Unvaccinated people ‘Eight Times more likely to Enter an ICU’ due to COVID-19 – Reid October 28, 2021 Unipro2013main Irish News </p> <h2>Unvaccinated people are “eight times more likely to enter an ICU”</h2> <p> Unvaccinated people are “eight times more likely to enter an ICU” with COVID-19 than vaccinated people, HSE CEO Paul Reid has said.<br /> <br /> He says it’s inevitable that COVID-19 is “here with us for some time”, and the aim is for elective surgeries to continue this winter despite the surge in cases.<br /> <br /> The number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 in hospitals remains high, with 470 patients with the virus in Irish hospitals as of 8pm last night.<br /> <br /> There are 101 patients with the virus in ICU, with officials saying 58% of people in intensive care are not fully vaccinated.<br /> <br /> While the hospital numbers dropped slightly yesterday, Mr Reid told Newstalk Breakfast they’re likely to stay around 500 and “most likely grow” over the coming weeks.<br /> <br /> He said there’s “significant pressure” on hospitals – not just from COVID, but also RSV and early indicators of flu.<br /> <br /> He said: “Inevitably with COVID, it’s here with us for some time – there will be hospitalisations, there will sadly be ICU [admissions], and even more sadly there will be mortalities.<br /> <br /> “There’s much debate if we just increase ICU beds it will be better… but that’s not really true.<br /> <br /> “There’s a level to which you can increase your ICU capacity, and still have it constrained by COVID.<br /> <br /> “Any one number of COVID has a disproportionate impact on hospitals. When we say 500 people in hospital, the impact is significantly more than 500 people in hospital – we end up having to close some wards and isolate some individuals.”<br /> <br /> However, he noted health officials want to create awareness and not anxiety about the rise in COVID-19 cases.<br /> <br /> Mr Reid said the health service has to make “clinical judgements” based on the current impact of the virus on hospitals.<br /> <br /> He said the HSE hasn’t had to halt elective care across the board amid the current surge, but several individual hospitals across the country have had to do so.<br /> <br /> He said: “What we’re aiming to do as we face into this winter is continue to the extent we can elective care… and deal with some of the non-COVID issues we’re seeing coming through.<br /> <br /> “We do have to take stock of the benefits we’ve seen from the vaccination programme.<br /> <br /> “We’re seeing hospitals across Europe – particularly in eastern Europe, such as Romania and Hungary – being absolutely overwhelmed because they have a low level of vaccination take-up.”<br /> <br /> Credit to : Newstalk</p> <p> Please support our Sponsors here :
