Remember when we kicked the 2020 donkey into a history trash bin. It was, if I remember correctly, last Thursday. Well, the ongoing nightmare of the COVID-19 pandemic does not seem to worry much about the new year, and, according to the Tanaiste, things may get worse before they get better.
The former Taoiseach told RTE This week that there was an “explosion of issues outside any of our models” and that it was “not possible to reject additional restrictions”.
Ireland has been at the highest level of restrictions, Level 5, since mid-December, with a short break for the Christmas period, and is expected to continue in the toughest stages until at least the end of January. “Our current constraints allow us to work,” said Varadkar, adding that “the Government’s strong intention is to open schools” after the Christmas holidays. “We have no advice from public health authorities that we should close schools,” he said.
a month agoLevel 5 is the highest level of restrictions outlined in the government’s serial system for dealing with COVID-19, but Varadkar has suggested that a new level of restrictions above what we currently have could be implemented.
“It’s always in our hands to the point of communication we have, so whether that is for example reducing the travel restrictions from 5km down to 2km, which we did in March and April last year, and there are a range of other steps we could look at, “said the Fianna Fáil director.
“But that’s for a week or two, if we find out that the numbers aren’t starting to be flat and declining. I think they can, nothing sure, but my meaning from looking at the traffic numbers and reporting from friends, I think the people of Ireland are very aware of the dangers and what is involved. “
“I think we’ve been good together in the last nine months and we’ll be this week, locking down tightly, avoiding ties and simple steps so that’s the way to go. And I think if we do all that we will see them. Numbers will start to fall again and we will avoid the worst outcomes for our hospitals. “