[ad_1]
In June, they promised us that “summer is not lost” as the reopening of the country accelerated.
Now the imperative is to save Christmas, but in a way that does not jeopardize all recent efforts to roll back the virus.
Some in the Dáil are asking for caution. But for other politicians, caution must be tempered by the hope and desire that families and friends will reunite after months of separation.
And it’s a critical period for retail and hotel companies eager to recoup some of the forced losses this year.
Intensive discussions are taking place in the Government on how to manage this reopening. The Taoiseach has repeatedly insisted that Level 3 is the target for December, however, it added this week that it may be moderate for some sectors.
It’s unclear exactly what that means, though he has said that data is being analyzed sector by sector to inform approach to break out of Level 5.
The government must weigh the balance between facilitating some kind of Christmas and the risk of accelerating the inevitable lockdown that will follow.
The problem is that Christmas below level 3 is nothing like the excellent holiday season many imagine.
Pubs that do not serve food may not be allowed to open, and restaurants would still have strict restrictions on indoor and outdoor dining, something the industry warned might not make reopening feasible.
Look at the example across the border where restaurants resisted the suggestion to come out of the lockdown to serve food but not alcohol. He is not a broker according to many.
And under Tier 3, people must stay in their own county. That does not favor the usual exodus from cities when people travel to reunite with their families.
On international travel, Tánaiste Leo Varadkar dampened the hopes of many who were planning to return to Ireland from abroad when he advised against booking flights. Medical Director Dr. Tony Holohan went further and called it “non-essential travel.”
There was better news about church services, as the Taoiseach told RTÉ News at One yesterday that it expects places of worship to be open on Christmas Day.
So how will the government assess the pace of unlocking? Two key criteria predominate: the reproductive number must be below one (or 0.5 according to the National Public Health Emergency Team) and cases must decrease steadily.
NPHET and the cabinet health subcommittee are monitoring the situation. Additionally, it is understood that the Taoiseach Department is examining footfall, traffic, behavior, and the impact of changes in restrictions.
In general, sources say that the pace will be dictated by the behavior. The carrot is to work harder now to have a better Christmas and to postpone the inevitable crackdown.
Until now, the Government has remained firm in the line that there will be no easing until December 1 as planned. That’s despite the fact that the overall picture for Covid has improved much faster than anticipated.
And while there is external pressure from interest groups, there is also internal pressure within government parties.
Several TDs from Fianna Fáil have requested that consideration be given to introducing some element of the Level 2 restrictions in December. This was broadcast at the parliamentary party meeting by Cormac Devlin, James Lawless, Jim O’Callaghan and others.
Health Minister Stephen Donnelly has also publicly raised the possibility of Level 2 for Christmas along with regional variations.
Fine Gael TDs have called for a House debate on how to reopen. This will happen next Thursday when the Covid Committee report will be considered.
Social Democrats have urged caution around Christmas with co-leader Róisín Shortall saying it is important to avoid short-term thinking and that the priority is to reduce virus numbers.
Labor leader Alan Kelly has pushed for an indication of when the plan will be announced.
And others have pointed to the government’s failure to implement a regime that facilitates travel. Independent TD Michael McNamara has said that ten months after the pandemic, there is still inadequate evidence despite the state’s responsibility to facilitate normal life.
And that’s where the government has not stepped up, its critics say.
They argue that if the plan is as simple as getting in and out of closures, surely there should already be a better system.
[ad_2]