Background We describe the epidemiological trends and report and review the public health restrictions implemented during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in Ireland. Methods The study reviewed confirmed cases of COVID-19 notified from 1 March to 18 July 2020. Data were obtained from the national COVID-19 Data Hub, the National Health Protection Surveillance Centre, the National Contact Management Programme and the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control. Results A total of 25 617 cases were notified during the study period. Weekly cases and deaths peaked in mid-April 2020 at 5701 and 316, respectively. Mean number of close contacts per case was lowest at 0.7 in April, rising to 6.6 by July. Outbreak settings shifted from travel and workplace in March, to healthcare in April. Restrictions implemented on 12 March extended to full lockdown on 27 March. Phased relaxation of restrictions commenced 18 May. Effective suppression of community transmission of COVID-19 was achieved by June 2020. Conclusion Lockdown is a crude population-level restriction effective in controlling COVID-19. Phased relaxation of restrictions in Ireland, however, led to an immediate increase in mean number of contacts per case, which facilitates viral transmission unless individual-level restrictions are adhered to. This demonstrates a limitation of lockdown as a long-term mechanism of pandemic control.

Background: The first wave of COVID-19 pandemic in Ireland was managed by a prolonged national lockdown. The second and third waves were managed by continued non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) and deployment of a national vaccination programme. This paper aims to describe the epidemiological trends, Public Health restrictions and vaccination uptake during the first three waves of the pandemic.   Methods: Data on confirmed cases of COVID-19 from 1 March 2020 to 27 March 2021 were extracted from the national COVID-19 data hub, the Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC) and the National Contact Management Programme. Vaccine uptake and epidemiological data from European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control were reported from four other EU states.  Results: Ireland experienced three distinct waves of COVID-19; first wave occurred March to August 2020, second August to November 2020 and third from November 2020 onwards. The third wave was attributable to emergence of the Alpha variant of concern (B.1.1.7 strain) and relaxation of public health restrictions in December 2020, when weekly mean number of close contacts per case peaked at 5.2. A similar epidemiological trajectory was observed across four other EU states.   Conclusions: Surges of COVID-19 continue to occur despite increasing vaccine coverage in the EU, due to the emergence of novel variants of concern and relaxation of Public Health restrictions. A “vaccine plus policy” is needed.

Background For patients with differentiated thyroid carcinoma (DTC), the effect of radioactive iodine (RAI) therapy on gonadal and reproductive function is an important consideration. Objective and methods 127 children were operated on thyroid in case of DTC during 1975DTC during -2015. 87 pts were treated by RAI (1-13 times). Average age is 15 years (4-18). Histological types of DTC were papillary (69%), follicular (27%), other (4%). Average follow up period is 3 year (2-40). We analyzed effect of therapeutic RAI on sex steroid level; on ovarian function, menses, ovulation in women; sperm in men; future fertility; pregnancy outcomes. Results Early side effects (during 1 st week after RAI) includednausea and vomiting(29%), sialoadenitis (22%), temporal bone marrow dysfunction (6%). Late side effects included permanent salivary glands' dysfunction (2%), permanent bone marrow dysfunction (4%), lung fibrosis (5%), second tumorsleucosis, breast cancer (4%), fertility disorder (7%). Fertility was analyzed in 78 pts. Sterility (2%), amenorrhea (4%), changes in menstrual period (5%), miscarriage (4%). Conclusion RAI should be prescribed only for indications. Sexual cell should be cryopreserve before RAI.

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