Households and businesses around the country are facing a bleak six weeks after the imposition of new level five restrictions yesterday.
With case numbers rocketing, Taoiseach Micheál Martin last night announced that the whole country will be moved into a strict lockdown in a bid to rescue the Christmas period.
Predictably, the move has prompted much debate, with public health experts and industry groups weighing in on the issue.
Here’s the latest lockdown news.
A worrying figure
It seems like a lifetime ago that Ireland was getting used to the idea that we might have to put up with level three restrictions for a few weeks.
Since then, the situation has escalated dramatically – and one figure in particular might explain why the Government was worried enough to move the country into level five just two weeks after rejecting public health advice to do so.
The 14-day incidence rate per 100,000 population has soared over the last fortnight.
The most recent data shows an incidence rate of 231 – an all-time high.
Cavan is Ireland’s worst-hit county, with an incidence rate of 758.8, while Meath has the second highest rate with 450.2.
But case numbers are on the rise in all 26 counties, according to the latest figures.
Pubs latest
Yesterday’s level five announcement means pubs and restaurants around the country can only operate as takeaways, with delivery allowed.
Wet pubs can run delivery services, meaning pints can be delivered to your door.
But the Irish Mirror revealed today that pubs got a shock last night when Tánaiste Leo Varadkar warned that Christmas shopping could be cancelled unless
On a dramatic conference call, Mr Varadkar reportedly told business leaders that retail, restaurants and bars are likely to face continued restrictions unless we get the R number below 0.7.
One industry source present at the meeting told the Irish Mirror: “The mood leaving the meeting was that hospitality is finished for 2020. You just have to join the dots.”
Lockdown goal
It’s hard to avoid the feeling that yesterday’s lockdown decision was made with Christmas firmly in mind.
Households countrywide are hoping that the new measures will allow for some semblance of normality over the festive period.
And Mr Martin said last night that “if we pull together over the next six weeks we will be able to celebrate Christmas in a meaningful way”.
But some have questioned the strategy, wondering if opening up at Christmas will simply force us back into lockdown in January 2021.
