Record 13,765 Covid cases confirmed as portal to book booster opens for people aged 30-39

This is the highest number of cases recorded in a single day during the pandemic, eclipsing Friday’s record total of 11,182 by more than 2,500 cases.

As of 8am this morning, there are 378 people in hospital with the virus and 87 people in ICU with Covid-19.

“In anticipation of large volumes of case numbers over the coming period the daily case number announced will be based on positive SARS-CoV-2 results uploaded to the HSE COVID Care Tracker the preceding day,” the Department of Health confirmed.

People aged 30-39 can book an advance appointment for a Covid-19 booster from today, the HSE has announced.

The online booking portal opened for appointments for this age group on Christmas Day morning but over-30s can only begin to receive their booster on Wednesday, December 29.

Mass vaccination centres across the country are closed Christmas Day and St Stephen’s Day but vaccinators will resume work on the over-40s, healthcare workers and people with underlying conditions on Monday, December 27.

Close to 2m people have now received a third dose, with 1,984,818 doses administered as of Christmas Eve.

Public health officials have asked the public to maintain small social circles and socialise in well ventilated rooms in the coming days as the incidence of Covid-19 is so high in the community.

Ireland’s 14-day national incidence rate is 1,483.4 cases per 100,000 people as of Christmas Eve.

Test centres continue to struggle to cope with demand and as of 12pm on Christmas Day, there were no available tests for Christmas Day and St Stephen’s Day in the entire country.

The HSE have previously said test appointments may become available once appointments are released back into the system.

Twenty-five test centres will operate over the next two days and 36 tests centres will reopen as normal on Monday, December 27.