14-day Covid rate in Tipperary continues to drop; AZ vaccinations to begin today

Photo © HSE. Moyle Rovers drive-thru Coronavirus testing centre.

Tipperary’s 14-day Covid-19 incidence rate is now the sixth lowest in the country.

Five new cases were reported in the Premier County last night, bringing the fortnightly rate to 219 cases per 100,000 people.

That’s higher only than neighbouring counties Clare and Kilkenny, as well as Leitrim, Kerry and Roscommon.

Covid-19 hospitalisations also continue to decrease. There are 59 people with the virus receiving treatment at University Hospital Limerick, and 29 at South Tipp General in Clonmel. The HSE doesn’t release specific hospitalisation figures for Nenagh Hospital.

The first doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine are to be administered to healthcare workers from today.

21,600 doses of the vaccine arrived into the country on Saturday, less than the 35,000 promised. The AstraZeneca vaccine has been ruled out for use on people over 65.

Meanwhile, people over 85 will begin to receive the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines from GPs a week from today.