The government has ordered a new ‘Level 5’ lockdown across the country, effective midnight Wednesday December 30.
Non-essential retail and gyms, leisure centres and swimming pools have been granted an extra day’s grace before being ordered to close on Thursday December 31. The government has also ordered that the ban on air travel and passenger travel on ferries from the UK will be extended to January 6. The ban also applies to South Africa until January 6.
The restrictions will remain in place until midnight on 31 January 2021.
Taoiseach Micheal Martin (pictured) commented: “In the week before Christmas, we were seeing about 5% of Covid tests coming back positive. Yesterday 18% of those tested were infected with the disease. Over the last seven days more than 8,000 cases have been confirmed. That is a 61% increase on the previous week.
"This latest surge is different to the second wave. We are seeing rising incidence of the disease across all age groups, especially those aged 19-24 and a very worrying increase among those aged 65 and older. We are already seeing a sharp rise in the number of hospital admissions. This morning, there were 454 Covid patients in hospital. It has almost doubled in a week.
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“The situation is extremely serious and the numbers will deteriorate further over the coming days. With the presence of the new strain and the pace of growth this is not a time for nuance in our response. We must apply the brakes to movement and physical interaction across the country.”
The government said it was ordering the latest lockdown due to NPHET concerns that the epidemiological profile of Covid-19 is deteriorating.
A double payment of the CRSS, up to a maximum of €5,000 a week, will be available to businesses those subject to restrictions this week and next week. In addition, affected businesses will be able to avail of commercial rates relief for the first three months of 2021.
Retail and personal services
All retail, other than essential retail, must close from close of business on December 31.
List of essential retailers: click here
List of essential services: click here
Business, training, arts events
No organised indoor or outdoor events is permitted to take place. All museums, galleries and other indoor cultural attractions closed.
Hospitality
Bars, cafes, restaurants, including hotel restaurants/bars can offer take away food and delivery only. Nightclubs, discos and casinos closed. Hotels, guesthouses, and B&Bs open only for those with essential non-social and non-tourist purposes. Anyone staying in a hotel on December 30 may complete their stay.
Housing minister Darragh O’Brien confirmed the reintroduction of the eviction moratorium from midnight December 30 as a result of the return of 5km restrictions on people’s movements.
The minister also stated that his department is working on a package to cover commercial rates waivers for affected businesses for Q1 2021 and that construction remains an essential service under these new restrictions. It is expected that this further rates waiver will cost in the region of €160m.
O’Brien commented: “The legislation we enacted in October means that any time there is a 5km restriction imposed on people’s movements the moratorium on evictions automatically kicks-in.
“This legislation gives tenants clear legal protections by effectively stopping evictions for the period of duration of 5km travel restrictions and by adding a further ten-day grace period to allow people to find new accommodation in the very small number of cases in which this may be necessary.”
Pic: RollingNews.ie
