Working from home, midnight closing time for hospitality among measures announced by Taoiseach
Addressing the country, Micheál Martin said that further measures were needed to curb the rising numbers of Covid. File Picture: Julien Behal
- Bars, restaurants and nightclubs - midnight closing from Thursday;
- Return to working from home;
- Digital Covid certs to be presented in theatres and cinemas;
- Entire household to self-isolate for five days following a positive case in the house;
- Adults over the age of 50 to receive booster shot
Everyone should work from home, hospitality must close at midnight and those who are close contacts of confirmed cases must restrict their movements for five days, the Taoiseach has confirmed.
Speaking to the nation at Government Buildings, Micheál Martin said that measures were needed to curb the rising numbers of Covid. He said that across Europe it was "increasingly clear" that another wave was being seen across Europe.
Mr Martin said that the rate of Covid was "simply too high" but said that this fourth wave was "different" because of the vaccination programme and its high uptake.
"But the continued journey to normal conditions is not inevitable," he said.
He said that the number of children cared for in Irish hospitals in the last six weeks was 8,000 higher this year than in the same period in 2019.
The Taoiseach said that booster vaccines would be made available to all of those with underlying conditions and those over 50 in the coming weeks.
On hospitality, the Taoiseach said that Covid passes was a "proportionate and effective" public health measure.
"I know that the picture across Europe and that emerging across our country are a cause of deep concern. Nobody wants to go back to a world of widespread restrictions. That's what this evening is about. That is what these changes are about.
"It is only our collective effort which will keep society and the economy open and keep us healthy and safe."
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