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19 Jan 2026
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19 Jan 2026
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Covid-19 infection rates are growing steadily across County Kildare as HSE vaccination centres, GPs and pharmacies work hard to administer booster vaccines.
Large population areas like Naas and Newbridge had Covid-19 infection rates at around 30% higher than the national average.
Both towns were seeing almost 50 new cases every day, according to official HSE data up to December 6.
Meanwhile on Monday, there were 19 patients with Covid-19 in Naas Hospital while there were also four patients suspected of having the virus the same day.
Naas Hospital is now in tenth position of hospitals with the highest number of patients, led by the Mater Hospital in Dublin with 43 positive cases.
Newbridge-based GP, Dr Brendan O’Shea urged people to be patient in coming forward for the booster vaccine.
Dr O’Shea, who is the PRO for the Kildare Faculty of the Irish Council of General Practitioners (ICGP), said that overall, Ireland is doing a lot better than most other countries in terms of administering a booster shot to people.
He said vaccination clinics, GP surgeries and pharmacies are slowly and steadily administering the jabs and immunisation numbers are growing every day.
He added: “Ireland is in a strong and fortunate position in comparison to other countries.
“People should not panic when they see queues as there will be enough jabs for everybody. We should all stay calm, polite and carry on.”
He urged anybody feeling unwell to get plenty of rest, take paracetamol and hot liquids and to book a PCR test if required.
Covid-19 infection rates across County Kildare, which were below the national average for several weeks, are now running at 30% above in some areas.
The Naas Local Electoral Area (LEA) saw 668 cases in a two week period up to December 6 which translates to an incidence rate per 100,000 of 1,707.
The Covid-19 incidence rate for the whole of Ireland for the period was 1,355.
Newbridge LEA had 644 cases or 1,815 per 100,000 people while Kildare LEA had 454 cases or 1,766 per 100,000.
Clane LEA saw 427 cases or 1,501.6 per 100,000 while down in Athy LEA, there were 328 cases and a rate per 100,000 of 1235.8.
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