Updated / Wednesday, 17 Mar 2021
17:53
The number of Covid-19 outbreaks fell last week, including a marked reduction in the number seen in private houses
The Department of Health has been notified of 557 further cases of Covid-19, while 17 further deaths have been recorded.
The number in ICU stands at 83, which is down five from yesterday.
Nine of the deaths announced today occurred this month, while four occurred last month, and another four in January or earlier. Those who died ranged in age from 51 to 94.
There have now been 4,566 Covid-19 deaths in Ireland overall, with a cumulative total of 228,215 cases.
Of today s cases, 74% were under the age of 45, with a median age of 29.
The vaccine of US-based Novavax, a prime contender for use in India, has shown 89.3 per cent efficacy in phase 3 clinical trials conducted in the UK. Its Indian partner, Serum Institute of India (SII), has applied to the regulator to conduct bridge trials here, and is planning to start manufacturing soon in the country. The Nasdaq-listed, company said its vaccine candidate NVX-Co-V2373 had met the primary endpoint. The trial has assessed its efficacy during a period with high transmission and with a new UK strain of the virus. It was conducted in partnership with the British government’s vaccine taskforce. Novavax said the phase 2b trials conducted in South Africa were successful, too.
);
);
Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly has announced provision for the delivery and funding of the Medicinal Cannabis Access Programme.
“The Budget in October 2020 saw an extra €4 billion added to the Health Budget. This increase is indicative of how determined we in Government are to fund an expansion of, and improvements in, our health and social care services, said Minister Donnelly.
“One of the improvements in our health services that will benefit from this extra funding is the Medicinal Cannabis Access Programme, which has been added to the HSE Service Plan for 2021. The purpose of this programme is to facilitate compassionate access to cannabis for medical reasons, where conventional treatment has failed. It follows the clear pathway laid out by the Health Products Regulatory Authority in their expert report
Updated: 18 Jan 2021, 21:34
LIKE all medicines, the Covid-19 vaccine can cause some side effects, most of which health chiefs say are mild to moderate.
In Ireland there have been 81 reports of suspected side effects after the Covid jab so far - but what should you expect after getting the injection?
3
3
3
Dr Nolan said there have been 81 reports of suspected Covid-19 vaccine side effects so farCredit: PA MEDIA
According to the HPRA chief executive Dr Lorraine Nolan, since the first doses of the Covid-19 jab were administered in Ireland, there have been a relatively small number of reported side effects.
Speaking at a Department of Health briefing, Dr Nolan said up until January 11 the HPRA received 81 reports of suspected side effects associated with the Pfizer/BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine. While over 75,000 individuals have received the jab.
It’s widely known Nphet is run by a bunch of men in suits, so I was surprised this week to discover it’s not true.
In fact, the National Public Health Emergency Team has a gender balance so equal it could be run by Justin Trudeau.
Nphet is repeatedly held up as a boys’ club – evidenced by the fact we only see the “male face” of Tony and Ronan and Paul on the telly. They’re the ones running the country, they’re all male, and so it’s proof we live in a patriarchy. It seemed an aberration, considering there are as many women as men now in medicine.