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The government appears willing to reject the advice of public health officials to implement a full Level 5 lockdown with the closure of non-essential retail stores on St. Stephen’s Day.
In a letter sent Wednesday, the Irish Times reports that the National Public Health Emergency Team recommended a full Level 5 lockdown for six weeks beginning on St. Stephen’s Day, which would also include a ban on home visits earlier than currently planned.
On Thursday, Foreign Minister Simon Coveney said that data to date had shown that nonessential retail was not affecting the spread of the virus.
The minister told RTÉ Radio’s Morning Ireland that the cabinet would consider Nphet’s advice when it meets on December 29, three days after health officials called for the advice to be implemented.
Coveney rejected the suggestion that the relaxation of the Covid-19 restrictions in early December had been a mistake.
All government decisions were made on the basis of the latest data and evidence, which changed all the time. It was easy to be cautious after the event, he said.
Christmas Eve closings
It comes as public health officials have told the government that the Covid-19 situation in Ireland is now the most serious since the pandemic hit in March.
Current measures designed to suppress rising infection rates will not be enough to reduce cases below 1,000 per day and a complete lockdown should take effect starting on St. Stephen’s Day, Nphet said.
The Republic will begin entering a Level 5 lockdown with “specific adjustments” starting at 3pm today on Christmas Eve.
Under the new restrictions that will go into effect on Christmas Eve:
- The current home visiting rules remain in effect until Valentine’s Day and then are reduced to another home until December 31.
- Between counties is allowed until December 26 inclusive.
- Christmas religious services may take place, but will move online after December 25.
- Travel restrictions from Great Britain remain in effect until December 31.
- Restaurants and pubs that serve food close from 3pm on Christmas Eve.
- Hairdressers and personal services close from Christmas Eve.
- Non-essential retail can remain open.
- Gyms may remain open for individual training. The 5km limit will not be implemented, but people are encouraged to exercise close to home.
However, Nphet professor Philip Nolan has said that he does not believe that the current measures are sufficient to bring the virus’s R number below 1 and that the number of cases of around 1,000 per day will continue.
The R number, an estimate of how fast the virus moves through the population, is currently estimated to be between 1.5 and 1.8.
Ireland
Covid-19: No outbreaks in restaurants and pubs, wi …
It comes as new figures from Dublin City Council show that traffic volumes reached 86 percent of pre-Covid levels in mid-December, and business groups welcomed a boost in trade.
Nphet confirmed another 938 new cases of Covid-19 and 13 additional deaths on Wednesday night.
A senior HSE official also warned on Wednesday that the coronavirus situation in Ireland is deteriorating at a faster rate than anywhere in Europe.
Clinical director Dr. Colm Henry said the infection rate is “terrifying” and the curve is moving in a “near vertical direction.”
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