OMICRON is now the dominant Covid-19 strain in the Republic, with the north likely to see it dominate within days, health officials have warned.
Dublin's Department of Health confirmed that Omicron was now the most virulent strain, as it recorded another 5,124 Covid cases.
It is now estimated to be the cause of 52 per cent of all cases south of the border.
The number of inpatients rose yesterday to 436, with 107 receiving intensive care.
In the north, Chief Medical Officer Dr Michael McBride said Omicron was on course to be the dominant strain by Christmas.
His warning came as he extended the booster vaccine programme to 18-29 year-olds.
The north's Department of Health also recorded another two Covid-linked deaths and 1,798 new cases.
"Given its infectiousness, the risk of any of us catching the virus is most definitely heightened," Mr McBride said of Omicron.
"That’s why getting the protection of a booster dose is so important and urgent. A booster dose strengthens and deepens protection. This is about training and educating our immune systems to deal with a Covid-19 infection. Booster doses are like an advanced course of learning, making our bodies more skilled in combating the virus. You lose out without a booster."
Meanwhile, pub and restaurant bosses in the Republic have described how they have been left facing an uncertain future as new restrictions are about to be introduced in the hospitality sector.
The cabinet agreed on Friday that hospitality venues, cinemas and theatres should have a closing time of 8pm from Monday to deal with the threat from the Omicron variant.
It is the second successive Christmas that the sector has faced restrictions at what is traditionally its busiest time of the year.
Carol Meenan, the co-owner of the Yellow Pepper Restaurant in Letterkenny, said the measures were devastating.
"This week and the week after Christmas are among our best weeks of the year and that gets you through January and February and into March," she said.
"We can manage with the large Christmas parties being cancelled because we could fill it with smaller groups and people were coming out to support us. But now, you just can't manage. We are going to have to have a meeting with our staff and see what we can do."
