There have been 21,384 further cases of Covid-19 confirmed in Ireland today by the National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET).

The Department of Health says there are now 984 people in hospital, of which 83 are in ICU.

Yesterday, pharmacies urged customers to order medicine in advance due to a large number of staff absences.

Up to 15,000 HSE healthcare staff are off sick because of the virus.

Meanwhile, Professor Luke O'Neill has shared more positive news about the end of the pandemic.

Speaking to the Irish Mirror, O'Neill told how he believes 2022 will be the year we get back to normal.

He said: “By the time we get to March and April, it will be a different story entirely – watch.

“Because this is a seasonal virus, once we come into the spring, the counts will start to fall and the boosters will have worked, for definite.

"New anti-viral treatments will be approved in February and that will be a huge weapon.

“We know a lot about this virus now – for heaven’s sake, it’s been almost two years. We have a heavily vaccinated population, which is brilliant, with a strong booster to sustain protection.

“When you put it all together, by the time we get to St Patrick’s Day, the virus will have gone away almost from Ireland, it will seem to be in the background.”

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