Q&A: Everything you need to know about Level 5 lockdown Here is an overview of the new restrictions amid Covid-19 surge in Ireland Wed, Dec 30, 2020, 21:28 Updated: Thu, Dec 31, 2020, 08:37
Back to full-blown Level 5 then? And earlier than we thought. Why is it happening now? An emergency Cabinet meeting was held on Wednesday evening, with Covid-19 infections surging and the numbers in hospitals with the virus climbing alarmingly. After the meeting Taoiseach Micheál Martin confirmed the country was moving back to Level 5 in the Living with Covid-19 framework. Why was ramping-up of restrictions agreed to? It is all about the numbers. As the Cabinet was meeting, a further 1,718 cases of coronavirus were announced, bringing the total number of cases since the start of the pandemic to 90,157 in the Republic. Wednesday’s figure was the highest daily tally since the start of the crisis in February. A further 13 deaths relating to Covid-19 were also announced, taking the total number of deaths relating to the virus to 2,226.