[ad_1]
Tanaiste Leo Varadkar has said that the government plans to maintain the total closure restrictions until March 5.
Mr Varadkar said the tough restrictions will remain in place for another six weeks if the cabinet agrees on the measures that would be in line with the measures in force in Northern Ireland.
The cabinet will meet tomorrow to discuss current proposals.
The Tanaiste also said the government was considering a gradual reopening of schools in February, however, it hinted that it would depend on whether the number of cases was low enough.
Speaking on RTE’s Claire Byrne Live, she said: “The number of cases is decreasing … but it is not low enough yet.
“Our hospitals are in a very difficult position using the ICU and intensive care augmentation capacity at the moment, so the advice to Cabinet tomorrow is that we should extend the Level Five lockdown until March.
(Image: RTE)
“That is to align us with Northern Ireland, but it also allows for the gradual reopening of education.”
Mr. Varadkar said the government hoped to reopen schools during February and March, starting with special schools, then primary schools and possibly the exam years, but said the issue still needs to be discussed with the relevant unions.
Varadkar also noted that the government would scrap a tailored Covid zero approach in New Zealand and Australia saying it would “not work in an Irish context” after NPHET’s advice to suppress the virus to a more manageable level.
“We are at the epicenter of a pandemic in Europe, we have problems with Northern Ireland and we also have essential connectivity to the UK and Europe.”
“So zero Covid means zero community transmission cases for 14 days in a row. It took Melbourne three months to go from three to four hundred cases to zero for 14 days.
“For us it could take much longer, so in an Irish context it could mean a permanent lockdown and we may never reach zero for 14 days.”
[ad_2]