CMO Warns Restrictions Could Be Reintroduced, Should Case Numbers Spiral.

Wednesday, 15 September 2021 09:23

File image: CMO Dr. Tony Holohan/RollingNews

Dr. Tony Holohan is appearing before the Oireachtas Health Committee today.

The Chief Medical Officer's warning the reintroduction of Covid-19 restrictions cannot be ruled out.

Dr. Tony Holohan will tell the Oireachtas Health Committee, on which sits Kildare North Fine Gael TD Bernard Durkan, that new measures "may be required in the future", despite high vaccination rates.

He'll tell TD's and Senators the trajectory of the disease remains uncertain, and so an "agile" response will be needed.

Prof. Philip Nolan, President of Maynooth University and Chair of NPHET's Modelling Advisory Group, will also appear.

1,181 new cases were confirmed yesterday, while 275 Covid patients were in hospital last night, 60 of which are in ICU.

Chair of the Irish Medical Organisation's GP sub-committee, Dr. Denis McCauley, believes a scenario of further restrictions is an unlikely one:

The Health Committee will get a Covid-19 update from @CMOIreland Dr Tony Holohan, Dr Ronan Glynn @ronan_glynn, Prof Philip Nolan @President_MU and NIAC chair Prof Karina Butler at a meeting in Leinster House tomorrow #seeforyourself https://t.co/HnqmngK7EW pic.twitter.com/q6ihYf8cS3
— Houses of the Oireachtas - Tithe an Oireachtais (@OireachtasNews) September 14, 2021

A member of the Oireachtas Health Committee has called for a greater use of antigen testing going forward.

Social Democrats co-leader Roisin Shortall believes it would help control the spread of the virus.

Deputy Shortall says she will be pressing the CMO on why antigen testing isn't used alongside PCR tests

Watch live here:

#OieachtasTV - Watch LIVE as the Joint Committee on Health meets for a NPHET Update on Covid-19 with representatives from the National Public Health Emergency Team and the National Immunisation Advisory Committee #seeforyourself https://t.co/OM4LMB9ODv https://t.co/SdYFduxFLx
— Houses of the Oireachtas - Tithe an Oireachtais (@OireachtasNews) September 15, 2021

Tánaiste Leo Varadkar has said he doesn't believe severe restrictions will be needed:
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