448 Covid cases as Nphet outlook positive for easing restrictions

The Health Minister has said that a meeting with the Chief Medical Officer, Dr Tony Holohan, indicated a positive view to further easing restrictions. Picture: Gareth Chaney/Collins

There have been 448 Covid-19 cases confirmed in Ireland this evening as Nphet indicate positive outlook for easing of restrictions.

There are currently 99 Covid patients in hospital, of which 41 are in ICU.

The number of people hospitalised with the virus is down 28 in the past 48 hours.

Full data on Covid-related deaths and case numbers remain unavailable due to the recent cyberattack on the HSE.

Speaking in the Dáil today, the Health Minister has said that a meeting with the Chief Medical Officer, Dr Tony Holohan, indicated a positive view to further easing of restrictions.

Nphet met this morning ahead of the Cabinet meeting on Friday to consider the public health advice on the easing of restrictions through July and beyond.

"Nphet's view is that the trajectory is positive, thanks to the Irish people getting behind the measures day after day after day and keeping case numbers and hospitalisations low," said Stephen Donnelly.

He said restrictions have been tough and have come at a huge cost to people but they have worked and while it is hoped they will only be required for a short time, some of them will be needed into the winter.

The Dáil is debating extending the government's emergency COVID powers until November.

Opposition parties want an earlier ending to the measures that give power to most of the public health restrictions.

Social Democrats co-leader Catherine Murphy said public freedom needs to be taken into account.

Ms Murphy said the extension of powers to June 9 was done so with the understanding that it would be the sunset clause.

"We know there are high levels of virus still and we know there are risks to variants and we know that we have to manage and collectively manage those risks," said Ms Murphy.

"But we have got to do that and balance people's fundamental rights as well."

Meanwhile, a backbench government TD has called for the decommissioning of Nphet.

Fianna Fáil TD Paul McAuliffe said it time to stop micro-managing the way people socialise once they have been fully vaccinated.

Mr McAuliffe said the Government risk "losing the room" if they try to micro-manage the interactions that vaccinated people have over the summer months.

Table service, physical distancing and a curfew when indoor hospitality reopens 

Indoor hospitality must not feature live or loud music and customers will face an 11.30pm curfew, new guidance says.

The Fáilte Ireland guidelines says that from June 7, outdoor service is permitted for a maximum of 6 people aged 13 or over per table. This does not include children, with the maximum at any table being 15.

While the same number will apply to indoor dining, there will be several differences, namely:

• Multiple tables cannot be booked indoors 
• No parties/ social gatherings are permitted indoors 
• Table service only 
• Physical distancing of 2 metres should be maintained between tables unless there have been mitigation procedures taken 
• Physical distancing of 1 metre is required between the outer edges of the party (back of chair to back of chair) 
• Contact tracing, ventilation and enhanced hygiene measures must be adhered to 
• Measures to control noise levels. e.g. no live/loud music permitted.
• Face coverings/masks must be worn by customers at all times other than when sitting at their table.
• Employees wear face coverings/masks at all times Patrons must have vacated the licensed premises by 11.30pm.

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Outdoors, tables can be one metre apart with no time limit, but indoors the time limit will apply if tables are closer than two metres together.

"Pre-booked time-limited slots must be in place for customers, which are a maximum of 105 minutes duration plus 15 minutes to allow for adequate cleaning."

It is also recommended to have segmented food and beverage areas to allow for smokers and non-smokers, the document says.

Special attention should be paid to ventilating indoor areas, the document says.

40% of people in the North are fully vaccinated 

More than 70% of the adult population in Northern Ireland have received the first dose of their Covid-19 vaccination.

Health Minister Robin Swann said over 40% of the population are now fully vaccinated.

He also announced that in order to maintain the programme’s momentum, the vaccination programme will be extended to the 18-24-year-old age group “in the very near future”.

Wednesday saw the eighth consecutive day in Northern Ireland where no further deaths of patients who had previously tested positive for Covid-19 were notified.

The Department of Health said another 66 positive cases had been confirmed, while there were 28 Covid-positive patients in hospital, of whom two were in intensive care.