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The Government will launch its long-awaited new plan to live with the coronavirus in the coming months.
The document will replace the roadmap for the reopening of the country and will have a series of new restrictions based on the levels of the virus in any part of the country.
Here we look at some of the key questions about the framework for living with the virus.
So how does this new plan work?
There will be five levels of Covid-19 restrictions announced by the Government, one being the least severe and five being the most. When and how they are introduced will be based on the virus rate in your community.
What is the purpose of the new restrictions?
The government wants to be able to introduce selective closures in areas of the country where there are outbreaks. They also want to hold the public accountable for taking responsibility for the spread of the virus by hanging the threat of restrictions over their heads if the rate of Covid-19 rises in their county.
How will I know that they will be presented?
Several factors will be taken into account before new restrictions are introduced. The rate of new cases over two weeks will be a key indicator, but other metrics will also be taken into account, such as the amount of community transmission, which is more difficult to track, and the number of hospitalizations and ICU cases. The time of year can also be a factor, so restrictions are more likely to be in place during the winter months, when the health service is already under pressure.
Does this mean that if we reach level one on the scale, life will return to normal?
Unfortunately, this will not be the case. Even at level one there will still be restrictions on many activities and strict social distancing rules will be upheld.
And does level five mean that the country returns to the blockade?
The highest threat level will mean returning to a situation very close to the one we experienced at the beginning of this year. But the government expects this to be the worst case scenario and, at present, it does not plan to go beyond level four in the rating system.
Where are we now on the scale?
The country at the national level is at Level Two, which means there won’t be a big change in the way we live our lives when the new plan is presented. However, some restrictions will be eased.
And Dublin?
The capital is closer to level three than level two at the moment due to the daily increase in cases across the country and new restrictions are very likely to be introduced this week. The main focus will be to limit the number of people who can visit different households.
What does the plan say about home visits?
Regardless of the rate of the virus in the country, there will still be restrictions on home visits. Even at Level One, only 10 people from three households will be allowed to visit your home.
This boils down to six people from three households on level two. The rules become stricter when you move to Level Three, where only six from a household can visit another household. Controlled indoor events will be prohibited. At Level Four, all home visits and indoor gatherings will be prohibited.
Will all pubs be allowed to open next week under the new plan?
Unless there is a large increase in the virus in the coming days, pubs that do not serve food will be able to open in most parts of the country this day of the week. According to the plan, all pubs and restaurants can open below level one and level two, but there will be restrictions at level three on the opening of wet bars. The National Public Health Emergency Team urged the government last week to delay the reopening of pubs in Dublin.
Schools, colleges and nurseries
The new plan will seek to keep all education and child care facilities open for as long as possible and will only consider closing them if a county or region progresses to Level Five in the plan.
And attend sporting events?
In Level One of the plan, up to 500 people would be allowed to attend sports facilities with capacity for 5,000, although it is understood that some in the Government are pressing for this to increase in stadiums such as Croke Park or the Aviva Stadium. The government is also likely to adopt a traffic light system for foreign travel that the EU is developing.
Will national travel restrictions ever apply?
Yes, at Level Three, people are likely to be asked to limit their movements to their region. However, it is unlikely that a county-wide travel ban will be imposed on Dublin in this case.
And international travel?
The government plans to ditch its Green List of countries considered safe to travel in favor of joining the EU Commission’s traffic light system for continental flights. The system will be based on a map produced every two weeks by the European Center for Disease Control that will highlight the safest countries to travel within the EU. Travelers will need to test before traveling to and from countries if they do not appear as a green g on the traffic light system.
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