[ad_1]
The government is expected to introduce a system of gradual fines before the end of the month for violations of Covid-19 guidelines, including failure to use face marks and taking non-essential travel.
The Cabinet Subcommittee on Covid-19 agreed to endorse the recommendation made by the National Public Health Emergency Team for a system of fines in place for non-compliance with the rules.
No figures were given on the amount of the fines, but they are expected to be similar to those in the UK, which are € 70 (£ 60) for a first offense and higher amounts for subsequent offenses.
Health Minister Stephen Donnelly and Justice Minister Helen McEntee, who is not a member of the subcommittee but attended today’s meeting, will now work with officials from their respective departments to produce a Cabinet memorandum next week. or the following week. The new system is expected to be operational by the end of the month.
The subcommittee is chaired by Taoiseach Micheál Martin and other members are Tánaiste Leo Varadkar, Green Party leader Eamon Ryan, Health Minister Stephen Donnelly, Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe and Public Expenditure Minister Michael McGrath.
Medical Director Dr. Tony Holohan attended the meeting, as did Deputy CMO Dr. Ronan Glynn; Paul Reid, Executive Director of HSE, and Dr. Colm Henry, Medical Director.
It is understood that Dr. Holohan informed the committee of the continued exponential growth of the spread of the coronavirus in the state. The case rate per 100,000 residents has risen from 56 in mid-December to 134 by the end of this week.
In addition, the number of cases in the vulnerable cohort of over 65 years has increased with more than 600 cases in the last fortnight.
Hospital admissions
The number of patients in hospitals and in the ICU has also increased significantly, as has the number of deaths, although it remains small compared to the first outbreak in March and April.
Another prominent area of concern was in nursing homes and nursing homes where there have been 11 new outbreaks, with seven groups of more than 20 people.
Some 400 healthcare workers are also known to have tested positive for Covid in the past two weeks, about 80 percent of them women.
Separately, the Cabinet agreed to back the European “traffic light” system for international travel during the Covid-19 pandemic, which is expected to be agreed at a summit meeting in Brussels next week.
The development will mean that international passengers will be able to circumvent quarantine requirements by undergoing PCR testing (and possibly antigen testing) when leaving and entering an EU state.
If the Cabinet agrees next Tuesday, passengers arriving from ‘green’ countries (those with fewer than 25 Covid-19 cases per 100,000 inhabitants) will not need to be quarantined or tested. For those entering and leaving orange or red countries, they will need to take a polymerization chain reaction (PCR) three days before leaving the country.
However, passengers will be responsible for organizing and paying for the tests, which can cost up to € 200 each. That could add € 400 to the costs of air travel, making it unaffordable for many people during Covid-19.
There was no discussion whatsoever about extending the midterm breaks for schools, and government sources on Friday night strongly criticized the possibility of such an eventuality.
While acknowledging that the matter was brought up at the cabinet meeting last Monday, and that it had also been discussed by Nphet, the sources said there had been no substantial discussion on the matter and that the intention, as of now, was continue with the school calendar. with a one week break mid-term.
[ad_2]