Were you sick over the Christmas period with flu, Covid or respiratory issues?!

The HSE has appealed to people to "consider all options" before going to hospital this week in what it predicts will be "one of the busiest ever periods" experienced by the health service.

Hospitals are now bracing themselves for exceptional pressures from today, the first normal working day after the holiday season and traditionally the day when attendances at Emergency Departments rise sharply.

There are currently high levels of flu and Covid-19 in the community as well as cases of RSV (respiratory syncytical virus).

On this morning's (Tuesday's) Deise Today, Tramore-based GP Austin Byrne spoke to Damien about the current situation here in Waterford.

You can listen back to the piece, by clicking on the image above.