Thousands across Ireland got the news they’d been dreading on Monday, as the country plunged into a second lockdown.
With cases rising at a dangerous rate, the Government took the decision to move Ireland into level five restrictions – the strictest tier on its Living with Covid plan.
The news has been met with dismay in some quarters, with many businesses fearful of the drastic consequences of a six-week shutdown.
Some have pointed out that the restrictions are among the harshest in Europe, even as case numbers spiral across the continent.
With that in mind, it’s worth taking a look at the approaches taken in other countries, to see what measures are in place elsewhere to combat Covid-19.
Three-Tier UK
In the UK, where daily cases neared 20,000 yesterday, controversy has been raging for weeks about the measures taken by the Conservative-led Government.
In England, a three-tier system – in principle, not a million miles off our five-level plan – is in place.
Tier 1 and 2 allow pubs to stay open, subject to some restrictions, while Tier 3 sees all pubs closed.
The central Government is currently embroiled in a spat with the area of Greater Manchester, which is resisting a move to Tier 3.
Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have taken different approaches.
Wales has put in place a “sharp and deep” lockdown for two weeks, with everyone except critical workers required to stay at home.
Scotland, meanwhile, is due to publish its own “tiered” system – expected to be broadly similar to England’s – by the end of this week, with 993 cases reported yesterday.
And Northern Ireland, where cases have spiralled dramatically in recent weeks, has put in place a four-week lockdown that has seen schools closed for two weeks.
Conflict in Spain
Spain is among the worst-hit countries when it comes to case numbers, reporting a staggering 38,000 in a single day on Monday.
For context, Ireland has reported 50,000 cases overall since the pandemic hit.
But the question of how Spain should respond to the virus has been a deeply divisive one, with the central Government frequently at odds with regions used to making many of their own decisions.
In Madrid, for instance, the central Government declared a state of emergency in early October in order to impose a partial lockdown, after the region’s authorities defied earlier calls to put in place new measures.
Authorities in other parts of the country – including Catalonia – have announced new measures as infection rates surpass 500 cases per 100,000 people.
Belgium hit by ‘tsunami’ of cases
Belgium, the home of the EU, is being hit with a “tsunami” of cases and is now among the countries worst affected by Covid-19.
All bars and restaurants in the country are closed for four weeks as part of new measures designed to get the virus under control.
The country’s health minister has warned that the situation in parts of the country is “the most dangerous in all of Europe”.
The country has recorded a daily average of almost 8,000 cases over the last week, and fears are growing that the country’s hospitals won’t be able to contain the surge.
‘Spectacular’ rise in French case numbers
After recording a record 32,400 cases on Saturday, France has introduced an overnight curfew in nine cities – including Paris – that affects 20 million people.
Under the restrictions, people in affected areas will need a certificate for permitted activities such as travel to or from work, for medical attention, to visit a dependent relative or to walk a dog.
The measures, which will last for at least four weeks, have also seen weddings banned in public spaces.
They’ve been put in place after a “spectacular” rise in case numbers in a country that’s nearing 1 million reported cases.
Those who breach the restrictions three times can be fined as much as €7,500, and even face three months in prison.
But French President Emmanuel Macron has said a national lockdown – like the one in place in Ireland – would be “disproportionate”.
