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The government has asked the public to take personal responsibility as Covid-19 restrictions are eased.
It comes as HSE CEO Paul Reid said the number of people with the virus in Irish hospitals dropped overnight from 248 to 243 and of those, 34 are being treated in ICU, one less than yesterday.
Opposition parties have broadly welcomed last night’s announcement by the Taoiseach, Micheál Martin.
Non-essential retailers and services will be allowed to resume starting December 1. Places of worship, museums, galleries, cinemas, gyms and swimming pools will be reopened.
Restaurants, hotels and pubs with their own cuisine and meals prepared on-site may reopen for indoor dining starting December 4 with additional restrictions. Wet pubs will not be allowed to reopen.
However, some business groups have expressed disappointment that the measures did not go far enough.
The Vintners Federation of Ireland said that not allowing the dank pubs to reopen was an “impressive act of government hypocrisy”.
Fianna Fáil’s TD Barry Cowen said he was disappointed and discouraged by publicans.
“They understand their enormous responsibility, they wanted to be entrusted to them, but it seems that it is not like that,” he said and asked for statistical evidence behind the ban on wet bars.
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The Irish Hotel Federation described the decision not to allow inter-county travel until December 18 as “myopic.”
IHF Executive Director Tim Fenn said: “We ask the Government to reconsider this decision.”
While people will be allowed to travel across the country from December 18 to January 6, it is unclear what the advice will be regarding traveling to Northern Ireland over Christmas.
Micheál Martin said that the government will monitor the effect of the restrictions in the North over the next few weeks and examine the matter again.
The numbers of # COVID-19 patients have dropped this morning to 243 with 34 in the ICU. We can avoid more cases and hospitalizations if each of us plans a safe December and Christmas. The government has done its part. Please let everyone do our thing. “If so, it’s up to me.” @HSELive
– Paul Reid (@paulreiddublin) November 28, 2020
Level 3 goes into effect next Tuesday.
Among the key changes is the updated guide on face masks. People should now wear them outdoors on busy streets, in crowded workplaces, and in places of worship.
Households should not mix with other households outside of their bubble until Christmas week, when three households can be reunited.
A key message from the government during the month of December will be that “every contact counts.”
Sinn Féin called for increased testing and tracking to ensure Ireland avoids falling back into heavy restrictions.
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