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The government advises people to start restricting their movements now if they plan to spend Christmas with vulnerable family members.
The Assistant Secretary General of the Taoiseach Department said that with just two weeks to go, people should start limiting their contacts now.
In a briefing this morning, Liz Canavan said: “It will not be enough to start reducing your contacts in a couple of days before Christmas.
“That means you may have to postpone that meal with friends until after Christmas, and that will mean avoiding the crowds.”
Ms. Canavan said that now everyone should be thinking about planning their vacation because it has implications for how we spend the next two weeks in the run-up to Christmas.
She said: “We are trying to get to 2021 safely, we want to avoid another peak.”
He added that just because a vaccine is on the way, it doesn’t give us immunity during the Christmas season.
Read more: Latest coronavirus stories
Canavan said the goal is to try to keep the number of viruses at the same level it has been in recent weeks, or lower, and that to do this, people should limit the number of people they spend time with to one ” very small circle. “.
He said that Covid-19 has exploded in countries like Canada and the United States after Thanksgiving celebrations.
Ms. Canavan said, “We don’t want to do that here. Let’s learn the lessons of other countries and be determined not to repeat what happened there.”
He said that just because certain things are now allowed due to loosening of restrictions, “it doesn’t mean you have to do them.”
Ms. Canavan also urged people who go shopping or socialize to “remember the basics.”
This means wearing a mask in crowded places, even outdoors on busy shopping streets or in queues, as well as keeping your distance and staying home if you’re not feeling well.
If people plan to meet friends this weekend, Canavan said people should do so outdoors if possible, but indoors, to make sure the space is well-ventilated and to avoid hugs and handshakes.
Dublin city center was 80% busier on Saturday night than the previous week since Covid-19 restrictions were eased.
Ms. Canavan said, “Always try to avoid crowds, think about planning that meal during the week, for example,” she said.
Canavan said: “We know from the Dublin data that the city center had its busiest weekend since March last weekend. 2 to 3 pm It was the busiest time and 9 to 10 to.
“Traffic volumes around some of Dublin’s big shopping malls last weekend saw a 40% increase.”
Yesterday, Medical Director Dr. Tony Holohan also advised people to consider restricting their movements now to “ensure the safest possible interaction with your family during Christmas.”
Dr Holohan said: “Assess the risk of the environments you plan to be in for the next two weeks; are they complying with public health measures? Can they maintain a two meter distance? Do people wear face covers?
“Now is the time to make decisions about what interactions are necessary and pose the least risk to you, your family and friends during Christmas.”
Dr. Holohan said minimizing contacts over the next fortnight was vital. He said the example of Thanksgiving-related infections in the United States showed that even short-term gatherings could result in an increase in the number of cases.
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