Taoiseach Micheal Martin has announced a range of new public health measures as we head for Christmas week.
The measures come following a letter from Chief Medical Officer Dr Tony Holohan – and are announced just two weeks after the most recent ones.
These are being introduced as public health officials fear the impact of the Omicron Variant.
Last night, NPHET recommended that pubs and restaurants, excluding takeaways or delivery services, should close at 5pm from Monday.
However, Taoiseach Micheal Martin has just confirmed that this closing time has been increased to 8pm – albeit those in the hospitality industry say this will make little difference to them.
They have branded it ‘a lockdown in all ways except calling it a lockdown’.
The Taoiseach also confuremed that the number of spectators attending outdoor sporting events will be limited to 50% capacity, or a maximum of 5,000 people.
Weddings are to be limited to 100 people and end at midnight.
There should be no indoor events after 8pm and attendance is limited to 50% of capacity or 1,000 people.
Close contacts of a confirmed case who have received a booster must restrict their movement for five days after notification. Unboosted close contacts must restrict movements for 10 days.
These are to come into effect on Sunday night and remain in place until the end of January.
Meanwhile, there are no changes to the number allowed for household visits, which will remain set at four households.
While there are also no changes to domestic travel for the Christmas period.
Taoiseach Martin said: “We are going to see a massive rise in new cases and the challenge we face is how we slow the rise in infection and prevent it from getting out of control.
“This new strain, left unchecked, presents a real challenge to critical care and hospitalizations.
“We are likely to see infections in excess of anything we have seen to date. It is that serious.
“With Omicron, it is also becoming clearer that vaccines on their own aren’t going to be enough to get through this wave safely.
“There needs to be a very strong and immediate reduction in contacts.
“This news will be deeply disappointing for many. It is not the news I wanted to bring you nor is it the news you wanted to hear.
“However, and this is important, the truth is that we are in a much better place than we were at this time last year.
“This Christmas, please be safe and look after each other.”
