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The restaurant and pub restrictions are expected to be central to discussions between the government and public health officials next week as the plan to come out of the shutdown is finalized.
High-level sources involved have described indoor hospitality as “a key battleground” in upcoming discussions. These are likely to be defined by public health experts advising caution, while some government figures are pushing for a reopening as wide as possible, according to several people involved.
Taoiseach Micheál Martin has said that he wants Ireland to get out of Level 5 of the Covid-19 restrictions on December 1.
However, he said that this Christmas will be very different from previous ones in that large groups of people could not congregate in pubs or other venues.
“That will pose challenges for us. It won’t be a normal Christmas, but it can still be a safe and enjoyable Christmas if we care about ourselves and each other, “he told Virgin Media News.
When asked about easing travel restrictions, he replied: “We would like to see some relaxation of the 5 km and county borders.”
The government is expected to finalize the plan to come out of lockdown and handle the pandemic during December and beyond by the end of next week.
The Cabinet will meet on Tuesday and there will be ongoing meetings of the oversight group. The cabinet subcommittee will also meet to discuss leaving the lockdown. There may be a second cabinet meeting later in the week, according to government sources.
The spread of the virus in indoor and uncontrolled environments, especially when consuming alcohol, is a major concern for the National Public Health Emergency Team, as The Irish Times understands.
There is likely to be less resistance to loosening some restrictions in fine dining restaurants or pubs, but significant concerns remain about pubs offering token food offering to comply with regulations.
The team held extensive discussions Thursday about proposed measures for the holiday season. While no final decisions have been made, it is believed that the most likely advice for the government will be to move to an upgraded version of Level 3 in December. However, there is a growing acceptance that some kind of tailored set of restrictions will be required for Christmas itself, which will go hand in hand with strong messages about personal responsibility.
But there will be no more Garda restrictions or measures on pubs serving take-out drinks or the people who drink them, following a meeting between the Taoiseach, ministers and Garda Commissioner Drew Harris yesterday.
Mr. Harris told the Taoiseach that the public is complying with the Level 5 restrictions at a “high level” during the meeting in Government Buildings to discuss the application of the rules, regulations and guidelines arising from the pandemic.
The Taoiseach was accompanied by the Minister of Justice, Helen McEntee, and the Minister of Health, Stephen Donnelly.
The meeting was called after last weekend’s events, where crowds of people were filmed drinking take out alcohol in Dublin city center. The government initially said it would ban the practice, but then backtracked and said it would discuss the issue with the Garda.
A government spokeswoman said no new actions or measures will emerge from yesterday’s meeting, which she described as “positive and constructive.”
Eight deaths, 330 new cases
Meanwhile, the team reported eight more deaths and 330 new Covid-19 cases on Friday.
This brings the total number of deaths and 69,802 confirmed cases of Covid-19 in the Republic of Ireland to 2,018.
The new figures also suggest that the number of healthcare workers contracting Covid-19 in the second wave of the virus is considerably lower than in the first wave, according to a report from the Center for Health Protection Surveillance.
In late March and early April, healthcare workers accounted for about 40 percent of positive Covid-19 cases, and the percentage of total cases peaked in May, when it reached nearly 45 percent. .
However, in the week ending November 14, healthcare workers accounted for about 15 percent of total cases, although this number is increasing, having been as low as 5 percent at the end of October.
Moreover, it is understood that the first meeting of the state working group on the Covid vaccine is scheduled for early next week. The task force is set up to focus on issues related to the planned vaccine launch, including the logistical demands associated with storing drugs such as the Pfizer vaccine, which must be kept at an ultra-low temperature.
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