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UPDATED: 5pm
Five outbreaks of Covid-19 have been observed in bars since the start of the pandemic, according to the Center for Health Protection Surveillance.
The Center has recorded 2,736 outbreaks in other settings, such as nursing homes, workplaces, and private homes.
It comes as Tánaiste Leo Varadkar has said that he believes that all pubs should be able to open their doors, while the HSE has insisted that now is not the right time for a safe reopening of the rest of Irish pubs.
NPHET Fellow and HSE Clinical Director Dr. Colm Henry said experiences from other countries have highlighted the dangers these settings can pose: “I cannot specifically think here of a major outbreak associated with a bar due to the restrictions that have been in effect.
We have drawn unfortunate lessons from international experience where there were a large number of cases arising from quite lightning-like transmission in pub-gathering settings.
“But we have drawn unfortunate lessons from international experience – Melbourne and Aberdeen, where there were a large number of cases emerging rapidly from lightning-like transmission in pub-crowd settings, a lesson that could unfortunately be replicated anywhere.”
The reopening date for pubs without a license to serve food has been delayed several times; they must remain closed until September 13 at the earliest.
Varadkar
Varadkar has said that he believes that publicans can be trusted to follow the Covid-19 public health guidelines and be able to run their businesses in a way that does not put public health at risk.
Speaking to Live 95, Leo Varadkar said tavern keepers should have a “chance” to reopen.
He said: “Wet pubs are open in all European countries now, albeit with restrictions, and we have also seen how restaurateurs and gastropubs have done a very good job.
“Pubs that serve food and restaurants have been open for months, there are very few examples of clusters of infections in restaurants or gastropubs,” he said.
“They have shown that they can really follow the rules and regulations, although with some notable exceptions, and likewise, publicans should have that opportunity as well.”
Following Mr. Varadkar’s comments, Dr. Henry said, “Now, with the schools reopening and with the trends that we’ve seen in recent weeks, this is not the right time.”
Garda Powers
Varadkar’s comments come as Justice Minister Helen McEntee said legislation to give Gardaí greater powers to enforce public health regulations in pubs and restaurants amid the pandemic will help “take us further in the future. way “towards a more open society.
Smaller parties and independents criticized the legislation as “draconian” given that there are few infringing companies, but Ms McEntee insisted in the Dáil on Wednesday that the legislation would encourage “the small minority of licensed establishments that act against the public health regulations to be in compliance ”.
The bill will give An Garda Síochána powers “to act quickly to enforce the law” in this regard, when necessary, he said.
The Kerry tavern keepers come in their Kerry t-shirts and we are going to the Dáil next Wednesday. And any self-respecting publican in the country is more than welcome.
However, allegations that the government plans to allow all pubs to reopen soon were dismissed by an independent TD and a publican.
Kerry TD Danny Healy-Rae said that the legislation being discussed in the Dáil is meaningless without established guidelines.
He said: “We don’t have the rules or regulations that will apply to the ‘wet bar’. And that is why I am not going to vote to give him, the Minister, the power … for the rules and regulations that are not yet in force. “
Kerry’s publicans have now said they will march in Dublin on Wednesday to protest the delay in reopening their facilities.
Niall O’Callaghan, owner of the Fáilte Hotel in Killarney, insists that social distancing will be maintained at next week’s rally: “We will be in Dublin next Wednesday, Kerry tavern keepers are presenting their Kerry shirts and we are going Dáil next Wednesday. And any self-respecting publican from across the country is more than welcome. “
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