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A more severe regime of restrictions on retail, travel and sports has come into effect as part of government measures aimed at controlling the spread of the coronavirus.
All non-essential retail stores will close starting at 6pm tonight for at least a month, while gyms and swimming pools will also close.
As of today, no social gatherings, including New Years Eve celebrations, are allowed.
All home visits are also prohibited and there will be a 5km travel limit.
The government has also decided to extend the UK travel ban until January 6.
In announcing the new measures yesterday, Taoiseach Micheál Martin said that Covid-19 infection rates were growing “exponentially”.
“We must return to full-scale Level 5 restrictions for a period of at least one month,” Martin said in a televised speech, calling the situation “extremely serious.”
Justice Minister Helen McEntee said that in a short space of time, the spread of Covid-19 has “overcome the worst case scenario.”
Defending the government’s handling of the situation, he said that the decisions that have been made in recent weeks were based on a number of factors.
Speaking on Morning Ireland, Ms McEntee said that the Government had analyzed everything from the best of Christmas to the worst.
However, she said she’s not sure anyone would have predicted where we are in the past two weeks.
She said January will be a difficult month as we return to full Level 5 restrictions.
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“January can be a difficult month and we are trying to take steps to reduce this sharp increase,” he said.
read more
At a glance: What does level 5 mean?
What is considered “essential retail” at level 5?
The minister also said that the new restrictions “will lay the groundwork for” the vaccine to be launched in the coming months.
He said that support will be maintained for those sectors and workers that are affected by the latest pandemic restrictions.
The Ibec business group said the government’s decision to implement tighter Covid Level 5 restrictions is devastating for the many businesses and service providers that will be unemployed once again entering the New Year.
Retail Ireland, the Ibec group representing the retail sector, said the decision to close non-essential retailers was a significant blow to the many companies that would now have to close.
Retail Excellence also expressed “shock and dismay” at the government’s decision to extend the new Covid-19 restrictions to include non-essential retailers, adding that the sector would need urgent financial support.
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