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Ahead of cabinet subcommittee discussions tomorrow and a cabinet decision Tuesday, here’s what we think we know about the revised Living with Covid plan and the restrictions we can expect in the coming weeks.
Schools
A Cabinet subcommittee is expected to recommend tomorrow that Leaving Cert students, along with elementary students in junior and senior grades and first and second class students, return to school on March 1.
The final decision would be made by the Cabinet on Tuesday morning.
Children’s Minister Roderic O’Gorman has said that he understands that all primary school students will return to school on March 15. However, it is not likely that most high school students will return to the classroom until after Easter break.
Restrictions
The 5km exercise limit could remain in effect until early May, but will be revised in April.
The same will apply to the current restrictions on household gatherings. However, the Taoiseach has said that nothing is set in stone.
Retail sale
The reopening of nonessential retail is not on the government’s short-term list of priorities, but this week’s plan could set the sequence in which it will return.
Construction
The full return to construction is not expected to occur early next month. However, some in government still believe that this could happen sometime later in March.
Hospitality
The Taoiseach has said that the hospitality will not reopen until mid-summer. Most consider that to mean late June or early July.
That view is supported by the fact that the Pandemic Unemployment Pay and financial supports for businesses are likely to continue through the end of June.
It is believed that pubs that do not serve food may not reopen until the fall.
Summer
NPHET Professor Philip Nolan said it will be a summer outdoors with some kind of social gathering restrictions still in effect.
The Tánaiste has spoken frequently about the likelihood that the national tourist season will be largely the same as that of summer 2020.
Vaccines
The Government hopes that those over 18 can be vaccinated by the end of September.
The revised plan is expected to give people more clarity about when they are likely to receive the vaccine. Additionally, those with underlying health conditions, where there is clinical evidence of risk for serious illness, will move higher on the priority list.
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