Hospitals suspend elective care due to Covid pressures, HSE chief confirms

Hospitals are suspending elective care amid growing pressure on the health system from Covid-19, the HSE chief has said.

Today (January 4), Paul Reid said that it remained unclear when Ireland would reach the peak of the current wave of the virus.

The Omicron variant has caused record numbers of cases in the country over recent days.

Mr Reid said that hospitals would be suspending elective care, due to growing pressure from Covid-19.

“Many hospitals were already suspending elective care with the pressures they’re under,” he said.

Confirming that the HSE will rely on the help of some private hospitals, he told RTÉ radio: “The reality of it is we will have to suspend, in many cases, elective care.”

That decision, he said, will be monitored over the next two weeks.

The growing pressure is mirrored in the Covid-19 testing system.

This afternoon, teaching unions will meet with the Education Minister to discuss the reopening of schools.

Government ministers have insisted that despite the high case numbers, schools would reopen as normal on Thursday (January 6). 

Government party leaders are also meeting to discuss the latest Covid-19 situation, following the festive period.

The Association of Secondary Teachers in Ireland (ASTI) has called for a staggered approach to the reopening of schools, given the high level of the virus in the community.

General secretary Kieran Christie said today that there could be “chaos” in some schools in the days to come without some kind of review and revision, given the threat posed by the Omicron variant.

The union wants HEPA filters and medical-grade masks to be made available in schools.

Green Party junior minister, Pippa Hackett, said today she did not believe there would be chaos once schools return.

“It’s a fearful term and I wouldn’t like to think that there will be chaos on Thursday,” she said.

“I think the overall agreement and acceptance is that we really want to do everything we can to get kids back to school and at this moment in time they will be returning to school this week.”

Asked on RTÉ radio about calls for new protective measures for teachers and pupils, she said that the Government had always listened to public health advice.

She said she hoped that the meeting between trade unions and the Department of Education would deliver clarity later on. 

“I think children have been safe in schools up until now and I think they will continue to be safe in schools.”