From top: Revellers prove their vaccine status while queuing for Copper Face Jack’s; Professor Christine Loscher

This afternoon.

“The problem with having a cohort of unvaccinated people for a long time means that the virus gets to do the rounds.

“If you have 75% of the population vaccinated, and that’s a good spread amongst the age groups, the chances of them all mixing at the same time are lower.

“If you’ve got a vaccination rate of 75% in people above a certain age, you still have a lot of people unvaccinated mixing and I think that’s a real playground for viruses.

“While New York has a similar level of vaccination to us, their vaccination is more spread out amongst the population. What I mean by that is that they rolled out vaccines for 12 to 17 year olds way quicker than anywhere else, which means that they took another kind of unvaccinated population out of the picture way quicker than we did.

“We were spending a lot of time up until very recently, with a lot of unvaccinated cohorts, up to the age of 18. The uptake has been generally okay for 12 to 16 year olds, but we’re not quite there yet.”

Prof Christine Loscher, Professor of Immunology at Dublin City University

Anyone?

5 reasons why Ireland’s Covid numbers are still so high (RTÉ)

RollingNews

Meanwhile…

Meanwhile…

HSE CEO Paul Reid at the weekly HSE briefing at Dr Steevens’ Hospital, Dublin this afternoon

This afternoon.

Thanks, Paul.

RollingNews

Brigid Mae Power – Mother In The Sky

Hope springs maternal.

Another beautiful, elegant piece from Galway-based Brigid Mae Power following on from her recent covers EP Burning The Light on Fire Records.

The video animation complements the song perfectly too.

Nick says: Mae the force be with you.

Brigid Mae Power

This morning.

Further to the killing this week of 34 deer in the Phoenix Park  as part of a ‘managed cull’ by the Office of Public Works (OPW)…

…John Carmody, Of Animal Rights Action Network (ARAN), writes:

‘Phoenix Park is fast becoming a bloodbath for the intelligent and sensitive deer population who have lived and thrived in that park for centuries but are now lethally targeted only to end up on restaurant plates

We call on President Michael D. Higgins to come out and oppose the killing of these creatures that are literally roaming in his backyard, he’s been a known advocate against hunting over the years so he can no longer remain silent.

Is deer culling effective? Is hunting effective? No. Starvation and disease are unfortunate, but they are nature’s way of ensuring that the strong survive. Natural predators help keep prey species strong by killing the only ones they can catch—the sick and weak.

Hunters, however, kill any animal they come across or any animal whose head they think would look good mounted above the fireplace—often the large, healthy animals needed to keep the population strong.

And hunting creates the ideal conditions for overpopulation. After hunting season, the abrupt drop in population leads to less competition among survivors, resulting in a higher birth rate.’

RollingNews

This morning.

Via Tennis World:

“…attention can have many positive aspects and benefits in both the professional and private life, but can also create an additional burden. You have an influence on the youth, who look to you as a role model and wish to become like you one day.

“Additionally, it’s expected of you to offer your thoughts on topics that are beyond your own profession. I typically make an effort to keep a distance, although when I feel the urge to share my thoughts, I do so. I am someone who holds fast to principles, life values, human rights… That is something that has been abused in the past.”

Novak Djokovic

The world No 1 tennis player has stated that he won’t reveal if he has been vaccinated or not.

Novak Djokovic: I hold fast to principles, life values and human rights (Tennis World)

Getty

This morning.

Dublin Castle, Dublin 2.

Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications and Minister for Transport Eamon Ryan (top) and Taoiseach Micheál Martin (above) arrive for a cabinet meeting to sign off on the Government Climate Action plan which will…

…aim to have almost one million electric vehicles in operation in Ireland by 2030.

The plan going to Cabinet this morning seeks to chart a course for a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions of 51% by the end of the decade.

It will identify the public service as a driver of change and all new vehicles purchased by the State from the end of next year will have to be electric where possible.

It also envisages that there will be half a million more daily journeys completed by either walking, cycling or on public transport by 2030.

Government plans to have one million electric vehicles on roads by 2030 (RTÉ)

RollingNews

Huntstown Power Station, Dublin

Gulp.

Anyone?

Update: figures disputed (see comments).

Previously: Irish Firms May Face Power Cuts at Hour’s Notice, Report Says

RollingNews

Yesterday.

Department of Health, Dublin 2.

“I’d like to take the chance to talk to the children. The numbers we’re looking at now, it is not your fault. It’s not because you’re going to school.”

Professor Martin Cormican, Clinical Lead on Infection Control, HSE.

NPHET Briefing (RTÉ)

Meanwhile…

Broadsheet.ie