The Health Protection Surveillance Centre has today been notified of 892 confirmed cases of Covid-19.
As the Irish Examiner reports, it marks the lowest daily figure reported since July 14th when 783 cases were recorded, followed by 994 cases being recorded on July 15th.
As of 8am today, 333 Covid-19 patients are hospitalised, of which 64 are in ICU.
The five-day moving average is 1,172.
The @hpscireland has today been notified of 892* confirmed cases of #COVID19.
As of 8am today, 333 COVID-19 patients are hospitalised, of which 64 are in ICU.
The five day moving average is 1,172.— Department of Health (@roinnslainte) October 4, 2021
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It comes as the European Union’s drug regulator has given its backing to booster shots of the Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine for people aged 18 and older.
The European Medicines Agency said the booster doses “may be considered at least six months after the second dose for people aged 18 years and older”.
The agency’s human medicines committee issued the recommendation after studying data for the Pfizer vaccine that showed a rise in antibody levels following boosters given around six months after the second dose in people aged from 18 to 55.
The agency also said it supports giving a third dose of either the Pfizer-BioNTech or the Moderna vaccine to people with severely weakened immune systems at least 28 days after their second shot.
They said its decision came after studies showed that an extra dose of the vaccines increased people’s ability to produce antibodies against the virus that causes Covid-19 in organ transplant patients with weakened immune systems.
“Although there is no direct evidence that the ability to produce antibodies in these patients protected against Covid-19, it is expected that the extra dose would increase protection at least in some patients,” the agency said in a statement.
The recommendations go to health authorities in all 27 EU member states. Some countries already have begun administering booster shots.
