It comes after the recent rise in hospitalisations due to Covid-19.
It's been reported today that as many 6,000 healthcare staff are unable to work due to Covid concerns.
The news comes as the number of those hospitalised for Covid-19 has risen to over 800.
It's a trend seen in many workplaces as staff have had to either isolate after testing positive or for being a close contact.
Many have called for close contact rules to reduce to five days from ten.
🦠 804 Covid patients in Irish hospitals - up from 717 yday.
Highest total since February 17th.
74% higher than last week, and 72% up on two weeks ago.
87 in ICU (latest), down four compared to last week.— Ben Finnegan (@_BenFinnegan) January 3, 2022
The latest figures show that hospitalisations in Ireland are at the highest point in eleven months.
Disease consultant at Beaumont Hospital, Eoghan de Barra, reckons the numbers of absentees in hospitals are only going to grow.
A further 16,986 new cases of Covid-19 were confirmed today.
804 people are in hospital with the virus, 93 of whom are in intensive care.
Yesterday, there were 17,071 cases reported, with previous days cases rising over 20,000.
