DEPARTMENT of Public Health officials in the Mid West region have urged people with COVID-19 symptoms to “immediately self-isolate” due to “unprecedented levels of infection across Limerick, Clare and North Tipperary”.
Dr Anne Dee, specialist in public health medicine at the Department of Public Health Mid West, said that people showing even “mild” symptoms should take it that these are “likely be COVID-19, and they “will need to self-isolate to protect other people around you”.
Dr Dee warned that, due to the high transmissibility of the Omicron variant of the virus, “there will be more people with serious disease”, and this is likely to put further pressure on the hospital system.
“If you are awaiting antigen tests or PCR tests while symptomatic, continue self-isolating between seven and 10 days, depending on whether you have had a booster or not, or if you have recovered from COVID-19 in the past three months; it’s important to remember that testing will not stop transmission – isolation will,” Dr Dee said.
Public Health Mid West said that it may not be able to continue to provide complete data on the spread of the virus across the region due to the, “current high volume of cases” been seen presently.
This surge in cases “may result in delays in reporting, meaning that data may not be complete and up-to-date” and that “preliminary analysis shows that we are seeing between 1,100 and 1,500 daily COVID-19 cases across the region, surpassing previous records seen in January 2021 (902 cases on January 2, 2021)”.
“We expect this high level of infection to continue circulating in the community for a number of weeks, which is why we are appealing to the public to significantly reduce social activity,” Public Health Mid West said.
It sad it is “managing and monitoring a significant number of COVID-19 situations across a range of settings, including nursing homes, long-term care facilities, residential care facilities, special education needs facilities, and vulnerable populations”.
The Department urged anyone with symptoms and aged between four and 39 years to “self-isolate, and book a free antigen test through the HSE website, antigen testing must be done three times”.
“If you test negative on all tests and you still have symptoms, self-isolate until you are 48 hours symptom-free.”
“If you awaiting an antigen test or PCR test while symptomatic, presume you have COVID-19, and continue self-isolating for seven (if you have received a booster or have recovered from COVID-19 in the past three months) to 10 (if you have not received a booster) days.”
“If your symptoms continue after 10 days, self-isolate until you are 48 hours symptom-free. Make sure to consult your GP if you are feeling unwell.”
“People who do not have symptoms and test positive on an antigen test should self-isolate and book a PCR test.”
