Covid certs to be required for gyms and hairdressers, and antigen testing to increase

In addition, digital Covid Certificates will be required in gyms, hairdressers and barbers, under a proposal set to be approved by Cabinet on Tuesday.
The Cabinet is to sign off on a major expansion to the vaccine booster campaign to include all adults over the age of 50.
With approval from its National Immunisation Advisory Committee (Niac), a memo from Health Minister Stephen Donnelly is to be discussed by ministers on Tuesday.
Ministers are also set to expand the use of digital Covid certs to gyms, hairdressers and barbers.
The moves come after a bleak proposal of the trajectory of the virus was given. A meeting of the Cabinet's Covid subcommittee heard that in the worst-case scenario, up to 500 people could need an intensive care bed by next month, which is about 200 more beds than currently exist in the system.
The best-case scenario, the meeting heard, is that between 200 and 220 ICU beds will be needed.
It is also understood that the meeting heard significant criticism of the HSE from ministers over delays. It is also understood that Defence Minister Simon Coveney offered the use of the army to aid in the battle against the current surge.
Antigen testing is to be introduced in schools and a subsidy provided to encourage people to use the tests generally.
Another proposal will see mask-wearing required in both indoor and outdoor crowded areas.
Sources have said a decision on these issues is likely tonight. If agreed, it would then go to Cabinet for approval tomorrow.
Speaking to reporters in advance of the meeting, Mr Donnelly said that evidence for boosters is incredibly strong.
“The indications are that it is positive in terms of adding a significant number to those who would be availing of boosters,” he said.
It has also been confirmed that antigen tests in schools to test asymptomatic children who are close contacts of confirmed cases of Covid-19 are to be approved.
The full Cabinet is to approve a memo from Mr Donnelly on antigen testing when it meets on Tuesday.

It is believed that the plan will focus on rolling out the tests in secondary and primary schools for students who have come in contact with classmates who tested positive for Covid-19.
Mr Donnelly also warned that modelling showed that hospitalisations and ICU admissions continue to rise, a warning labelled "stark" by government sources.
Today, the Department of Health confirmed a further 4,570 cases of Covid-19 with the number of patients in hospital with the virus topping 600 for the first time since February.
According to the latest figures, there are 622 patients with the virus currently in hospital. Some 119 patients are in intensive care.
The last time the figure was higher was on February 24, when 625 patients with Covid were in hospitals.
It is understood that the modelling from Nphet to Government shows that even in the most optimistic scenarios, all elective and non-urgent care would be stopped in hospitals unless transmission of the virus is cut.
In the worst-case scenario, up to 500 people would be in ICUs when the peak hits in December.
However, it is also understood that Nphet has not made any recommendations to Government that a lockdown the likes of which have been seen in some European countries is needed.
Mr Donnelly said: “We’ve received new modelling just in the last few hours which suggests that the cases, hospitalisations and ICU will continue to rise in the coming weeks.
“Against that, the evidence from the boosters is incredibly strong. We’ve about 1.4m people already greenlighted for the boosters.
“I’m working with the HSE, it’s all hands on deck in terms of getting these boosters out."
He added that people should cut social contacts where possible.
“Remember that the cases we’re looking at in December, be they people who are infected, who are in hospital, those people are not yet infected.
“So all of the actions we take right now will make a big big difference.”