The Irish Medical Organisation (IMO) has expressed serious concern about the continuing high rate of Covid-19 infections nationwide.

According to IMO president, Dr Ina Kelly, the current high rate of infection threatens the progress the country has made against the virus over the last year.

She insisted that the next few weeks “will be critical, not just for the outlook on Covid, but for the wider health service”.

“Our GP surgeries, hospitals and ICU units are all under extraordinary pressure. We are being hit by a perfect storm of high Covid numbers, the annual winter flu season and shockingly high numbers on waiting lists,” Dr Kelly noted.

She urged members of the public to help medical professionals by increasing their vigilance around the virus and maintaining a strong sense of personal responsibility.

She acknowledged that people have done “incredibly well” over the last 18 months, but she added that the weeks leading to Christmas “will be critical”.

Dr Kelly said that the IMO is particularly concerned about the knock-on impact increased Covid-related hospitalisations will have.

“Covid-19 cases in hospitals mean fewer beds to treat non-Covid cases. Our waiting lists are already in an appalling state. We can’t afford to lose hospital staff and hospital beds to Covid,” she commented.

She also called on pubs, restaurants and other hospitality venues to be more vigilant about checking the vaccination status of patrons.

“Those sectors of the hospitality industry, who kept telling us that they could be trusted to police protocols, need to step up to the mark and demonstrate that they are as good as their word,” Dr Kelly added.