# Coronavirus

This year

2023

Covid pandemic still volatile, WHO warns

More than 23,000 deaths and three million new cases have been reported to the WHO in the past 28 days.

20.0k

Apr 18th 2023, 7:10 PM

# Coronavirus

China defends search for source of Covid-19 after 'offensive' WHO criticism

The director of the China Centre for Disease Control and Prevention said research is “always shared”.

18.4k

Apr 8th 2023, 1:44 PM

# Healthcare

Mandatory mask wearing in hospitals to end on 19 April

Staff and visitors are still advised to wear masks around patients who are confirmed or suspected to have Covid-19.

25.0k

Apr 7th 2023, 4:41 PM

# Coronavirus

Covid-19 testing centres to close nationally, as testing no longer needed for 'vast majority'

Both PCR and antigen testing will continue to be used by doctors in hospitals and general practices

19.3k

Mar 27th 2023, 8:13 PM

# Coronavirus

HSE to launch survey to measure prevalence of long Covid in Ireland

People in Longford, Westmeath, Laois, Offaly, Kildare, West Wicklow and south Dublin will be invited to take part in the survey.

11.0k

Mar 13th 2023, 4:51 PM

# breda smyth

'Go back to doing the things you love': CMO writes post-pandemic open letter to older people

Prof Breda Smyth said she wanted to reassure people who were concerned about the spread of Covid that it is safe to go out and about.

11.4k

Mar 1st 2023, 12:26 PM

# Coronavirus

US report concludes with 'low confidence' that Covid-19 'likely' originated from Wuhan lab

The classified report was delivered to senior figures on the US’s House and Senate Intelligence committees last month.

18.7k

Feb 27th 2023, 11:27 AM

# Coronavirus

Six-month-old babies will be eligible for the Covid-19 vaccine from next week

Children aged six months to 4 years old can avail of the vaccine from Monday.

16.4k

Feb 17th 2023, 6:00 AM

# pandemic

Three years on, WHO says Covid-19 is still a global emergency

The WHO first declared a so-called public health emergency of international concern on 30 January 2020.

11.2k

Jan 30th 2023, 1:41 PM

# China

China reports almost 60,000 Covid-related deaths in a month

China has been widely accused of underreporting its number of coronavirus fatalities since the abandonment of its zero-Covid policy.

13.4k

Jan 14th 2023, 12:37 PM

# XBB.1.5

We need to talk about the 'Kraken' variant: What is it, and do we know what impact it could have?

XBB.1.5 is uniquely good at breaking the ‘door’ to the human body, but it’s not clear how much of a surge in cases it could cause.

30.1k

Jan 14th 2023, 9:00 AM

# China

China ends quarantine for overseas travellers

Beijing last month began a dramatic dismantling of a strategy that had enforced mandatory quarantines and lockdowns.

7.9k

Jan 8th 2023, 8:19 AM

# winter surge

Immunologist says stronger advice on mask-wearing needed amid surge in respiratory viruses

Professor Christine Loscher told The Journal that the Government “missed a trick” in not issuing stronger advice sooner.

33.8k

Jan 7th 2023, 12:05 AM

# China

China slams 'unacceptable' Covid curbs on travellers from its territory

China’s steep rise in infections comes after Beijing abruptly lifted years of hardline restrictions last month.

30.0k

Updated

Jan 3rd 2023, 10:07 PM

Last year

2022

# China

WHO holds 'high-level meeting' with Chinese officials to discuss Covid-19 surge

It comes after Britain joined France and Spain in requiring that travellers arriving from China show a negative Covid test.

35.0k

Updated

Dec 30th 2022, 10:40 PM

# China

EU health agency says China traveller screening 'unjustified' in bloc

Hospitals across China have been overwhelmed by an explosion of infections following Beijing’s decision to abandon its zero-covid policy.

23.3k

Updated

Dec 29th 2022, 4:44 PM

# Coronavirus

People aged 18 to 49 can now receive a second Covid-19 booster

Appointments can be made on the HSE website, with appointments available from today.

45.5k

Dec 29th 2022, 8:42 AM

# Coronavirus

US to require negative Covid tests for travelers from China after country's sudden Covid pivot

The United States says China is not sharing enough information about the surge in coronavirus cases there.

72.6k

Updated

Dec 28th 2022, 8:25 PM

# China

Explainer: What's happening with Covid-19 in China?

The country has abandoned its harsh zero-covid approach, but an explosion of cases has prompted concerns about the outbreak spreading to other countries.

10.3k

Dec 28th 2022, 12:52 PM

Chinese city seeing half a million Covid cases a day, says official

A health official was quoted in a local news outlet said Qindao was seeing up to 530,000 new cased a day.

18.4k

Dec 24th 2022, 7:18 AM

# Covid-19

Covid cases soar in China after sudden easing of harsh lockdowns

The United States has warned the outbreak is now of concern to the rest of the world.

12.2k

Dec 20th 2022, 1:35 PM

# Winter Dose

HSE on 'higher state of alert' as Covid-19 and other illnesses cause concern

Covid-19 hospitalisations and outbreaks in nursing homes have increased in recent weeks.

32.0k

Dec 15th 2022, 5:10 PM

# Beijing

China further relaxes Covid rules after protests

Several cities have begun loosening restrictions such as moving away from daily mass testing requirements.

6.6k

Dec 2nd 2022, 7:16 AM

# China

China cities under heavy policing after protests as authorities accelerate push to vaccinate elderly

Several protests were planned for last night but did not materialise.

10.4k

Updated

Nov 29th 2022, 8:50 AM

# China

Xinjiang loosens some restrictions after protests erupt over zero-Covid lockdown

China is the only major country in the world that still is fighting the pandemic through mass testing and lockdowns.

9.0k

Nov 26th 2022, 3:40 PM

# factcheck

Debunk: No, it isn’t true that vaccines have little effect on COVID-19 transmission

Piers Morgan’s claim is contradicted by numerous studies

7.0k

Nov 14th 2022, 3:33 PM

# Coronavirus

China launches Covid vaccine inhaled through the mouth

The vaccine is being offered free of charge as a booster dose for previously vaccinated individuals in Shanghai.

14.3k

Oct 26th 2022, 9:46 AM

# Healthcare

Trade union asks Health Minister to extend Covid-19 payment to contracted frontline workers

The criteria does not currently include workers exployed by external companies.

14.2k

Oct 21st 2022, 10:24 PM

# Africa

Conflict, climate change and pandemic led to boost in Irish foreign aid

Last year the Department of Foreign Affairs allotted €967m in overseas development aid.

4.5k

Oct 18th 2022, 6:00 AM

# Coronavirus

Covid-19 hospitalisations are rising, so where are we with the virus heading into winter?

The Minister for Health has said there has been a “significant” increase in the number of people in hospital with Covid in recent weeks.

46.2k

Updated

Oct 14th 2022, 12:13 PM

# the needle has landed

HSE launches winter vaccination programme with flu and Covid-19 jabs

The HSE is inviting eligible groups to get their flu jab and their Covid-19 booster.

26.8k

Oct 3rd 2022, 7:30 AM

# Coronavirus

Higher illness benefit for workers absent with Covid-19 ends today

The Enhanced Illness Benefit was introduced during the pandemic for who had to self isolate or restrict their movements due to the virus.

9.8k

Sep 30th 2022, 7:47 AM

# vaccine rollout

New Omicron-specific vaccines to be rolled out as boosters from next month, Health Minister says

Anyone who is eligible for both a flu vaccine and a Covid booster vaccine can receive them at the same time from next month.

19.5k

Sep 16th 2022, 7:18 PM

# EMA

EU medicines watchdog approves vaccine targeting Omicron sub-variants

European nations have been keen to rush through the new generation of jabs so they can start booster campaigns ahead of a feared Covid surge in the latter part of this year.

12.2k

Sep 12th 2022, 8:16 PM