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Back to full-blown Level 5 then? And before we think. Why is it happening now?
An emergency Cabinet meeting took place on Wednesday night, with an increase in Covid-19 infections and an alarming increase in the number of hospitals with the virus. After the meeting, Taoiseach Micheál Martin confirmed that the country was returning to Level 5 in the framework of Living with Covid-19.
Why was it agreed to increase the restrictions?
It’s all about numbers. As the Cabinet met, another 1,718 coronavirus cases were announced, bringing the total number of cases since the start of the pandemic to 90,157 in the Republic. Wednesday’s figure was the highest daily figure since the start of the crisis in February. Another 13 deaths related to Covid-19 were also announced, bringing the total number of deaths related to the virus to 2,226.
Are those numbers as terrible as they sound?
Yes, and it is widely anticipated that things are likely to get worse in the coming days. “This is perhaps the most dangerous time for the country since Covid-19 started,” a minister said before the meeting.
How are the tests going?
It is close to capacity. With widespread transmission of the virus in the community, the benefit to people taking steps to prevent infection “far exceeds” what testing and tracing can accomplish, according to Paul Reid, CEO of HSE.
So what was decided at the cabinet meeting?
All Level 5 restrictions, including the Thursday night closure of non-essential retail stores, as well as the re-imposition of restricted movement within 5 km of homes as of midnight Wednesday, will go into effect. Gyms and swimming pools must be closed from the close of Thursday. Meetings organized outdoors are not permitted. Funerals are limited to 10 mourners. The wedding parties were reduced to just six people as of January 3. People are asked to work from home. And the school holidays will last almost a week.
Anything else?
Yes. Even the smallest of New Year’s Eve house parties has been hit on the head. The government ends a concession that would have allowed two families to socialize in a house until December 31.
And will the established rules be upheld?
Gastro-pubs and restaurants must remain closed, although take-out and delivery services will be allowed. Hair salons, salons, cinemas, galleries and museums will also close on Christmas Eve and will remain closed. Religious and mass services have only moved online.
And the schools?
Schools will be closed until January 11. The students were due to return on January 6.
What else?
The Housing Department has confirmed that a moratorium on evictions will be reintroduced from midnight Wednesday through February 10 due to travel restrictions.
And when will all the new restrictions end?
It’s hard to say for sure. The Taoiseach said the restrictions will be in effect until the end of January. However, he conceded that many of the measures could remain beyond that point. Tánaiste Leo Varadkar has previously stated that there is a case for Level 5 restrictions to remain in effect until those most at risk are vaccinated.
What about vaccines?
There has been mixed news on this front. By the end of the week, about 40,000 doses of the Pfizer / BioNTech vaccine should be in the country. This will be followed by 40,000 a week throughout January and early February, which will be primarily for nursing homes. Ireland will receive an additional one million doses after the EU responded to the growing number of cases by increasing requests for the only treatment it has authorized so far. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the EU will now take an additional 100 million doses of the vaccine, on top of the 200 million already ordered.
And the bad news?
There have been delays in the approval of other vaccines that Ireland must receive. The launch of the University of Oxford’s AstraZeneca vaccine is unlikely to go ahead as expected in January after a senior official at the European Medicines Agency said regulators did not have enough information about it. Ireland has ordered 3.3 million doses of this vaccine. It also ordered 3.3 million doses of the Sanofi / GSK vaccine, but this is delayed until the end of 2021.
And what about the new variant of Covid-19?
At the time of writing, seven cases of the new, most transmissible variant of Covid-19, first identified in the UK, have been sequenced in the Republic, along with one in Northern Ireland, according to a new assessment by risks from the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control. He added that while there is no information to suggest that infections with the new strain are more serious, due to increased transmissibility, the impact of the virus is considered high in terms of hospitalizations and deaths.
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