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Taoiseach Micheal Martin said that vaccines are reducing the impact of the virus and that Ireland ‘will continue to progress’ in a safe, cautious and sustained manner. “
The Cork native says they may be the first steps in a brighter year for everyone.
The 14-day incident rate fell below 200 this week for the first time since Christmas, which is good news for a county anxiously waiting for closure restrictions to begin to ease.
Speaking in a video posted on Twitter, he said: “This can be seen in the reduced levels of infection in our nursing homes and among our frontline healthcare workers.
“This brings hope, along with the continued drop in Covid numbers thanks to the sacrifices they have been making.
“The 14-day incidence level fell below 200 this week for the first time since Christmas.
“While our health services are still under pressure, the number of patients in our hospitals and ICUs is significantly reducing.”
However, the Taoiseach added a note of caution, warning that the virus variants mean that people should not relax with the restrictions.
Mr. Martin said he was inspired by recent visits to vaccination centers where thousands of frontline healthcare workers are receiving the vaccine.
(Image: Taoiseach Micheal Martin’s Twitter)
He said the government and HSE are doing everything they can to secure supplies and get those vaccines to people as quickly as possible.
“In the next few days we will have administered half a million doses since the first vaccine was administered to Dubliner Annie Lynch 63 days ago,” he said.
“Next week we will begin vaccinating people with underlying health problems and we will continue to vaccinate those over 70 and health workers.”
(Image: Micheal Martin’s Twitter)
It comes as Leo Varadkar has shared an update on the Ireland lockdown and the three areas most likely to reopen on April 5.
The Tanaiste explained that any relaxation of the restrictions will depend on several factors related to the suppression of the virus.
However, he offered hope that the 5km nonessential travel limit could be extended, construction allowed to restart, and “more outdoor activities” could return.
(Image: PHOTOGRAPH BY JULIEN BEHAL)
Mr Varadkar told Q102 in Dublin: “The effective date for a decision would be April 5, so in the run-up to April 5 we will see four things: how the vaccine program is going, there are variants that we should be concerned about, the pressure on hospitals is being relieved, and cases remain stable or fall.
“And if they are, as of April 5 we could ease the restrictions.
“The kind of things we’re considering softening at that point would be the 5k rule, it would allow construction to roll back and allow for more outdoor activities. Because outdoor activities are always safer than indoors.”
But the Fine Gael leader was quick to dispel hopes that training and amateur sporting events could be allowed to resume.
He added: “There are two complications with that. The new variant is much more transmissible and we have yet to see how the reopening of the school is going to go. That will give us a good idea of how outdoor training could go.” particularly involving children.
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“And the second thing to keep in mind is that it is often not just the sporting event itself, or the crowd, or the particular event that people attend that causes the virus to spread.
“It’s all the things around him, it’s the people who get together after games to go to someone’s house, or in the car together, that’s where the virus spreads, unfortunately.”
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