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The restrictions introduced to deal with Covid-19 can be eased in stages every two to three weeks if efforts to fight the virus are successful, according to plans the government is considering.
However, well-placed sources said that any relief from the restrictions at the end of the current May 5 closing period would be very limited.
Ministers and officials are working on a plan to ease the restrictions, but there is concern in the government about acting too hastily and then having to reintroduce strict measures.
The first phase of the restrictions to be lifted will be “very, very limited,” a source said, adding that even reverting to measures that were in place before an effective closure was introduced on April 12 can be “too drastic.” .
Speaking on RTÉ prime time on Tuesday night, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said the government will outline its plan before May 5 and that the Cabinet will consider it in late April. He said he hoped to ease the restrictions after May 5, but did not want to give false guarantees.
He said the plan would establish “in different steps” how the economy and society would reopen.
“I think everyone understands that it won’t be done at once, at once,” he said.
Prior to such a move, the government announced Tuesday that it will extend the ban on licensed mass gatherings of more than 5,000 people until the end of August, notifying event organizers that concerts and other festivals were out during the summer.
Although the measure did not strictly apply to sporting gatherings, numerous ministers said events such as the Ireland football and pitch series would not take place this summer.
“It will be quite clear that they cannot go on,” said one minister.
On the back of the announcement, Galway Races announced that their public meetings would not take place, while the Irish Football Association sought clarity from the Government on football matches.
Recovery
The National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET) said Tuesday night that more than 9,000 people in Ireland who tested positive for Covid-19 had successfully recovered from the disease.
NPHET reported Tuesday the death of 44 other patients, 18 men and 26 women, diagnosed with Covid-19.
There have now been 730 Covid-19 related deaths confirmed by laboratory tests in the Republic. However, NPHET on Tuesday reported another 108 probable or suspected deaths in care settings.
NPHET also reported 388 new confirmed cases. The total number of confirmed cases is now 16,040.
It is understood that an option that the Government is considering is the reduction of the restrictions every two or three weeks after a possible initial reduction starting on May 5. This would allow an assessment of how the changes were affecting the spread of the virus.
Some of the more favorable measures for the first wave, such as the reopening of DIY stores, are considered to be the most likely option for the first wave, as well as clarity on how schools might partially reopen. It was suggested that people also be allowed to travel further to exercise.
Education Minister Joe McHugh said Tuesday night that the Certificate of Exit could start on July 29.
Ministers attending Tuesday’s cabinet meeting said there was general concern about moving too fast and having to re-introduce restrictions, as well as concern about a possible second wave of Covid-19.
Although a gradual relaxation every two to three weeks was considered desirable, a main source said it was highly likely that sometime during the summer people would be informed that an expected restriction lift would not take place due to insufficient progress in addressing the virus.
Most ministers in the cabinet on Tuesday were said to be in favor of a cautious approach.
As the discussion on North-South cooperation continues, Mike Tomlinson, professor emeritus of social policy at Queen’s University Belfast, writes in the Irish Times on Wednesday: “It is reasonable to assume that the highest death rates in the North result from lower testing rates, lack of follow-up contacts and slower enforcement of blocking measures compared to the Republic.
“The evidence underscores the case for coordinated action across the island to hunt the virus through high levels of testing and contact tracing and for stronger public health surveillance at entry points.”
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