 24, 2021
Holohan: Unvaccinated people should not go to large events
The Chief Medical Officer said that unvaccinated people should not go to large events because the incidence of the disease is too high and the protection from mass vaccination has not fully been reached.
Dr Tony Holohan was responding to questions about the All Ireland Hurling final at Croke Park at the weekend.
"We'd like to see those events confined to those who are vaccinated," he said, adding "if not vaccinated don't go to events of this scale".
He said that he was not just talking about GAA games, but any large outdoor event of that scale.
Vaccines very effective against Delta variant
In relation to new variants of Covid-19, Dr Cillian De Gascun said that NPHET is continuing to monitor what is in circulation and "there's nothing at this point that is causing undue concern".
Dr De Gascun, who is the Director of the UCD National Virus Reference Laboratory, said that the Delta variant seems to have a significant transmissibility advantage over anything else they have seen to date.
He said that at the moment, Delta is very transmissible but the vaccines are very effective against it.
Dr De Gascun said that the risk of a new variant emerging is greater the longer we leave large swathes of the global population without a vaccine.
The key is that as many people worldwide get vaccinated as soon as possible, he said.
On other variants of #Covid19, @CillianDeGascun says 'There's nothing in particular at this point that is causing undue concern. Delta seems to have a significant transmissibility advantage over pretty much everything else that we've seen to date' | https://t.co/SjjVx0oTz0 pic.twitter.com/24lGcUsuqS
— RTÉ News (@rtenews) August 24, 2021
