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Ireland will re-enter the level 5 lockdown in an attempt to stop the growing number of Covid-19 cases.
However, this version of the lock will be different from the one in March, when all but the most essential services remained open.
The initial plan is for the lockdown to last six weeks, which would take us to the first week of December.
However, the impact of the shutdown will be assessed after four weeks with the government hoping that the plan will have worked long enough by then to allow for some easing of restrictions as the run-up to Christmas begins.
As with all the restrictions thus far, there is also the possibility that they will be extended if the numbers don’t go down.
The restrictions will go into effect at midnight on Wednesday.
Taoiseach Micheál Martin said that if the plan works, “we can celebrate Christmas in a meaningful way.”
Unfortunately yes. The 5 km restriction imposed in the previous locks will apply, which means that all exercise must be done within that radius of your home.
The government guide says:
“At Level 5, the public health risk means that you will be required to stay home except to exercise within three miles of your home.”
A series of graduated fines will be introduced for those who violate the guidance.
The new rules allow “support bubbles”.
According to the UK idea, a “bubble” is a group of people with whom a person can have close contact, this would allow single adults living alone, single parents with children under 18 or the elderly to have close contact with another group of people.
It is recommended to support these are local to avoid the necessary displacements and should not be part of a chain.
Taoiseach Says Individuals Living or Raising Alone Can Pair With Another Household as Part of a Support Bubble | https://t.co/qQVllFySGa pic.twitter.com/Km9JKtvnMy
– RTÉ News (@rtenews) October 19, 2020
As in March, the guide will once again allow only essential services to open.
However, a key difference, however, will be that the definition of “essential” will change.
Unlike March, construction and manufacturing will not close at all, and Housing Minister Darragh O’Brien said last week that the sector was “essential.”
“Construction will continue to be an essential service. I do not anticipate a closure in the construction sector.”
The biggest difference, of course, will be that schools and nurseries will remain open, having closed completely in March.
Colleges will remain as is, with most conferences online.
You should only go to work if you cannot do it from home.
Here, you must work from home unless it is to work in health, welfare or any other essential services and cannot be done from home.
As in March, pubs and restaurants will once again use only takeout food and drink, as will wet pubs.
Nightclubs, casinos and discos will be closed.
There is good news for elite sports fans, at least. The GAA inter-county championships will continue, albeit behind closed doors.
Other elite sports such as horse racing and Irish League football will be allowed to continue.
For children, non-contact training will be allowed to continue in groups of 15 children.
Indoor events will be banned, with only 10 people authorized to attend a funeral.
For those getting married, 25 will be allowed in attendance. Other religious events must be held online, in accordance with the guidelines.
Meetings organized outdoors will not be allowed.
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