Latest data on the Omicron variant have offered a "glimmer of hope" that the virus may not be nearly as deadly as the Delta strain.
The head of the UK Health Security Agency has said there is “a glimmer of Christmas hope” in data, suggesting a person with Omicron Covid is “50 to 70% less likely to be admitted to hospital” than a person with the Delta.
Someone with Omicron is also 31% to 45% less likely to attend A&E compared to Delta, the UKHSA said.
UKHSA chief executive Dr Jenny Harries warned despite the data released last night, there is a “really fine balance”.
She said the apparent lower risk of serious disease was “great news” - but Omicron was also “a highly transmissible variant that evades some of our immune defences”.
In Ireland, Omicron is now the dominant variant with close to 25,000 cases confirmed in the last 24 hours alone.
On Friday, Dr Ronan Glynn, the Deputy Chief Medical Officer, issued a "difficult" message to the public as he listed five things people can do to avoid contracting or transmitting Covid over the festive season.
He said in a thread on Twitter: "Incidence of #COVID19 is now increasing across all age groups. Here are 5 things you can do to keep yourself and your loved ones as safe as possible.
"1. If you have even mild symptoms of a cold or flu then isolate and stay away from others.
"2. If someone in your household has a positive antigen or PCR test, everyone should restrict movements - do not meet up with others.
"3. Anyone who has arrived from overseas should do daily antigen tests for 5 days. If a test detects virus or if they develop any symptoms (regardless of a test result) they should isolate immediately and book a PCR test.
"4. Given the level of virus now circulating, you should assume that you or those you meet are potentially infectious. Therefore, avoid crowds or poorly ventilated spaces, wear a mask, keep distance and keep your bubble as small as possible.
"5. Be especially careful if meeting older or vulnerable people. If you have met with lots of people this week, do not put others at risk. This is a difficult message at this time but is important if we are to keep each other safe."
