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The cabinet will meet tonight to discuss the possibility of increasing Covid-19 restrictions around the border.
Government sources have said that it is “possible” that some border counties will move to Level 4 of the Living with Covid State framework shortly, but they have emphasized that there are issues that arise with the state of the retail sector.
While no decisions have been made, the possibility of Donegal, Monaghan and Cavan moving up to level 4 tonight has been debated.
Separately, The Irish Times understands that Medical Director Dr. Tony Holohan and his deputy Dr. Ronan Glynn met with the oversight group chaired by the state’s highest ranking official, Martin Fraser, on Wednesday. . The oversight group is seen as a key part of the interface between the Government and the National Public Health Emergency Team (Nphet). He usually evaluates the results of Nphet meetings before passing them on to the Covid Cabinet subcommittee.
Nphet is not scheduled to meet until Thursday. Team members are believed to be alarmed by the growth of the virus not just in border counties, but across the country, as described in recent letters to Health Minister Stephen Donnelly.
Donnelly has said the schools will remain open despite the decision to close them in the north.
“The plan is for the normal pause to happen.”
“Obviously, we are very aware of what is happening in Northern Ireland. In my opinion, it was the right decision for the executive. ”
“The situation is worrying. Their case numbers are several times greater than ours when adjusted for the population, ”Donnelly said.
Regarding possible increased restrictions in border counties, Donnelly said there is an “ongoing conversation with Nphet and cabinet colleagues” on this issue, but that it will not be based on whether there will be an announcement today.
When asked about people crossing the border to access alcohol given the new 8pm restriction in the north, Health Minister Stephen Donnelly said he believed people would be “in trouble” to convince authorities that a “trip to the office” counted as an essential trip. .
Earlier, Tánaiste Leo Varadkar confirmed that the government is likely to consider increasing coronavirus restrictions in border counties when the North enters a four-week lockdown.
Retail remains open in Northern Ireland but would close in border counties below Level 4. Fears have been expressed about shoppers crossing the border and the risk of infection it poses. The entire Republic is currently at Level 3.
On Wednesday, Northern Ireland Prime Minister Arlene Foster said pubs and restaurants would close for four weeks, with the exception of takeout and deliveries, while schools would close for two weeks during the mid-break. end of Halloween in an attempt to slow the spread of the coronavirus. .
Sources have previously confirmed that there have been discussions in Dublin about a rapid move to Level 4 for border counties in a bid to limit cross-border infections, amid growing alarm over rising coronavirus cases in the north.
“I haven’t heard yet what the Stormont announcement is. Once we know for sure what the Northern Ireland Executive has decided, the Government will respond to that and we will see if we should take similar steps or what actions we should take in relation to the border counties, ”Varadkar said. Newstalk on Wednesday morning before news of the Northern Ireland measures surfaced.
“We do our best to align and cooperate with Northern Ireland as best we can but as you know the Northern Ireland Executive has not favored an all islands or a 32 county approach but we do our best to coordinate and cooperate as much as we can.
“The incidence of the virus in Donegal, Cavan and Monaghan in particular is very, very high. Probably today we will have to make a decision on whether we should respond with greater measures also in the border counties.
Public Expenditure and Reform Minister Michael McGrath said the government will do everything it can to keep schools open, even though there is a provision in Level 5 that they could close if advised to do so for public health reasons .
Also speaking to Claire Byrne on RTÉ Radio One, Finance Minister Paschal Dohonoe added: “We are going to do everything we can to support our country through this. It’s about coming together to get through this. “
Previously, Varadkar told RTÉ that Morning Ireland’s restrictions in border counties could be tightened due to Covid-19 levels in the north, but that the government would wait to see what the Northern Ireland Executive announces today and what recommendations it made. Nphet on Thursday.
Varadkar said that he would rather see Dublin Covid-19 rates fall further rather than simply decrease. He said the Dublin cases appeared to have stalled today.
Meanwhile, the government’s plan remained for schools to remain open even if the country goes to level 5, he said.
Mr. Varadkar said that this decision was based on the best international evidence.
Meanwhile, the Irish College of General Practitioners clinical leader on Covid, Dr Mary Favier, warned that it is inevitable that the government will need to introduce more restrictions to address Covid-19. Dr Favier said the coronavirus was doubling, causing a “knock-on” impact on health services.
There have been 811 new cases of Covid-19 and three other coronavirus-related deaths reported by the National Public Health Emergency Team (Nphet) on Tuesday night.
The latest figures bring the number of confirmed cases in the state since the pandemic began to 44,159, while the death toll now stands at 1,830.
Of the latter cases, 190 are in Dublin, 141 in Cork, 62 in Wexford, 51 in Kerry, 50 in Clare, and the remaining 317 cases are spread across all the remaining counties.
The average age is 30 years and 70% are under 45 years of age.
There were 234 Covid-19 patients in the hospital on Tuesday afternoon, including 32 in the ICU. Nphet said there have been 22 additional hospitalizations in the past 24 hours.
Dr Favier told RTÉ radio’s Morning Ireland on Wednesday that more needed to be done to stop the virus quickly and that there was very little time to decide on the additional restrictions needed.
Stronger Covid rules for three to four weeks would have an impact on the numbers, Dr. Favier said.
He said people would accept this if they knew the end was in sight, schools and retail stores could stay open, and people could see their family at Christmas if the numbers were suppressed.
“Now we have to work hard,” he said.
Dr. Favier said GPs had seen an increase in number in recent weeks and this was having an impact on services.
While there was some stabilization in Dublin below Level 3, it was not enough and there was increasing pressure on GPs and hospitals, he said.
“The system is under pressure because of the numbers. We need to do something different, ”he said.
He said that the solution was in the hands of the public, that it was in everyone’s behavior, as there were too many people currently gathered.
Dr. Favier said the public responded dramatically and put their shoulder behind the wheel in April, and they needed to do it again.
She said employers should allow staff to work from home whenever possible, there should be no unnecessary travel, and people should meet outdoors.
Dr Favier cautioned that the Republic was only two to three weeks behind rates in Northern Ireland.
Tighter restrictions
Northern Ireland is poised for a period of intensifying coronavirus restrictions after executive ministers agreed on Wednesday to close schools, pubs and restaurants.
Pubs and restaurants will be closed for four weeks, with the exception of takeout and deliveries, while schools will be closed for two, one of which will cover the mid-term Halloween break.
The moves do not amount to a large-scale lockdown similar to that imposed during the first wave of the virus, but the measures nonetheless mark a significant increase in the administration’s response to spiraling infection rates.
It is understood that the retail establishments will remain open, as will the gyms for individual training.
The churches will also remain open. It is understood that a limit of 25 people will be imposed on funerals and weddings.
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