An Irish doctor has said healthcare workers are “really nervous” about the projections of Covid-19 as we head into the winter months.
Dr Coman O’Loughlin, a consultant doctor at the Mater Hospital in Dublin has said that current forecasts indicate there could be around 1,000 people in hospitals over the next few weeks.
As well as this, health officials are estimating there may also be around 150 in Intensive Care Units across the country as we head into a ‘difficult winter'.
Speaking on RTÉ's Morning Ireland, Dr O'Loughlin said: "That is quite concerning because that will be difficult to cope with in the setting of increased capacity or increased activity across all hospital levels.
"That's been going on over many months, we're going into this not in the best position."
Ireland has been experiencing a surge in hospital and ICU admissions over the last couple of weeks, and it looks as if numbers will continue to rise for the rest of 2021.
As of Tuesday there are 86 people being treated in intensive care units for severe side effects of the virus, which is an increase of 12 from yesterday.
There are 464 people with Covid-19 in hospitals around the country, which is a decrease of nine since yesterday.
According to figures from the latest Health Protection Surveillance Centre report, the 14-day incidence is at 493 cases for every 100,000 people.
Dr O'Loughlin said that although a surge has not been activated yet in hospitals, but it is something that doctors are "really nervous" about.
With most patients needing ICU beds being unvaccinated, NPHET and government officials are calling on anyone who is waiting for their jab, to take one.
Speaking last week, Dr Ronan Glynn, Deputy Chief Medical Officer, Department of Health said: “There has been fantastic uptake of Covid-19 vaccination over recent months.
“Unfortunately, there are still just under 300,000 adults who have not come forward for vaccination and a further 70,000 people have received just one dose of a two-dose schedule.
“The spread of disease in these 370,000 people is having a disproportionate impact on the profile of Covid-19 in our hospitals and intensive care units, with two out of every three people in intensive care not vaccinated.
“Choosing to get vaccinated is an act of protection for yourself – it may save your life - but it is also an act of solidarity with others; the more of us that get vaccinated, the safer we all are.”
