Government 'will need to support Covid-hit businesses through 2021'

11/08/2020 Covid-19 Pandemic (Coronavirus), Ireland. Lockdown Day 138. Day 44 of Phase Three. Pictured is a shopper wearing a face mask passing a display of face masks in a shop window in Dublin, as the European Centre for Disease Control (ECDC) has reported that Ireland's incidence of Covid-19 cases per 100,000 people over the past 14 days is now higher than in the UK. Photo: Leah Farrell / Rollingnews.ie

The Government will need to prepare for a long haul and keep supporting businesses through 2021 even if there is a breakthrough in developing and delivering a Covid-19 vaccine, experts have warned. 

Fergal O'Brien, director of policy and public affairs at business group Ibec, said the many good measures announced in the July stimulus package will need to be repeated.