Likely to Suggest Tighter Restrictions by Weekend

Chief Epidemiologist Þórólfur Guðnason.

Chief Epidemiologist Þórólfur Guðnason. mbl.is/Eggert Jóhannesson

Vala Hafstað

At a press conference this morning, Chief Epidemiologist Þórólfur Guðnason stated he will likely suggest tighter COVID-19 restrictions in Iceland due to the rapid spread of the disease, mbl.is reports. He stated he would be quick to send the minister of health a memo, suggesting tighter restrictions, if need be, possibly before the weekend.

He noted that for the Landspítali National University Hospital to be able to handle the load created by the pandemic, the number of new cases would have to be fewer than 500 a day. So far this year, they have been about a thousand a day.

A baby is presently being treated for COVID-19 at Landspítali National University Hospital, Þórólfur stated. The condition of about 60 children, infected with COVID-19, is being closely monitored by the hospital’s outpatient service.

Since January 1, the number of COVID-19 patients requiring hospitalization has increased by 70 percent. The number of patients in intensive care has remained so to say unchanged. Three COVID-19 patients have died at Landspítali in the past five days.

One child, aged 17, has required hospitalization due to side effects from vaccination. Six serious side effects from the vaccination of children have been reported out of the 22,000 children vaccinated, or about 0.03 percent.

Ten children younger than 16 have required hospitalization due to COVID-19, or 0.1 percent of the 9.300 children infected. Two have required intensive care. The condition of hundreds of children has been monitored by the outpatient service of Landspítali.

Þórólfur emphasized the importance of having children vaccinated to limit the spread of the virus.

At present, 39 people are in the hospital in Iceland, due to COVID-19, seven of whom are in intensive care.

For the latest COVID-19 updates, visit covid.is.

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