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The National Public Health Emergency Team will meet this afternoon in a context of increasing Covid cases and fears of further restrictions.
The disclosure will fuel speculation that the entire country could move to Level 3 restrictions, although no such decision has been made.
Much will depend on the infection and hospitalization figures to be released later tonight.
A letter is expected to be sent to the Government in the wake of the unusual Sunday meeting of the NPHET team.
While high-ranking sources caution against the expectation that the communication will automatically contain any recommendations (a letter last Thursday contained a suspension advice) if new measures were proposed, the government would act tomorrow.
The Minister of Public Expenditure, Michael McGrath, said this week on RTE radio 1 this Sunday at lunch: ‘It is very difficult and hard for the people. But as a government, we have to be prepared, that if we receive more recommendations from NPHET, we will examine them quickly. “
If any requests for additional restrictions emerge from today’s meeting, they will be sent to an oversight committee headed by the country’s top official, Martin Fraser, to consider broader social and economic impacts.
Both would then be considered the cabinet subcommittee on Covid. A disembodied Cabinet meeting could then approve any proposal.
McGrath said he sincerely hoped that no further restrictions were necessary. “But I think we have to be honest with people. The numbers are deeply worrying and the current trend we are witnessing is not sustainable,” he said.
“I know people are tired. We are all tired. Everyone has paid a price in terms of their own personal freedom. Many have paid a very significant financial price due to the restrictions we have had to impose and the overall economic impact of Covid- 19.
“But we must get over this and we must do more. We must all ask ourselves what else we can do to comply with the public health councils, which we all know at this stage.
“It is very difficult and hard on the people, but as a government we have to be prepared that if we receive more recommendations from NPHET, we will examine them quickly.”
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