How long did NPHET want the level 5 lockout to last as discussed again about the ‘circuit breaker’

The number of Covid-19 cases across the country continues to rise, with a worrying 1,800 infections recorded over the weekend.

The largest increase in new cases came just a week after Dr. Tony Holohan and the National Public Health Emergency Team recommended that the country move to a full Level 5 lockdown.

Instead, the government decided to place the nation under less severe Level 3 measures, something it believes can combat the spread of the virus.

Taoiseach Micheal Martin and Health Minister Stephen Donnelly oppose a return to confinement and instead see this option as a last resort.

This is mainly due to the devastating effect such restrictions would have on the economy, putting tens of thousands of jobs at risk.

But naturally, as cases continue to worsen, speculation has grown that Ireland might, after all, have to introduce a ‘circuit breaker’ to limit the spread of Covid-19.

The National Public Health Emergency will meet again in the coming days to discuss the worsening of the situation.

So what did NPHET recommend last time?

In his letter to Health Minister Stephen Donnelly, Medical Director Dr. Tony Holohan urged that the nation move to Level 5 for four weeks.

In a stark warning, he said the country “must act now” to bring the reproduction rate back to below 1.0 before the winter months.

He wrote: “Over the past few months, NPHET has continually reviewed and updated its recommendations based on the epidemiological status of the disease and compared them to three key priorities; protection of the most vulnerable, continued resumption of social services and non-Covid health care services and the need to protect the ongoing provision of child care and education.

“The NPHET cautions that it is vital that we do all we can now to halt the current trajectory at the national level and very substantially suppress the virus at lower transmission before the winter months.

“The overall national disease landscape is now NPHET’s primary concern. The measures currently in place do not sufficiently control the disease, as evidenced by the high volume of community transmission and sustained increases in key indicators …

“In light of the above, NPHET believes that robust and proactive steps now need to be taken to achieve very significant suppression of the disease with a breeding number well below 1.0.

“Therefore, it is recommended that the Government apply Level 5 measures throughout the country from midnight on Monday, October 5, for a period of four weeks.”

What is the government saying?

Speaking on Sunday, the Taoiseach said Tier 3 “can work,” citing that numbers in Dublin have stabilized since the measures were introduced.

He told RTE News: “The poorest do worse in a confinement situation, the marginalized do worse, the WHO has been very clear about it.

“And a lot of people would lose their jobs and it would have created a lot of anxiety and stress.

“I’m very aware of that and that’s why we went to Level Three, to give people a chance and to tell people if we work collectively on this, if our behavior can change, if we all act like we have the virus, then we have the opportunity to reduce the spread of this virus.

“And that’s the challenge for all of us now in the coming days.

“There are some appearances in Dublin, for example, that Level Three had an impact on reducing the growth of the virus and its contents, but we will see more figures related to that in the coming days.”

As for when another lockdown could be considered, he continued: “We will be constantly monitoring this. And we will certainly see it again towards the end of the week, we will keep a brief follow-up.”

Mr. Martin also played down the idea of ​​a “circuit breaker” short-circuit lockout.

He added: “That’s an experimental concept. We produced a graduated plan not long ago to give people an expectation of what is to come.

“In my opinion, a circuit breaker is experimental, I am not convinced that such a move is temporary, and I think we should clarify it with people.”