Tag Archives: Covid-19

ON Wednesday healthcare company RocDoc launched an antibody testing service at Shannon Airport. The testing can determine whether or not an individual has developed an immunity to Covid-19 either through a vaccine or through contracting Covid-19 previously. As well as being able to test whether a vaccine has worked, it can also show whether or not an individual has a strong or weak immunity to Covid. Results arrive within 72 hours of the test taking place. Roc Doc Chief Executive David Rock said, “The test itself is different to the other antibody tests that are on the market, there’s a number of point of care ones, they kind of look like a pregnancy test and they can give you results within an hour. The one that we’re releasing here now is one that actually goes to a laboratory, an offsite accredited independent laboratory. It’ll give you a number, a quantitative number. With other tests they tell you the antibodies are …

A QUIN man, who has terminal cancer, is to receive his Covid-19 vaccination on Friday and has urged the government do all it can to avoid any repeat of the Beacon Hospital row. John Wall spoke out on the national airwaves over the weekend, following revelations that left-over vaccine doses were administered by the private hospital to some of the staff of a fee-paying school in Wicklow. “I didn’t expect the item to get the time or traction that it did on the Saturday show with Katie Hannon,” said Mr Wall who has stage four prostate cancer. “To be able to put questions and react to the comments of a junior minister was a real, real bonus in terms of highlighting the frustration and anger of those who in Cohort 4 and in 4A, who are really seriously ill, and who cannot get clarity on when or where they will get a vaccine.” Mr Wall said the Beacon story left …

ENNIS-based Retail Excellence has issued an angry response to the time-frame for the return of non-essential retail services. Duncan Graham described his organisations 2,000 members as being “deeply shocked and disappointed” at the government’s decision to defer the return of non-essential retail and Click and Collect services, which enable shoppers to order online and to pick up their goods in-store. Earlier this week, Retail Excellence had launched a campaign advocating strongly for the return of click and collect services from next week. The group argued that, given the change in the seasons and the urgent need for families of small children to be able to buy clothing and shoes, that limited services should be allowed to return immediately. There was huge alarm in the retail sector at Tuesday night’s announcement on the phased easing of lockdown. Taoiseach Micheál Martin, made it clear that that Click and Collect services will not resume until early May, with most ‘non-essential’ in-person retailing likely …

THE first Clare patients will be treated in the new Outpatients’ Department (OPD) for Ennis Hospital from today (Monday). With a total floor space of 1,300 square metres, the new OPD in Ennis has 15 clinical rooms, in addition to a phlebotomy bay, four waiting areas, offices and staff changing rooms. The new department, which has an equipping allocation of €900,000 for 2021, will allow for the relocation of services such as cardiac rehabilitation and, later this year, radiology and general x-ray. All activity in the OPD is scheduled and operates on an appointment-only basis. Situated at Westpoint Retail Park on the Kilrush Road, the new department will initially house the services currently based in Ennis Hospital, and also allow for the expansion of outpatient services into the future and a better patient experience. Greater capacity, in addition to facilities that are future-proofed with ongoing advances in telehealth, will assist with efforts to reduce waiting periods and manage waiting lists. …

SERIOUS anti social behaviour is now a grave problem right in the middle of Ennis, according to a number of traders in the O’Connell Street area this week. Several of them told the Clare Champion that preventing traffic from accessing the area has turned it into a haven for problematic behaviour, with violence, drug taking, alcohol abuse and public urination all rife at the moment. Last weekend a video of a fight just in front of the O’Connell monument was widely viewed on social media, and several of the traders said that such incidents are relatively common now. Despite being frustrated at what they say is happening around the most prominent street in Clare, several of the traders complimented the efforts of the Gardai. However they are very critical of the Council for persisting with pedestrianisation of the area, claiming that it is unlikely to make any difference to the spread of Covid, while it has led to a serious …

INCREASED traffic on roads across Clare has been reported by Gardaí, but general compliance levels with Level 5 restrictions are said to be relatively good. As the country comes to the end of a third straight month at the highest lockdown level, Superintendent John Galvin said that while movement beyond 5km is increasing, a lot of it is down to the return to school, as well as the distances that Clare people normally travel for essential work reasons. “We are certainly seeing a rise in the number of people on the roads at the moment,” the Kilrush-based superintendent said. “A certain level of that is down to the reopening of schools and overall people’s compliance is quite good. If you think about someone living in Kilrush and working in Ennis, if they’re an essential worker, they have to travel well beyond the 5km.” Superintendent Galvin said that fears over large-scale house parties around St Patrick’s Day weren’t realised. “Overall, it …

MORE than 17,000 first doses of vaccines against Covid-19 have been delivered by vaccinators in the Mid-West, according to official figures. The UL Hospitals’ Group vaccination programme resumed administering the AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine at the Mid-West Vaccination Centre in the Radisson Blu on Sunday, March 21. Up to close of business on Sunday March 21st, ovaccinators had delivered a total of 17,167 first doses, and 5,248 second doses of Covid-19 vaccine. The group’s Vaccination Programme has been rolled out to healthcare workers across the Mid-West, including staff from the group, HSE Mid-West Community Healthcare, the National Ambulance Service, and staff and residents of some nursing home facilities. It has also included patients at very high risk of illness associated with Covid-19, of whom some 699 received their Dose 1 vaccinations on Sunday. Colette Cowan, Chief Executive Officer, UL Hospitals’ Group, said staff are privileged to be part of this mass vaccination programme and noted it is a great boost to …

THE government has been urged to develop a long term strategy to deal with Covid-19 and ease stringent restrictions to allow people meet safely outdoors. That’s the view of Deputy Michael McNamara, who believes the government must outline a plan to allow people to meet each other in the open air, while employing social distancing, and provide some outdoor hospitality services. The East Clare Deputy has been informed by former Senator Billy Lawless, who runs restaurants in Chicago, that outdoor dining was possible in very cold conditions in the USA, which illustrated this could be replicated in Ireland during the Spring. He said most bars, restaurants and hotels would be able to work safely outdoors if they were given the opportunity to do so. “People have been cooped up for a very long time now. At what point do will allow people to live because if we don’t ease up, people will just crack? “A lot of what happened during …