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Tánaiste Leo Varadkar has confirmed that the Government is likely to consider increasing Covid-19 restrictions in border counties when the North enters a four-week lockdown.
On Wednesday, Northern Ireland Prime Minister Arlene Foster said pubs and restaurants would close for four weeks, with the exception of takeout and deliveries, while schools would close for two weeks during the mid-break. end of Halloween in an attempt to slow the spread of the coronavirus.
Sources have confirmed that there have been discussions in Dublin about a rapid move to Level 4 for border counties in an attempt to limit cross-border infections, amid growing alarm over rising coronavirus cases in the north.
“I haven’t heard yet what the Stormont announcement is. Once we know for sure what the Northern Ireland Executive has decided, the Government will respond to that and we will see if we should take similar steps or what actions we should take in relation to the border counties, ”Varadkar said. Newstalk on Wednesday morning before news of the Northern Ireland measures surfaced.
“We do our best to align and cooperate with Northern Ireland as best we can but as you know the Northern Ireland Executive has not favored an all islands or a 32 county approach but we do our best to coordinate and cooperate as much as we can.
“The incidence of the virus in Donegal, Cavan and Monaghan in particular is very, very high. Probably today we will have to make a decision on whether we should respond with greater measures also in the border counties.
The National Public Health Emergency Team (Nphet) is expected to make recommendations to the government on Thursday.
Varadkar told RTÉ that Morning Ireland’s restrictions in border counties could be tightened due to Covid-19 levels in the north, but that the Government would wait to see what the Executive of Northern Ireland announces today and what recommendations Nphet made the Thursday.
Varadkar said that he would rather see Dublin Covid-19 rates fall further rather than simply decrease. He said the Dublin cases appeared to have stalled today.
Meanwhile, the government’s plan remained for schools to remain open even if the country goes to level 5, he said.
Mr. Varadkar said that this decision was based on the best international evidence.
Meanwhile, the Irish College of General Practitioners clinical leader on Covid, Dr Mary Favier, warned that it is inevitable that the government will need to introduce more restrictions to address Covid-19. Dr Favier said the coronavirus was doubling, causing a “knock-on” impact on health services.
Dr Mary Favier said the Irish health system is under pressure for “absolute numbers”.
There have been 811 new cases of Covid-19 and three other coronavirus-related deaths reported by the National Public Health Emergency Team (Nphet) on Tuesday night.
The latest figures bring the number of confirmed cases in the state since the pandemic began to 44,159, while the death toll now stands at 1,830.
Of the latter cases, 190 are in Dublin, 141 in Cork, 62 in Wexford, 51 in Kerry, 50 in Clare, and the remaining 317 cases are spread across all the remaining counties.
The average age is 30 years and 70% are under 45 years of age.
There were 234 Covid-19 patients in the hospital on Tuesday afternoon, including 32 in the ICU. Nphet said there have been 22 additional hospitalizations in the past 24 hours.
Dr Favier told RTÉ radio’s Morning Ireland on Wednesday that more needed to be done to stop the virus quickly and that there was very little time to decide on the additional restrictions needed.
Stronger Covid rules for three to four weeks would have an impact on the numbers, Dr. Favier said.
He said people would accept this if they knew the end was in sight, schools and retail stores could stay open, and people could see their family at Christmas if the numbers were suppressed.
“Now we have to work hard,” he said.
Dr. Favier said GPs had seen an increase in number in recent weeks and this was having an impact on services.
While there was some stabilization in Dublin below Level 3, it was not enough and there was increasing pressure on GPs and hospitals, he said.
“The system is under pressure because of the numbers. We need to do something different, ”he said.
He said that the solution was in the hands of the public, that it was in everyone’s behavior, as there were too many people currently gathered.
Dr. Favier said the public responded dramatically and put their shoulder behind the wheel in April, and they needed to do it again.
She said employers should allow staff to work from home whenever possible, there should be no unnecessary travel, and people should meet outdoors.
Dr Favier cautioned that the Republic was only two to three weeks behind rates in Northern Ireland.
Tighter restrictions
The Northern Ireland Department of Health reported another seven deaths from Covid-19 and another 863 cases on Tuesday.
In the last seven days, 6,286 new positive cases of the virus have been detected, bringing the total number of cases in the region to 21,898.
Northern Ireland is poised for a period of intensifying coronavirus restrictions after executive ministers agreed on Wednesday to close schools, pubs and restaurants.
The Pennsylvania news agency understands that pubs and restaurants will close for four weeks, with the exception of takeout and delivery, while schools will close for two, one of which will cover the mid-term Halloween break.
The moves do not amount to a large-scale lockdown similar to that imposed during the first wave of the virus, but the measures nonetheless mark a significant increase in the administration’s response to spiraling infection rates.
It is understood that the retail establishments will remain open, as will the gyms for individual training.
The churches will also remain open. It is understood that a limit of 25 people will be imposed on funerals and weddings.
The restrictions were agreed after a stop-start meeting by the Stormont executive that lasted after midnight and into Wednesday morning.
A formal announcement is expected to be made during a special session of the Assembly in Belfast later on Wednesday.
Most sports activities are expected to be limited to elite athletes during the four weeks.
It is understood that licenses without a license must close at 8 pm
The current restrictions on domestic mixing are expected to remain as is.
That would mean no mixing of households in private homes, with exceptions that include those joining in social bubbles, and private home garden gatherings limited to six people from no more than two households.
Hospitality establishment closures are expected to take effect on Friday, October 16. The other measures will be implemented from Monday, October 19.
‘Thorough consideration’
After the evening executive meeting concluded, Deputy Prime Minister Michelle O’Neill tweeted:
“The executive has carefully considered the next steps.
“We know this is difficult and that people will be concerned about their livelihoods, but we will do everything we can to ensure that there are protections for businesses, workers and families.”
Earlier, during a break from sometimes tense discussions, Prime Minister Arlene Foster vowed to “support” the businesses and individuals affected by the new measures.
The DUP leader, who will make the announcement in the Assembly, insisted that it was not an option to “close the country”.
“For those who will be affected by the restrictions that we agreed to, we will support and assist and support them financially to the best of our ability,” he said.
Ms. Foster said it was “critical” that school closings be avoided “in the long run”.
Ireland comes to Christmas without needing another. – additional reports with PA
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