A leading public health expert has urged families to postpone their Christmas gatherings for six months.
In a major blow to households across the country, Dr Gabriel Scally – an expert in epidemiology and public health – said people should "reset their family gatherings for six months' time."
He added: "I would like to suggest that governments should say: 'Well, we're going to postpone, from the deepest depths of winter, that family gathering. And we're going to have them in June, around the solstice in June. And we're going to give you two more bank holidays then – public holidays.'
"And by that time the vaccine will have helped us enormously."
His comments come as families all over Ireland prepare to come together next week for festive gatherings – something permitted in Ireland under Christmas health guidelines.
Fears are growing, though, that an uptick in travel and socialising could prompt a spike in cases – with case numbers increasing ominously across Ireland over the last week.
Speaking on RTE's Today with Claire Byrne, Dr Scally said coronavirus "spreads like wildfire in family gatherings. And the thing about Christmas that distinguishes it is the multi-generational nature of our normal Christmas gatherings.
"And that's exactly what we want to avoid. That's exactly what mustn't happen."
Dr Scally's comments come hot on the heels of a warning from Micheal Martin that Ireland could be heading back into lockdown sooner than January 6.
Last night, the Taoiseach told Claire Byrne that a special Cabinet meeting has been scheduled for Tuesday December 29th to reassess the situation, amid creeping rises in the number of daily infections being recorded by public health officials.
A worsening Covid-19 situation across Europe has led the Taoiseach to say he's "keeping an eye" on the date.
Intercounty travel reopens this Friday and there are fears that it could lead to a huge spike in Covid-19 cases – especially when the numbers of loved ones travelling home from regions abroad where rates are skyrocketing again is factored in.
