NPHET has urged the government to move to Level 5 after Christmas. The team has also expressed concern over the rising number of Covid cases in the republic, as well as the new strain of the virus present in the UK.
RTÉ News reports that Donnelly said his job right now is to keep people alive, keep people safe over Christmas. On Christmas Day an awful lot of people in every county in this country are going to be sitting down with their families and having a Christmas Day who otherwise wouldn t have been if this virus had been let out of control, he said.
The restrictions are being describe as Level 5 minus.
The decision comes after a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Covid-19.
Health Minister Stephen Donnelly has said public health doctors and infectious disease specialists are deeply concerned at how quickly the virus has been spreading in recent weeks.
Minister Donnelly told reporters this morning that the new strain of the Covid-19 virus has public health experts “very worried”.
The Minister told reporters: On Christmas Day an awful lot of people in every county in this country are going to be sitting down with their families and having a Christmas Day who otherwise wouldn t have been if this virus had been let out of control.
Martin did, however, announce a series of specific exceptions to the Level 5 measures, including that non-essential retail services will be permitted to remain open, as will gyms and swimming pools for individual training only.
A summary of the restrictions to come into effect can be seen below; the restrictions will be reviewed again on 12 January,
Restaurants and gastropubs to close at 3pm on Christmas Eve (services to be provided to hotel guests only after that point)
Hairdressers to close on Christmas Eve
Inter-county travel will not be permitted after St. Stephen’s Day (26 December). People will be permitted to stay where they are at that point and travel home later, but no new journeys beyond county boundaries beyond that date will be permitted.
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Restaurants and pubs to close on Christmas Eve and household visit ban from Jan 1st, Taoiseach confirms
New household and travel restrictions will kick in before the New Year. By Christina Finn Tuesday 22 Dec 2020, 1:13 PM Dec 22nd 2020, 1:13 PM 107,829 Views 193 Comments
TAOISEACH MICHEÁL MARTIN has announced new Covid-19 restrictions, with restaurants and gastro pubs to close at 3pm on Christmas Eve.
In a national address just three days out from Christmas, the Taoiseach said the government had decided to meet the renewed threat from the virus “aggressively and head on”.
He said Ireland will return to Level 5 restrictions – with some adjustments – and there will be some new restrictions before the New Year.
Non-essential retail to remain open under Level 5 but shops asked to defer January sales
“The retail sector will be requested to defer January sales events,” the Taoiseach said this afternoon announcing the measures. By Cónal Thomas Tuesday 22 Dec 2020, 1:31 PM Dec 22nd 2020, 1:31 PM 43,713 Views 35 Comments
Image: Leah Farrell/RollingNews.ie
Image: Leah Farrell/RollingNews.ie
NON-ESSENTIAL RETAIL will be to allowed remain open but shops have been asked not to hold January sales as the government announced the country was heading back to Level 5 restrictions, with some modifications.
Amid a sharp rise in Covid-19 cases, Taoiseach Micheál Martin confirmed this afternoon that the country will enter Level 5 from 24 December.