The HSE will continue to support the two metre rule for social distancing, top boss Paul Reid said today.
Many politicians this week have questioned the two metre rule when the World Health Organisation says one metre is sufficient to stop the spread of the virus.
At at a press briefing at the TU Grangegorman campus in Dublin, Mr Reid said: “The NPHET guidelines at the moment is still two metres.
“One metre would certainly give us extra capacity.
“But we’ll be guided by NPHET.”
More than 30,000 Covid-19 tests were conducted this week, according to the HSE.
This brings the total number of tests taken to 310,000.
Taoiseach Leo Varadkar stood his ground yesterday as he came under increasing pressure to reduce the two-metre distancing rule to one metre.
Cabinet ministers and opposition TDs are among those who want the strict protocol eased in line with World Health Organisation recommendations.
But yesterday, Mr Varadkar said the 2m rule “still stands” with no change to current public health advice as the country navigates phase one of easing lockdown restrictions.
Other European countries have adopted the one-metre rule – and WHO has said the distance (three feet) is safe.
