The decision on whether Laois, Offaly and Kildare may be permitted to exit the localised lockdown that they have been under since Friday August 7 will be made at the end of this week.
So say Taoiseach Micheal Martin and Acting Chief Medical Officer Dr Ronan Glynn in response to a question at last night’s press conference by Virgin Media reporter Zara King.
Ms King inquired, in light of the new restrictions that had been placed on the country, how the three counties that were currently in a localised lockdown would be treated.
Laois, Kildare and Offaly are due to exit the lockdown at midnight on Sunday August 23.
Mr Martin said: “That will be considered at the end of the week.”
While Acting Chief Medical Officer Dr Ronan Glynn said that a decision would be taken at a meeting of the National Public Health Emergency Team on Thursday.
Dr Glynn said: “We will consider the situation there at the NPHET meeting on Thursday.”
Laois, Kildare and Offaly were placed in lockdown almost two weeks ago because their 14-day incidence rate of the virus per 100,000 had been deemed to be too high.
As of August 16, the national average is 23.1 cases per 100,000. Laois have made great progress to reduce this in the last weeks from around 80 to now below 60.
Offaly has more than 130 while Kildare is heading for 200 – and certainly in the wrong direction.
Interestingly, Tipperary and Clare will go over the the national average benchmark tomorrow with Limerick very close behind.
14 days infection level is now at 23.1 cases per 100,000 based on HPSC data up to 16/08. Offaly and Laois have made great progress. Tipp and Clare will go over the 30 benchmark tomorrow with Limerick very close behind. Kildare still struggling will go over 200 tomorrow pic.twitter.com/sSUkWMvpAP
— Conor Riordan (@ConorRiordan2) August 18, 2020
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