Chair of Comparative Immunology at Trinity College Dublin has said the university will be lit up in red tonight in support of a campaign that students are mounting to promote equal access to vaccines.
Speaking on RTÉ's Today with Claire Byrne programme, Professor Cliona O'Farrelly said: "It is interesting what is happening in the pharmaceutical industry and Ireland really should be taking leadership in this and making sure that the pharma companies, while they have absolutely contributed significantly to where we are at at the moment, we need a worldwide solution."
She said it is encouraging that Covid case numbers are falling but caution is still needed.
"This virus Omicron is just all over the place and while the vast majority are getting over it quickly because of the vaccines there are still people who are going to get very sick. So that is the worry. A small proportion of a very large number is still significant."
She said 50% in hospitals with Covid are unvaccinated and also warned that the virus is also "still all over the world".
"We are doing particularly well here in Ireland but the virus is roaming around the place and we need to be keeping our eye on that. We just don't know what the next stage will be."
