Leo Varadkar has chopped all hopes of getting a hair cut anytime soon.
The Tanaiste confirmed on Thursday that the reopening of barbers and hairdressers will be “definitely be much later” than March 5th, before telling the Irish Mirror he has ordered clippers for himself.
But he gave a ray of hope for some easing of restrictions in March, saying Government aims for families and friends to be allowed meet up with loved ones outside from next month.
Mr Varadkar also revealed that the government will present a “revised” Living with Covid plan, expected to be announced around February 22nd.
He told reporters at government buildings that it needs to be modified now because when the current plan - which has five levels - was created when there was no vaccine and that “a lot has changed” and it “makes sense to refresh it.”
Mr Varadkar said: “I’d hope that after the 5th of March that it’ll be possible for households for friends and family to meet outdoors, that was part of the first reopening if you remember back in May, around the middle of May you were able to meet other households outdoors or in a garden.
“We know that this virus is nearly 20 times more likely to transmit indoors than outdoors so getting people outdoors would be a good thing.
“But like I say and the Taosieach has said, we’re going to be conservative and cautious about this.”
He said legislation for mandatory quarantine in hotels may be ready next week and that a number of hotels have made contact to offer their services to the State.
When do you think lockdown should be lifted? What would you open first? Let us know by taking our survey here or below:
