#NEW
Taoiseach confirms Ireland's Level 5 lockdown restrictions extended until March 5th.
He says they're having a "positive impact" on prevalence of Covid in the community.
However, numbers in hospital are "too high".
@VirginMediaNews #COVID19ireland
Taoiseach confirms Ireland's Level 5 lockdown restrictions extended until March 5th.
He says they're having a "positive impact" on prevalence of Covid in the community.
However, numbers in hospital are "too high".
@VirginMediaNews #COVID19ireland
"We cannot give the virus or variants any space", says Taoiseach.
The message for the next six weeks - "stay at home", says Micheal Martin.
The message for the next six weeks - "stay at home", says Micheal Martin.
"No non-essential travel. Non-essential travel outside 5km is a clear breach. Additional Gardaí to be deployed. Anyone breaching regulations will be subject to fines."
Taoiseach confirms mandatory hotel quarantine for those without Not Detected PCR tests and those arriving from Brazil or South Africa.
MM: Restrictions are exceptionally difficult - the true toll on mental health is still unknown.
He says we "must stay focused" on the measures that will bring the virus under control.
He says we "must stay focused" on the measures that will bring the virus under control.
Now Tánaiste Leo Varadkar.
He says the aim is to reduce case numbers, to allow hospitals and ICUs time to recover from surge, to enable a phased opening of schools across Feb and March, and to get the vaccine out to more people.
#COVID19ireland
He says the aim is to reduce case numbers, to allow hospitals and ICUs time to recover from surge, to enable a phased opening of schools across Feb and March, and to get the vaccine out to more people.
#COVID19ireland
Varadkar names CityWest as a quarantine hotel. He says more need to be identified.
Tánaiste: International travel will become more important in March and April to stop cases coming back in again.
Now Minister Eamon Ryan.
He says passenger locator form will be changed - focus too on people flying into the North.
He says work continues with the UK Government on travel arrangements.
He says passenger locator form will be changed - focus too on people flying into the North.
He says work continues with the UK Government on travel arrangements.
Health Minister Stephen Donnelly says pressure on hospital will remain high for some time.
He says it will take time for numbers in ICU to reduce - thoughts with patients who are very sick in hospital at the moment.
He says it will take time for numbers in ICU to reduce - thoughts with patients who are very sick in hospital at the moment.
Donnelly: "We exceeded our target for last Sunday (143,000) - for now focus will be on frontline healthcare workers and nursing homes... We are NOT happy with the news from AstraZeneca."
"Numbers have not been finalised between AZ and the EU... I want to end by thanking healthcare workers... they've stepped up all year and they have stepped up yet again... because of their dedication, patients are receiving best possible treatment" - @DonnellyStephen
Taoiseach says 'quite a number' of Irish citizens went on holidays abroad over Christmas and came back... he says extra checks will have an impact on this.
👮How long will it take to get this up and running?
Taoiseach: Regulatory issues like Brazil can happen quickly. Securing facilities will be done 'as quickly as we can'. Primary legislation to deal with EU citizens will be formulated 'quickly'.
Some issues done by end of week.
Taoiseach: Regulatory issues like Brazil can happen quickly. Securing facilities will be done 'as quickly as we can'. Primary legislation to deal with EU citizens will be formulated 'quickly'.
Some issues done by end of week.
#LATEST Martin says modelling shows between 800-1300 in hospital by end of February - and 100 in ICU.
He says that's why we need to keep the focus on driving cases down and relieving pressure on healthcare workers and hospitals.
He says that's why we need to keep the focus on driving cases down and relieving pressure on healthcare workers and hospitals.
Taoiseach says there's been 'early talk' on a two-island approach to travel between Ireland and the UK.
Will March 5th be the end of the lockdown?
"There are no guarantees...", says the Taoiseach. "We might do better" than anticipated... He says the restrictions will be reviewed on 5th of March.
"There are no guarantees...", says the Taoiseach. "We might do better" than anticipated... He says the restrictions will be reviewed on 5th of March.
"Notwithstanding the difficulties with AstraZeneca...", Taoiseach says there will be more room to manoeuvre because of increased doses from Pfizer/BioNTech.
He says we're taking a cautious approach.
He says we're taking a cautious approach.
Why not #zerocovid?
Taoiseach says "I don't think it's possible or sustainable... it's a promise you can't fulfil..."
He says we cannot seal the border... and "likewise with the UK" and then Europe.
He says suppression "can be effective" with vaccine rollout.
Taoiseach says "I don't think it's possible or sustainable... it's a promise you can't fulfil..."
He says we cannot seal the border... and "likewise with the UK" and then Europe.
He says suppression "can be effective" with vaccine rollout.
Can Gardaí actually turn people around if they're going to the Canaries on their holidays?
Eamon Ryan says Gardaí can fine people.. he says they can turn people around if they're coming from the North.
Ryan says the fine will achieve the objective to reduce the volume of travel
Eamon Ryan says Gardaí can fine people.. he says they can turn people around if they're coming from the North.
Ryan says the fine will achieve the objective to reduce the volume of travel
Schools 🏫
Varadkar says it's "reasonable" to project we will reduce cases and begin to open schools on a phased basis from February.
"We're very keen to agree" protocols with teachers, schools, parents etc.
Varadkar says it's "reasonable" to project we will reduce cases and begin to open schools on a phased basis from February.
"We're very keen to agree" protocols with teachers, schools, parents etc.
Varadkar: This virus keeps tearing up our plans... we need to have an open mind to strategies...
Taoiseach says vaccination will be key to the reopening plan going forward. He says even if we get cases down, variants could put more pressure on hospitals.
Q2 was planned to move from limited vaccination to 'mass vaccination' - he says April, May, June will be big for that.
Q2 was planned to move from limited vaccination to 'mass vaccination' - he says April, May, June will be big for that.
On schools:
Taoiseach says the Leaving Cert cohort 'has to be addressed'. He says 'space' will be provided to the Dept of Education to work that out.
Taoiseach says the Leaving Cert cohort 'has to be addressed'. He says 'space' will be provided to the Dept of Education to work that out.
Donnelly says "it's not true" that there was diversion of vaccines from healthcare workers to nursing homes.
Donnelly now says there was no political intervention in the allocation of vaccines.
He says he asked for vaccines to be sped up to nursing homes. He says 'operational decisions' may have been made by hospital groups.
He says he asked for vaccines to be sped up to nursing homes. He says 'operational decisions' may have been made by hospital groups.
Bit of spice in the Q&A between @hughescraig90 and the Minister there.
People quarantining in hotels WILL have to pay says Leo Varadkar.
Interesting exchanges there.
Varadkar says even if you vaccinate everyone by September - you can’t assume herd immunity. New variants can change things.
He also said you probably wouldn’t allow free travel into Ireland for Christmas even with vaccinations.
Varadkar says even if you vaccinate everyone by September - you can’t assume herd immunity. New variants can change things.
He also said you probably wouldn’t allow free travel into Ireland for Christmas even with vaccinations.
Question is - would this not apply to the current living alongside strategy too?
https://twitter.com/gavreilly/status/1354117634615291905
Things getting quite gloomy in outlook there towards the end.
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Latest on all angles on @VirginMediaNews now
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