The Government was rushing to put in place responses to the expected spread of the Omicron variant of Covid-19 last night as public health officials advised it now accounts for 11 per cent of all infections here.

This represents more than a ten-fold increase in one week, and officials expect cases will rise steeply in the weeks to come, leading to further pressures on hospitals.

Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly said yesterday the gap between the second and third – or booster – dose of Covid vaccines would be cut to three months to accelerate the booster programme.

Hospital Report

Health sources said there was a growing expectation in hospitals they would be hit with a new wave of infections, and they were said to be clearing out patients where possible in anticipation of the influx.

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The State’s public health team, Nphet, is expected to meet on Thursday and Government sources said they expect that Nphet will ask for a “tightening” of restrictions ahead of the Christmas period.

A source said areas which could be explored by the team include hospitality closing times, regulations around home visits and travel restrictions, although the Government has not been given any advance notice of Thursday’s agenda. There is also an expectation the team will appeal to the public to limit their social contacts as the booster campaign continues.

Hundreds of healthcare workers are likely to be redeployed into administering vaccines over the coming weeks under plans being drawn up by the Health Service Executive to accelerate the booster rollout.

Health staff were redeployed from hospitals and community services to help in the vaccine rollout, but most have since returned to their original area of work. Some non-Covid services may have to be cancelled due to the redeployment of staff during the peak winter period, it is expected.

Mass vaccination centres

The opening hours of mass vaccination centres will be extended and boosters may be provided at additional locations as part of the plan to ensure at least 1.5 million people receive a third dose before Christmas.

Most of those aged 30 and over attending vaccination centres will be administered the Moderna vaccine, as the HSE seeks to use up supplies that are nearing expiry.

Moderna accounted for 35 per cent of booster shots administered last week, and the rest were Pfizer. The HSE has over 1 million doses of Moderna due to expire soon, a spokesman confirmed.

More than 1.2 million booster doses have been administered so far, latest figures show; this includes 97,000 third doses to people who are immunocompromised.

There is also a growing impatience within Government about modelling which predicts pessimistic scenarios at a time when there is significant uncertainty about the trajectory of the virus. Recent tensions between Government and Nphet have not abated as Ministers await the outcome of Thursday’s meeting. Government figures believe the Omicron variant will likely peak at some stage in January and that even if symptoms associated with it are mild, it will still put considerable pressure on the health service.

Yesterday, British health secretary Sajid Javid said the Omicron variant was spreading at a "phenomenal rate" and now accounted for about 40 per cent of infections in London. In the UK, the National Health Service has begun to postpone routine surgeries so its booster campaign can be prioritised.

In Northern Ireland, Deputy First Minister Michelle O'Neill said: "We are going to be overwhelmed with this new variant very, very soon."