Country moves to full Level 5 Covid-19 restrictions
By Aideen O'Flaherty
THE country is to go back into a Level 5 lockdown from midnight tonight as coronavirus cases in the State have spiraled in recent weeks.
In a speech outside Government Buildings this evening, Taoiseach Micheál Martin outlined a number of measures which are being implemented in a bid to halt the spread of the virus.
Government Buildings
These measures include:
- Schools will remain closed until January 11.
- Level 5 restrictions will be in place until January 31.
- All non-essential retail will close at 5pm tomorrow (Thursday).
- Gyms, swimming pools and leisure centres to close tomorrow (Thursday).
- Golf clubs and tennis courts will close.
- The 5km limit will be reimposed.
- Ban on all household visits.
- Six guests can attend weddings, ten at funerals.
While announcing the measures, the Taoiseach stated that it was distinct from when measures to deal with the pandemic were first introduced last March, commenting that “for the first time since this awful disease arrived on our shores, we truly have an end in sight”, citing the ongoing vaccination programme.
“We will rebuild the economy, we will repair the damage to our society,” he further added.
Encouraging people to adhere to the new measures, the Taoiseach said: “We must stay at home, and eliminate contact with others now, to make sure that as many of our people as possible are still with us to enjoy our better and brighter days up ahead.”
The government made the decision to implement the Level 5 restrictions following advice from the National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET), after a number of emergency meetings were held in recent days in relation to the rising number of coronavirus cases.
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