As Ireland continues to battle spiralling Covid cases the country is heading for even more restrictions this week.
The country was already placed on Level Five lockdown earlier in a bid to get on top of the spread of the virus.
However yesterday Taoiseach Micheal Martin announced even more new restrictions in the hopes of reducing the amount of movement in the country as people are urged to stay at home.
The raft of new measures will affect thousands of people across the country including school students, construction workers and retailers.
Here's what you need to know:
School closures
Yesterday it was officially confirmed that all schools across the country will remain shut until the end of the month.
It had earlier been announced that schools would close until January 11 but the government have since extended the closure as a result of opposition from teachers unions.
However Leaving Cert students will still be permitted to attend three days a week from January 11.
Construction
From Friday at 6pm construction workers across the country will be sent home as sites will be closed.
The last time this measure was taken was all the way back in March when the first ever lockdown was implemented.
However there will be a number of exemptions which are as follows:
- essential health and related projects including those relevant to preventing, limiting, minimising or slowing the spread of COVID-19
- social housing projects, including voids, designated as essential sites by Local Authorities based on set criteria
- housing adaptation grants where the homeowner is agreeable to adaptions being undertaken in their home
- repair, maintenance and construction of critical transport and utility infrastructure
- education facilities sites designated as essential by Department of Education
- supply and delivery of essential or emergency maintenance and repair services to businesses and places of residence (including electrical, gas, plumbing, glazing and roofing services) on an emergency call-out basis
- certain large construction projects in the exporting / FDI sector based on set criteria
Further changes to retail
While the country is already adapted to the closure of retailers once again there is even further restrictions on the way for shoppers.
As a result of Level Five restrictions all non-essential retail will close their doors with many asked to provide online shopping services instead.
However again there has been another change as 'click and collect' services are no longer permitted and instead 'click and deliver' should be offered as an alternative.
Existing orders may be collected however.
Travel
No travellers from Great Britain or South Africa until January 9 are permitted to enter the country.
All travellers from those locations after that date must have a negative PCR COVID-19 test result within 72 hours prior to arrival.
