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Cabinet will today consider extending the 5km Covid-19 travel restriction to a county-wide limit starting in mid-April.
The subcommittee of senior ministers decided last night to delay easing the restriction on foot from what was described as a “gloomy” report from the National Committee for Public Health Emergencies (Nphet) on the current situation.
The group’s senior ministers, chaired by Taoiseach Micheál Martin, agreed that the change to travel restrictions should take place on April 12 instead of April 5, when the current Level 5 restrictions were set to end.
A government source said that this reason behind the delayed easing was to “keep [case] numbers down during the Easter school holidays ”.
The cabinet will meet today to discuss this recommendation on coronavirus committee travel and potentially ease other restrictions gradually and in stages, potentially week by week or fortnight to fortnight.
Among the other issues being discussed are the easing of restrictions on children’s sports and the possible reopening of some construction sites.
A partial return to construction is also expected to begin, beginning with 14,400 construction workers for homes and new child care facilities, starting April 12. . Non-contact outdoor activities and training for those under the age of 18 are also expected to resume starting April 12. Non-contact sports, such as tennis and golf, are also expected to be allowed after mid-April.
The return of click-and-collect services in retail won’t happen until May, the Cabinet is expected to decide today. Some ministers have pushed for an earlier return, especially for small clothing and footwear retailers. Sources said there was a concern that people would move more than necessary and also a nervousness about straying too far from Nphet’s advice. For these reasons, the decision has been postponed until May.
The cabinet coronavirus committee met for more than four hours last night and listened as Covid-19 cases remain stable at the current level of restrictions, altering public health measures could change this.
A government source said there was a view that there are not enough vaccinated people in Ireland to take risks.
Ministers were told that if the state lost control of the disease now, there could be a substantial wave of infections through mid-summer, while a cautious approach over the next four to eight weeks could reduce risk by 50 to 70 percent. .
Deferred
Transport Minister and Green Party leader Eamon Ryan confirmed leaving the Cabinet subcommittee meeting on Monday night that easing of restrictions during April will now be gradual and phased, rather than one-off. time. The start date of the changes has also been postponed one week for most of the changes to avoid any increase in the numbers during the last week of Easter holidays.
“It is essential that we do well in the coming weeks.”
“First things first. We have to get April right. We need to get the extra million shots in April. That will give us real protection. Another million shots in May, and we’re too far away. Not too far away. We have to have be careful not to get ahead of ourselves and do the next few weeks well. ” he told reporters.
Garda Association of Sergeants and Inspectors (AGSI) secretary general, Antoinette Cunningham, warned, however, that any relaxation of the 5km travel restriction would make surveillance of the pandemic even more difficult.
The government will also consider Tuesday allowing two households to meet outdoors in a location other than a private garden, and allowing non-contact sports training in capsules for children. The ministers will also discuss the possibility of allowing people to play golf or tennis, although no decisions have been made yet.
The HSE told ministers that it would have a hard time coping with another wave of illnesses if it struck
.
Mandatory quarantine
The list of countries from which travelers are subject to mandatory quarantine upon arrival is expected to expand as the pandemic grows in several states, including many in Europe. Sources indicated that officials are likely to push for an expansion of the list, but that this may not be imminent.
Any expansion of the 33 countries currently on the list would require more capacity in hotel accommodation used by the state for quarantine, especially if the expansion includes countries with high levels of travel to the Republic.
Hospital pressure
Intensive care consultant Dr. Catherine Motherway cautioned that any relief from restrictions will have to be gradual to avoid pressure on hospital services.
Dr. Motherway told RTÉ radio Today with Claire Byrne that she “devoutly” hoped that as the vaccine was released, the number of patients in intensive care would be reduced. “What keeps the numbers low is public behavior.”
Compared to January, the current figures were much better “we have all done a very good job.”
It was important that everyone “hang on” for now to protect the vulnerable and prevent people from ending up in the ICU with “severe Covid,” he said.
Dr. Motherway noted that half of the people in the ICU today were under the age of 60, but they were people with underlying conditions and were in the high-risk cohort. Most of the people in this cohort were in a cocoon, and as vaccine rollout progressed, it was important that the public adhere to public health measures to protect the vulnerable. “We all have to be careful until the summer.”
Dr Motherway noted that UK data on the impact of the vaccine would indicate that it could take another “six to seven weeks” before implementation has a “significant impact”. This was his “estimate”, he emphasized.
“We are all fed up,” he said. As restrictions were lifted and people were able to gather outdoors, Dr. Motherway urged people to be careful and keep their distance, especially when encountering people who might be vulnerable. “We have to do that for a little longer.”
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