Every county in Ireland is currently at Level 2, while additional restrictions will apply to Dublin.
The government has announced details of a five-level response plan as part of a new roadmap that will determine how the country will live with the Covid-19 pandemic over the next six to nine months.
Taoiseach Micheál Martin announced details of the much-anticipated roadmap at Dublin Castle on Tuesday morning, saying the new plan was based on three pillars:
- Protecting health
- Strengthening employment
- Supporting communities
The plan will see the introduction of a new framework, with five levels of response to different levels of threat from Covid-19 that the government says “will help us to go about our daily lives as much as possible while managing the behaviour of the virus”.
The lower levels will be activated when there is low incidence of the disease, with isolated outbreaks and low community transmission. The higher levels will be used to deal with higher incidences of the disease.
At a national level, Ireland is currently at Level 2, although it will be possible for different regions and counties to be at a different level to the national level, depending on the incidence of the virus in that particular region or county.
The Taoiseach confirmed, for example, that Dublin is on the new level 2 with ‘some modifications’.
This includes ‘wet pubs’ in Dublin remaining closed, as well as additional restrictions on people visiting households.
The Taniste, Leo Varadkar in relation to Dublin restrictions spoke about ‘the 4 Ws’;
- Welcome no more a maximum of 6 people from one other household into your home, indoors or outdoors,
- Wash your hands,
- Watch your distance,
- Where you can’t distance wear a facemask.
At all times, the government says, the priority guiding the plan will be to keep schools open, while keeping people safe and protecting the resilience of the economy and communities.
At Level 2, the majority of areas of economy and society, for example: schools, restaurants, pubs and gyms, are open.
Some of the key guidelines allowed under Level 2 can be seen below:
Social and family gatherings
In your home or garden
Visitors from one other household only or up to six visitors from two other households or three other households.
Other settings outside your home or garden
Members of different households can continue to meet socially in other settings up to six people indoors, 15 outdoors from one, two or three other households.
Weddings
Up to 50 guests can attend a wedding ceremony and reception.
Funerals
Up to 50 mourners can attend.
Organised indoor gatherings
These are controlled environments with a named event organiser, owner or manager.
For example: business, training events, conferences, events in theatres and cinemas or other arts events (excluding sport).
Up to 50 patrons are permitted and in pods or groups of up to six if appropriate, with arrangements to ensure no intermingling of groups.
Up to 100 patrons are permitted for larger venues where strict two-metre seated social distancing and one-way controls for entry and exit can be implemented.
Organised outdoor gatherings
These are controlled environments with a named event organiser, owner or manager. For example: outdoor Arts events, training events.
Up to 100 patrons are permitted for the majority of venues.
Up to 200 patrons for outdoor stadia or other fixed outdoor venues with a minimum accredited capacity of 5,000 (with robust protective measures as per sectoral guidance).
Bars, cafes and restaurants (including hotel restaurants and bars)
Open with protective measures in place (for example: physical distancing, table service only, cleaning regimes, noise controls).
Maximum numbers in restaurants and cafes linked to capacity of establishment, taking account of public health advice, but with individual groups limited to six people from up to three households.
‘Wet’ pubs
Open with robust protective measures in place (for example: physical distancing, table service only, cleaning regimes, noise controls and so on).
Maximum numbers linked to capacity of establishment, taking account of public health advice including appropriate social distancing, but with individual groups limited to six people from no more than three households or the prevailing advice on the mixing of households.
Nightclubs, discos and casinos will remain closed.
Sport
Training
Outdoors: training can take place in pods of up to 15 (exemption for professional/elite/inter-county sports/senior club championship).
Indoors: training, exercise and dance classes can take place in pods of up to six inside (exemption for professional/elite/inter-county sports/senior club championship).
Matches and events
Up to 100 patrons/spectators outdoors and 50 patrons/spectators indoors.
Up to 200 for outdoor stadia or other fixed outdoor venues with a minimum accredited capacity of 5,000.
For very large purpose-built event facilities (for example: stadia, auditoriums, conference or event centres) specific guidance will be developed with the relevant sectors to take account of size and different conditions for larger events.
Gyms, leisure centres and swimming pools
These can open with protective measures, taking account of public health advice, including social distancing.
The guidelines for Level 2 and all levels from 1-5 can be seen here.
Main image via Twitter/MerrionStreet.ie
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