Two staff members at a nursing home in Co Louth have tested positive for Covid-19 despite being fully vaccinated against the virus.
The cases were detected as part of routine serial testing at Dealgan House nursing home in Dundalk, leading to indoor visits being suspended at the centre.
Both workers received their second doses of the vaccine in February, according to The Irish Times, and neither showed any kind of symptoms.
A statement from the nursing home confirmed all residents have been fully vaccinated, with all second doses vaccines administered there in the first week of February.
Last year, 22 residents of Dealgan House died as a result of an outbreak of the virus.
Health officials have pointed that vaccines are successful in preventing severe outcomes related to Covid-19, such as hospitalisation and death, however people can still test positive for the virus after inoculation.
Studies estimate the overall efficacy of the Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna vaccines to be in the region of 95 per cent, while AstraZeneca is approximately 60 per cent from clinical trials, according to the European Medicines Agency (EMA).
The Johnson & Johnson jab, which is not currently being used in Ireland, but has secured approval from the EMA, has an overall efficacy of 67 per cent.
Due to ongoing Covid-19 restrictions and the rollout of the vaccine among healthcare staff and people resident in longterm care facilities, case numbers in these settings have fallen dramatically.
In the week to April 10th, no new outbreaks of the virus were reported, the first time since last year.
