The government announced yesterday that the reopening of indoor dining would be delayed due to the worrying rise in case numbers of the Delta variant.
NPHET has advised the government that indoor dining should be limited to only allow those who are fully vaccinated.
Minister for Environment, Climate and Communications Eamonn Ryan told RTE’s Claire Byrne this morning that the delay in fully reopening will accelerate the roll-out of the vaccination programme as young people will now be given access to other vaccines.
Although indoor dining may not be reopening to everyone, many other restrictions will continue to ease during July.
Restrictions that will ease from July 5:
· There will be no limit on the number of fully vaccinated people who can visit together. This also applies to people who had a positive COVID-19 test in the past nine months.
· Outdoor events can have up to 200 in attendance. Larger outdoor venues with a capacity of 5000 or more can have up to 500 in attendance.
· Wedding receptions for weddings that are already planned can have up to 50 people attend.
Restrictions that will be eased from July 19, subject to public health advice:
· International travel will resume.
· Ireland will adopt the EU Digital COVID Certificate for travel within the EU and EEA.
· Indoor activities may be allowed for people who have been vaccinated or have immunity from COVID-19. The government hopes to put a new system in place to allow for the reopening of indoor activities, including organised events, return of indoor services in bars and restaurants, group training, group exercise, and dance.
The government has a couple of options as to how this system will work.
The simplest of systems to implement would see those who are fully vaccinated asked to bring their vaccine certificate with them to attend indoor activities.
Vaccine certificates are given to a person by their GP or at a vaccination centre following the vaccine being administered.
The person will also be asked to bring another form of ID to verify the name on the certificate.
Another method may see Ireland adopt a system much like other EU countries have done, similar to the EU Digital Covid Certificate.
This would show a person's Covid status through an app on their phone.
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The app will then tell the hospitality worker whether or not a person has been vaccinated, has tested positive for covid over the past nine months, or has had a negative Covid test.
Some have suggested the government should issue an advisory notice that will simply advise people who are not vaccinated against indoor dining.
However, this is unlikely to happen as it would be difficult to implement, and there would be no guarantee people would abide by the advice.
