Pubs and restaurants should only offer takeout and delivery services for Christmas, says NPHET

Pubs and restaurants should only be allowed to “offer takeout and home delivery services” at Christmas, NPHET told the government.

These recommendations would clash with the Cabinet’s plan to allow restaurants and bars serving food to open next Friday.

The recommendation made by Medical Director Tony Holohan will now be debated by the Covid-19 Cabinet Subcommittee, which he will also attend.

NPHET is also believed to have recommended that only two households be allowed to meet indoors once the Level Five restrictions end next week.

However, the final decision on what will happen next week rests with the government, and all the details will be announced tomorrow.

Government signs suggest that it may still be possible to open restaurants and gas stations in December.

The group has suggested that social gatherings will be facilitated to allow six people from as many as three households to gather indoors closer to Christmas time.

Restaurants and pubs may only continue to offer take-out and home delivery throughout the Christmas period.

People will be asked to wait in their county and not take any nonessential trips to another.

Nonessential retail would be reopened with safeguards in place.

Ministers are not expected to allow wet pubs to open before Christmas.

One of the key messages from NPHET tonight is believed to be that the government’s plan to open up the hospitality sector cannot be carried out if it also plans to ease restrictions on home visiting.