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Taoiseach Micheál Martin has said that “the end is really in sight” as 82% of people will have received their first Covid-19 vaccine by the end of June.
In announcing the extension of Level 5 restrictions until April 5 and the gradual return to school teaching, Mr. Martin said that the Government wants to ensure that “when we ease each particular restriction, we take a careful approach to make sure that when we open something, it stays open. ”
He said that after the next phase of restrictions, to be reviewed before April 5, the government will consider easing the 5km travel limit and easing restrictions for people gathering outdoors and outdoor sports.
The Taoiseach said there would be a “major increase” in the vaccination program.
By the end of April, up to 40 percent of people over the age of 18 will have received their first dose. By the end of May, up to 64% of people will have received their first dose.
By the end of June, up to 82% of adults will have received at least one dose. Up to 60 percent will be fully vaccinated at that stage, Martin said.
“I know that people are physically and emotionally exhausted. We are all completely fed up with the impositions in our lives, ”he said.
Mr Martin said that the new variant of the disease in the UK was like “an almost new virus and it is a major problem. The truth is that the dynamic has changed significantly ”.
The leader of Fianna Fail said it was essential to keep the number of infections low in order to open the country safely.
He said that the way forward was divided into two phases, the situation before April 5 and the situation after.
He said that while Ireland would remain in Level 5 restrictions, there will be three important differences. This includes the gradual return to school education, the expansion of the reopening of childcare, and the resumption of non-Covid health and social care services.
Mr. Martin appealed to the public to use the month of March to reduce the number of infections in the community.
“I know how difficult this is. I know the devastation has brought. But I also know that the end is really in sight. ”
Reopening hours of schools and nurseries
March 1:
Junior, senior, first and second class infants will return in elementary, while sixth grade will return in high school. Special schools will also return to full attendance, while children will return to early start preschool and special early intervention classes.
March 8:
Preschool early childhood education and care program (primarily for children ages three to five) to be reopened.
March, 15th:
Deadline for the return of the rest of the elementary school children (from third to sixth grade) along with the fifth grade students. This date will be reviewed.
March 29:
Early care and learning (birth to six years) and school-age childcare services (up to 14 years) to reopen.
April 12th:
Deadline for return to school education for all other high school students: first through fourth year students.
The Cabinet has also approved plans to extend social assistance supports for the Covid-19 pandemic, such as the Pandemic Unemployment Payment, until the end of June.
Speaking at a press conference later, the Taoiseach said that elite sport will continue below Level 5. “There’s no question about that.”
The Government will place people with underlying conditions and facing severe risk of serious illness or death on the priority list for vaccination.
People are “exhausted” by the Covid-19 restrictions, and while there are “reasons for hope and optimism,” substantial relief from the restrictions is far off, coalition leaders said at a press conference Tuesday. .
While the government has published its new plan to handle the pandemic, party leaders and public health chiefs acknowledged Tuesday that it was not yet clear to identify the exact metrics to determine if and when the reopening would occur.
Exhausted
At a press conference in government buildings Tuesday night, Leo Varadkar, the leader of Tánaiste and Fine Gael, said that people are “exhausted” and many people are depressed and parents struggle with work and education in the home. However, he said there are “reasons for hope and reasons for optimism”, and that the “virus is in retreat, both here and globally.”
He said that globally, the vaccine data is “really encouraging.” He said that some routine health services would resume in the coming weeks, such as cancer screening. “If things work out and we keep the virus suppressed, we can expect further restrictions to be eased after Easter.”
He said he regretted that clarity could not be given to those who are in the pandemic unemployment payment, but that the “safety net” of payments to individuals and companies will continue, the exemption from commercial fees will be extended and sector-specific support will also be provided. . continued.
Dr. Ronan Glynn, deputy chief medical officer, said the emerging vaccine data is “really promising” and that vaccination will become “our most powerful tool against Covid-19.” He said “there are brighter days ahead, but in the meantime, we know what works, we know how to do it and we know we can do it right.”
However, the Taoiseach and Dr. Glynn were unable to clearly state the exact metrics that would be used to measure progress, or determine if a new reopening could take place. Mr. Martin said that if the country moves above 1 in terms of the R number, it assesses how quickly the disease is spreading in the population. “Obviously, if we move significantly above that, it would clearly be a problem.” Dr Glynn said that an R number greater than one at this time, given the levels of disease in the population, “would be very concerning”, but less if there were only 10 or 20 cases per day.
No trust
The Labor Party said that if it weren’t for the pandemic, it would consider a vote of no-confidence on Education Minister Norma Foley.
“If it weren’t for the pandemic, we would probably be moving out of distrust territory. The way the department has treated the education sector has gone beyond disrespect, it is in the category of insults, ”education spokesman Aodhan O Riordain said tonight.
He condemned the recent confusion over the schedule for going back to school and said the Department of Education was not yet clear on how it would treat or evaluate certified dropouts, who are due to return next week.
He said the Labor Party welcomes the reopening of schools, “but it must be done safely.”
However, he said that the reopening of schools without mandatory quarantine for all who enter the country is “doomed to fail.”
When asked if the schools should go back faster than the government’s plan, Mr O Riordain said: “I don’t know if they can go back faster. I don’t know if it’s safe. “
“I have to trust the department. . . he knows what he is doing, based on the advice he has received from Nphet and the teachers’ unions. “
He doesn’t think the Easter week school holidays should be shortened, he said.
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