The Christmas season is finally here, and families have started planning their annual festivities.
With many coming back together after months apart due to Covid-19, work schedules and travel, the government has issued advice to keep you and yours safe during these busy weeks.
The Omicron variant’s presence in Ireland is growing with the daily Covid figures, and so the Chief Medical Officer is advising people to reduce contacts in the run up to being reunited with loved ones.
The current advice from the government states that any planned gatherings should be kept to a maximum of three other households - four in total.
Officials say they recognise the need for flexibility depending on individual circumstances and ask that people limit their contacts throughout the festive period.
“In noting this advice, the government acknowledged that in assessing how to apply flexibility, households will likely have regard to the re-formation of family households over the Christmas period and those who belong to household support bubbles,” the available guidance reads.
Despite the measures that are in place, it is also “recognised” that between December 24 and December 31 people will likely choose to come together in larger numbers for “important social and cultural occasions.”
So if over the Christmas period you become a household close contact, are fully vaccinated, and are showing no symptoms, you should restrict your movements until you have three negative antigen test results taken within a five-day period.
Meanwhile, Chief Medical Officer Tony Holohan warned that information published on Tuesday evening suggests that around 14% of cases in Ireland are associated with the Omicron variant.
Although Ireland’s vaccination rate remains one of the highest in Europe, Dr Holohan says we can expect this percentage to rise rapidly over the coming days.
Taking to social media, he wrote: “The goal now is to limit the spread of Covid-19 through our tried and tested preventive measures.
“These measures can protect us and our families and will allow time for the booster vaccination programme to take effect.
"This means that as we move closer to Christmas, we must try to reduce the number of people we meet, avoid crowds and work from home unless it is essential to attend in person.
"I encourage anyone eligible for a booster vaccination to take that opportunity. Boosters are proven to be effective in restoring protection against all variants of Covid-19."
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