OVER 94 percent of persons aged twelve and older are fully vaccinated in Co Clare.
Director of Public Health Mid-West, Dr Mai Mannix has said the region is “among the leaders in vaccine uptake in Europe and the world”.
In Clare, 94% of people aged 12 and older are fully-vaccinated; over 95% in Limerick in the same age cohort are fully-vaccinated, and Tipperary is in the region of 96%.
Reflecting on the past twelve months, Dr Mannix recalled, “This time last year, many believed the worst of COVID-19 had been behind us following the pandemic’s first and second wave. The third wave in January 2021, as we know, was extremely difficult for everyone and what ensued was one of the greatest tests on our country, our health service, and ourselves”.
She praised the public for how it has handled the “challenging period”. Dr Mannix stated, “We adapted well and led by example when society returned in spring. Parents, teachers, and children proved to be among the most resilient since the return to the classroom. Young people who missed out on the quality college and university experience for over a year continued to show leadership in protecting their families and loved ones in times of crisis. Our frontline workers, across all agencies and authorities, persevered in their pursuit to protect us all”.
Although she praised the vaccination uptake in the Mid-West, Dr Mannix flagged, “Breakthrough infections among fully-vaccinated can still happen though, and serious illness and death can still occur among our most vulnerable. Booster doses will help prevent serious outcomes and protect ourselves and each other from the emerging threat of the Omicron variant. Personal circumstances, views and misinformation, are among the many factors why some have yet to be fully vaccinated. If you are unsure, speak to your local GP or a trusted healthcare professional, and read reliable and trusted sources, such as the HSE website.
“And while many of us have the protection of full-vaccination and booster for this Christmas, we must still be mindful of our elderly, most vulnerable, and those with chronic diseases. We can mitigate the risk together by following straight forward measures; try to reduce social activity and your social contacts as much as possible in the coming days before meeting with loved ones for the Christmas break, avoid gatherings if you are feeling unwell or even have mild symptoms, isolate and get a PCR test if you have symptoms, wear a mask, keep a distance if possible and open a window if indoors”.
To assist the Department of Public Health Mid-West to do their job, she appealed to the public to remain on their guard. “2022 will be a different year, and a year where we move forward in a positive direction together”.
