The HSE has joined with the Mayo County Council and the Gardaí in the county to appeal to the people of Mayo to help prevent the further spread of COVID-19.

The three agencies have come together to appeal to people to follow the public health advice and stay at home to protect themselves and each other given the significant and sustained increase in the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in the county.

The three principle agencies say the recent rise in figures for those contracting the virus in the county is extremely concerning.

They are urging everyone across Mayo to stay at home, protect themselves and each other and protect the health services. The rollout of the COVID-19 vaccination campaign has now begun in the county and they are reminding everyone of the importance of ensuring older and vulnerable people are kept safe, so that they can avail of it in the coming weeks.

Dr Breda Smyth, HSE Director of Public Health in the West said, “Over the last two weeks in particular we have seen a really worrying increase in the numbers of people being diagnosed with COVID-19 across county Mayo but in particular Ballyhaunis, Ballina, Belmullet, Castlebar and Claremorris.

In the two week period between December 21st and January 3rd there were 862 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Mayo. Remember COVID-19 is highly contagious and you can be infectious without having any symptoms. Now more than ever we are asking the community across Mayo to stick to the advice and stay at home where possible, avoid unnecessary interactions and protect each other. Our individual actions do matter and they all count.”