Covid: 48% feel the worst of the pandemic is behind us
There have been no new Covid-related deaths reported to the Health Protection Surveillance Centre today.
As of midnight on Sunday the HPSC was notified of 437 confirmed cases, bringing the total to 223,651.
They include 10 in Mayo, now with 201 over the past two weeks.
It leaves the county with a 14-day incidence rate of 154 - below the national average of 167.
Mayo's five day moving average stands at 12.
Of the other cases notified today:
216 are men and 218 are women.
71% are under 45 years of age.
The median age is 34 years old.
184 in Dublin, 31 in Limerick, 26 in Donegal, 20 in Galway, 18 in Offaly and the remaining 158 cases are spread across all other counties.
As of 8 a.m. today, 418 Covid-19 patients were hospitalised, 103 in ICU. There have been 20 additional hospitalisations in the past 24 hours.
Numbers of people vaccinated
As of last Friday (March 5), there have been 513,322 doses of Covid-19 vaccine administered in Ireland:
363,601 people have received their first dose
149,721 people have received their second dose.
Dr. Ronan Glynn, Deputy Chief Medical Officer, Department of Health said: "Our Amárach research data shows compliance with the key public health measures remain very high: washing hands regularly (93%), using hand sanitiser (95%), social distancing while in a queue (93%).
"While levels of anxiety (36%) and boredom (38%) are understandably high, it is encouraging to see that a sense of hope continues to rise across the population with 48% of people reporting that they feel the worst of the pandemic is behind us.
"This hope is justified in the context of the continued improvement in the key indicators of the disease and with the ongoing roll-out of the vaccination programme over the coming weeks.
"However, it is vital that this hope does not give way to complacency; across Europe countries are seeing a deteriorating picture and our own disease incidence remains high – we must do all we can to continue to suppress this virus and to ensure that as many people as possible get to benefit from vaccination over the coming months. Keep your guard up and hold firm."
Dr. Cliona Murphy, Chair of the Institute of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists said: "We recommend that everyone of reproductive age should take the Covid-19 vaccine as it becomes available.
"We are aware of misinformation about risks associated with taking vaccines and an impact on fertility.
"There is no evidence that taking any of the vaccines affects a woman’s future ability to conceive or to continue a pregnancy."