This afternoon.

Tánaiste Leo Varadkar said the National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET) is reviewing whether to resume testing ‘asymptomatic close contacts of primary school children’.

Via RTE News:

Leo Varadkar said if there is a change to the current policy, it is more likely to be a move to testing rather than contact tracing.

Speaking to reporters in Monaghan, he said the current spike in cases among children aged 5-12 was not surprising given that they are not vaccinated.

But he added there are indications that will change and vaccines could be offered to children in that age group.

NPHET assessing close contact testing in schools (RTÉ)

Yesterday: ‘Kid-Sized Doses’

This afternoon.

Aviva Stadium, Dublin 4.

Members of veteran boyband Westlife – above from left Kian, Nicky, Shane and Markus – announce their The Wild Dreams Tour will stop at the Aviva Stadium on Friday, July 8. Tickets go on sale Friday, November 5 at 8am from Ticketmaster (boo, hiss).

Bring back McFadden.

RollingNews

This afternoon.

Following tacit government approval last week of a new Road Traffic Bill, which should, by Christimas, legislate, for the first time, the use of e-scooters and e-bikes on Irish roads…

…Nick’s old pals at Currys PC World are reporting a 70% increase in e-scooter sales in one week.

Jaimie Cantwell, Head of Commercial at Currys PC World Ireland said:

“With more people returning to offices, some are reluctant to use public transport or perhaps don’t have, or want to take their car to the office. We’ve noticed the significant demand for our e-scooters over the past few weeks, with a rise in sales of 25% compared to last year. We’re expecting a surge in demand over the festive period, with many people receiving an e-scooter as a gift this Christmas. Hopefully this new legislation will provide a lot more confidence for the e-scooter users in Ireland.”

Currys PC World

.

This morning.

Figures from the Central Statistics Office (CSO) show 44 per cent of Eastern European immigrants were vaccinated up to September 10 compared to upwards of 92 per cent of the adult Irish population.

These countries comprise Czech Republic, Cyprus, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Hungary, Malta, Poland, Slovenia, Slovakia, Romania, Bulgaria and Croatia

Via The Irish Times:

One source involved in contact tracing said there had been more and more eastern European names appearing on contact sheets of people who became infected with Covid-19 in recent months, and they were a part of the population that appeared more susceptible to infection and transmission as a result of vaccine hesitancy.

“It is mainly eastern Europeans. These people are not getting vaccinated in their own countries so they are not going to get vaccinated over here,” the source said.

“They are maybe not listening to Irish news. They are more tuned into what is happening in their own countries. They are probably not aware that it is their compatriots who are ending up hospitals.”

Meanwhile…

…The vaccine uptake rates of British nationals in the Republic was 79 per cent, and 70 per cent among 18 to 24-year-olds.

Vaccination rates of foreign nationals from other European countries were also lower than the overall average.

Low vaccine uptake among Central and Eastern European communities – CSO (Irish Times)

Migrants and pregnant women to be targeted in new HSE vaccination campaign (irish Times)

RollingNews

Gulp.

This morning.

Smithfield, Dublin 7.

Professional influencer Rachel Gorry abseils influentially down Smithfield Tower for The Ronald McDonald House charity, whose “Tower of Terror” Hallowe’en event is raising funds for children who are undergoing treatment at Crumlin Children’s Hospital.

 Sam Boal/RollingNews

Paul Callan – Another Night

Sparklehorse of a different colour.

Fans of ’90s Lo-fi indie will rejoice at the new single from County Louth’s Paul Callan, who continues his project to release a song a month.

Paul writes:

“Heavy on the riff but not heavy on the distorted guitars, Another Night is about procrastination. The joy of the long finger! Yes, there is lots to attend to and the world is falling apart but… let’s leave it for another night!”

Nick says: Dial M for Mellotron.

Paul Callan

Pro-covid clampdown DJs Mr C (left) and Bushwacka!

Anyone?

Pics: Mixmag

Garda Commissioner Drew Harris

This morning.

Anyone?

‘Shifting position’ on why 999 calls were cancelled ‘perplexing’ (irish Examiner)

Previously: Your Call Is Important To Us

RollingNews

Last night.

Kildare Street, Dublin 2.

TDs, including Sinn Féin President Mary Lou McDonald (above left), joined activists from The Campaign Against Church Ownership of Women’s Healthcare at a candle Light vigil outside Leinster House to remember the death of Savita Halappanavar – 9 years ago yesterday – and to ‘highlight the imperative’ for the new National Maternity Hospital to be ‘public and secular’.

RollingNews

Broadsheet.ie