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A full Level 5 lockdown is in play ahead of the new year, as Cabinet meets today on the “galloping” Covid figures.
The government is likely to close all nonessential shops and services, reintroduce the 5km restrictions and extend the UK travel ban.
People may be asked to leave their home just to exercise or for essential purposes, though one minister insisted that prolonged school closings had not been considered. Gyms and other fitness facilities are likely to close.
It is a union of primary school teachers, the INTO asked that schools remain closed until Monday, January 11, at the earliest, due to the “alarming increase” in Covid cases.
“It is now very clear that the ability of schools to operate normally will be seriously affected due to the increased numbers of staff and students who will need to isolate themselves and / or restrict movement in the weeks after Christmas,” the union’s general secretary, John Boyle said in a letter to Education Minister Norma Foley.
In the meantime, full PCR testing of all arriving passengers at ports and airports is likely, although the land border with the north remains open.
“People have not been following the rules, and the numbers are through the roof,” a government source said last night.
A record 1,546 new Covid-19 cases were confirmed yesterday, the Health Department said. This brings the total number of cases in the Republic so far to 88,439. There were also nine more deaths, bringing the total number to 2,213.
Last night, the Department of Public Health urged people in one of the worst affected regions of the country to “avoid large social gatherings of any kind for New Year celebrations.”
There have been 800 positive coronavirus cases in Limerick, Clare, and North Tipperary combined over the past two weeks, the Midwest Department of Public Health said.
“We know that the virus has been circulating widely for almost four weeks in the community and has spread through these extended social gatherings in the lead up to Christmas. However, while we continue to closely monitor the possible impact of the Christmas celebrations, we fear that the large family gatherings in recent days may have added an additional layer to what is already a complex situation at the local level, ”said Dr. Mai Mannix, Director of Public Health. Midwest.
Today an emergency meeting of the Cabinet has been called to discuss the worsening of the Covid-19 situation. Health ministers and officials are doubly concerned that a third wave may peak in mid-January, when the health system is traditionally under greatest pressure. They are also aware that the consequences of socializing during the Christmas period have not yet been reflected in the data.
“There have been parties everywhere, although obviously the majority of the population is trying to help control the situation,” said a source. “But the figures that we are seeing now, although they are very high, are from 10 days ago. We haven’t seen the Christmas numbers yet and we can expect them to be very bad. So the situation will get worse before it gets better. “
Higher Education Minister Simon Harris warned that New Years Eve parties should be an ‘absolute no’ this year.
“The government will decide whether to update its decisions, but the advice of the medical director is good enough for me. He has told us over the past few days, ‘Please cut down on your social contacts and try to stay home,’ ”he said. Added it was also “inadvisable” to meet others outside to see the new year. “I am not a doctor, but my very clear understanding of this virus is that the more you hang out with people, the more likely it is to spread, ”Harris said.
“Our CMO is very concerned about the spread of this virus. I want everyone in this country to have the opportunity to get vaccinated. And I don’t want to go to the funerals of my loved ones in the months of January and February ”. Ireland is about to enter a difficult period due to the British variant of the virus, although vaccinations have started, he added. He said he would not be surprised to see 2,000 new infections daily in Ireland before the new year, such as predicted before Christmas.
Ministers will consider a recommendation from CMO Dr. Tony Holohan that the tougher measures of last March and April be reinstated.
The additional controls will be reviewed in conjunction with those already planned from December 31 to January 12. But the government could also signal that they will be in place for an extended period of time, possibly until Valentine’s Day.
The ministers want to buy enough time to implement the vaccine after the first inoculation yesterday.
One predicted that the strict restrictions that would take effect on January 1 would be brought forward one day to avoid family revelries on the occasion of the new year.
“I think the main problems are whether everything starts on the 31st or the first, and how long it should last,” said the minister. “No more yo-yo could be the best, stay at Level 5 until the most vulnerable… receive their vaccinations.
“The government recognizes that it will be very hard for the people. Jobs will be lost and it’s a dark and depressing time. “
Another source said a longer crackdown would be needed to hope to contain the explosion of cases since the restrictions were eased on December 1.
The UK travel ban will be extended by one week.
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