Ireland still has Covid-19 isolation rules including when to stay home for FIVE DAYS

Irish people are being advised of the Covid-19 isolation guidelines which are still in place amid an anecdotal rise in cases over the last few weeks.

Colder weather has resulted in a rise in seasonal viruses, including Covid-19, for which the HSE publishes isolation and treatment advice. 

Covid-19 is still in Irish communities more than five years on from the start of the pandemic in 2020. 33 patients in Irish hospitals currently have the virus, according to the latest statistics. Eight of those people tested positive in the last 24 hours.

The HSE is still advising those who test positive outside hospital setting to stay at home for a period of five days. 

The advice says: "If you have tested positive for Covid-19, you can pass on the virus to other people. You need to: stay at home for five days; avoid contact with other people, especially people at higher risk from Covid-19."

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The circular adds: "You can leave home after five days if your symptoms have fully or mostly gone for the last 48 hours. It's OK to leave home after five days if you still have a mild cough or changes to your sense of smell. These can last for weeks after the infection has gone.

"Avoid meeting people who are at very high risk for 10 days. This starts from the day you first had symptoms. This is because you may still be infectious for up to 10 days."

Even those who test positive but have no symptoms are told to stay at home for a period of time.

The HSE says: "If you did not have symptoms but have tested positive, stay at home for five days from the day you first tested positive. Avoid meeting people at very high risk for 10 days from the day you first tested positive."

People are told to contact their GP if they feel very unwell, their breathing changes or becomes difficult, a cough gets worse
but are warned "do not go to your GP or to a pharmacy in person."

People should call 999 or 112 if they are very short of breath and a GP is not available.