Some positive news.
The National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET) has agreed to recommend that the Government proceeds with the current plan to further ease Covid-19 restrictions from next Monday.
It was reported by multiple publications on Thursday that the group decided to agree to the further reopening due to the latest Covid-19 data which shows that Ireland is tracking ahead of more optimistic NPHET projections.
From Monday 20 September there will be a phased return to offices and restrictions on outdoor group activities and organised indoor activities will also see their capacity increased.
Organised indoor group activities (sports, arts, culture, dance classes) will be allowed to take place with capacity limits of 100 people with appropriate protective measures where all patrons are immune, fully vaccinated or recovered from Covid-19 within the previous six months, or accompanied minors.
Where patrons have mixed immunity status, pods of up to six participants will be permitted, excluding leaders or teachers.
Multiple pods will be permissible subject to protective measures and the number of pods will depend on the size of the venue and substantial social distance between individual pods.
Restrictions on outdoor group activities for participants will also be removed.
The requirement for children who are deemed to be close contacts of a confirmed Covid-19 case to be tested and restrict their movements may also come to an end at the end of the month as NPHET agreed that the change may take place if no significant in-school transmissions occur.
All high-risk events including nightclubs are set to reopen from 22 October with CMO Dr Tony Holohan confirming on Wednesday that Ireland is still on track for the full reopening.
"We think we're not far away from a point whereby all of the criteria we set out in our advice to government, which is accepted as a basis for moving towards our next phase in terms of management of the pandemic," he said at a Department of Health press conference.
He added that the vaccination target of 90% is very close to being achieved and "a lot of encouraging trends" are currently happening in terms of the incidence rate of the virus in many age cohorts.
Main Image: Sam Boal/RollingNews.ie.
