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The National Public Health Emergency Team has recommended to the Government to close restaurants and gastronomic bars to take out and deliver deliveries only after Christmas to curb the spread of Covid-19.
The team recommended additional restrictions for the hospitality sector and reducing home visits from two to one more home from December 28 to reduce new infections.
The recommended restrictions would put the country back into enhanced Level 3 restrictions with an inter-county travel ban being reintroduced to reduce the movement of people.
Nphet cautions that non-essential retail stores may remain open after Christmas.
Taoiseach Micheál Martin said on Friday that the government was “very willing” to accept Nphet’s advice, set out in a letter received Thursday, and to proceed with “major restrictions” in the hotel sector before New Year’s Eve.
Martin did not go so far as to disclose when the new post-Christmas restrictions could be introduced before the government meeting next Tuesday to consider Nphet’s advice.
After a virtual meeting of the North-South Ministerial Council, the Taoiseach said that Nphet was “proposing significant restrictions on hospitality before New Year’s Eve.”
“The government is willing to follow that recommendation, but the government has to discuss this and we will finally decide on Tuesday,” he said.
“But certainly given the increase in the numbers over the last week, and they will rise again today, we are very willing to accept the advice Nphet has given us in terms of moving that date forward before New Years Eve, which will imply additional restrictions on hospitality. “
Martin acknowledged that this was “very serious” for the hospitality industry and that the Government “is ready to support the hospitality industry during this very, very difficult period.”
“We are very willing to move in accordance with the advice that we are receiving from Nphet,” he said.
The government may decide to delay the restrictions until December 30 depending on the number of new cases between now and next week’s cabinet meeting, but restrictions are expected to be introduced before New Year’s Eve due to concerns about the social mix that night.
You may decide to keep open the possibility of allowing alfresco dining for restaurants and gastropubs that can accommodate diners in heated outdoor areas, recognizing the impact that business closings and business closures have had on the industry over the course of the course. of the pandemic.
Nphet’s letter is understood to have expressed concern about the five-, seven-, and 14-day virus incidence rates and the increase in breeding numbers to between 1.1 and 1.3, meaning the virus is spreading. with between 11 and 13 new infections for every 10 cases.
Nphet expressed concern in the letter that infections are increasing in all age cohorts, in contrast to the second wave, in which the new cases were primarily among younger people initially, and noted the risks of further spread. of the virus at family gatherings during Christmas.
The public health team expressed concern about the situation with the high level of Covid-19 cases in Northern Ireland as an example of how coronavirus infections can increase rapidly.
The details of the Nphet recommendations came on the eve of further easing of restrictions since the lifting of the six-week level 5 restrictions in early December.
Under the latest phase of relaxation of restrictions, from Friday, inter-county travel is allowed during Christmas through January 6 and people can have home visits from two other homes to allow families and friends to mingle during the festive period.
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