Timeline of a pandemic: How Covid-19 changed our way of life
Almost all Covid measures, including the need for a Digital Covid Certificate for bars and restaurants, the 8pm curfew, and other social distancing rules will come to an end tomorrow morning. File picture: Dan Linehan
In an early morning and unexpected press briefing in Washington, then Taoiseach Leo Varadkar told the waiting media: "I need to speak to you about Coronavirus and Covid-19."
As the country faced the threat of an unknown virus, it was announced that schools, colleges, and childcare facilities would close and teaching would move online.
It was advised that all indoor mass gatherings of more than 100 people and outdoor gatherings of more than 500 people should be cancelled. In the days after, the HSE launched its ‘Be on Call for Ireland’ campaign in a bid to attract retired workers and those living overseas to help ease the burden on hospitals and other healthcare services. However, a year later just 321 people out of 73,000 applicants had been recruited.
With tens of thousands of people unable to work, the Government announced a range of financial supports for businesses and employees including the Wage Subsidy Scheme and the Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP). By the end of May, the number of people in receipt of the PUP had reached a peak of 605,671.
As cases surged, the country was put under full lockdown. A stay-at-home order was put in place and people were told they could only exercise within 2km of their homes.
Announcing the strict measures, which were only anticipated to remain in place for two weeks but were kept until May, Mr Varadkar told the nation: "Freedom was hard won in our country, and it jars with us, to restrict and limit individual liberties, even temporarily. But freedom is not an abstract concept.
"So I am asking people to give meaning to our freedom and liberty by agreeing to these restrictions. Restricting how we live our lives so that others may live."
As Covid cases dwindled, the Government moved into Phase 3 of a four-stage reopening plan. This allowed restaurants, cafes, hairdressers and barbers to open their doors with extra social distancing rules in place. The controversial €9 substantial meal rule was also introduced allowing pubs serving food to get back to trading.
After months of homeschooling, Education Minister Norma Foley announced a roadmap to get children back into the classroom from September. The plan involved breaking pupils into pods. Teachers were also asked to place their own desk at least 1m and where possible 2m away from pupil’s desks.
The country was hit by another Covid setback and it was announced that the planned move to Phase 4 would be delayed due to concerns about the rise in cases. "I know that this will come as a blow to pub owners and I want them to know I have enormous sympathy for their plight. This virus is taking away their ability to earn a living, to provide a key service in the heart of many communities," Taoiseach Michéal Martin said in a public address.
Three days later regional lockdowns for Kildare, Laois and Offaly were announced.
Following a review of the Leaving Certificate calculated grades, the Department of Education confirmed that 6,100 students were impacted by errors in the system and would receive improved grades.
With cases spiking again, Nphet recommended a six-week Level 5 lockdown which banned people from leaving their county. However, schools and childcare providers were allowed to remain open. Weddings were limited to 25 people.
There was positive news for people as Mr Martin announced the easing of resections to Level 3. In yet another televised address, he said the festive period would not be the same as previous years, however, he urged people to enjoy a "meaningful Christmas".
The travel plans of thousands of Irish people trying to get home for Christmas was disrupted as a 48-hour suspension on flights from the UK was announced amid fears over the spread of a new strain of Covid-19.
As a further 970 cases and 13 deaths were reported, bringing the totals to 81,228 cases and 2,171 deaths, the Government put the country into yet another Level 5 lockdown.
Under the measures, pubs were ordered to close from 3pm on Christmas Eve.
Further strict measures were to come into force from St Stephens Day, including a limiting of household visits to one other home. Shops were asked to defer January sales events.
Annie Lynch, a 79-year-old woman from Dublin, became the first person in Ireland to be vaccinated against Covid-19.
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She got the vaccine in St James’s Hospital alongside healthcare workers who were also vaccinated.
With the country still under lockdown, mandatory home quarantine came into effect meaning anyone arriving into the country was legally required to stay at home. Breach of the quarantine rules carried fines of up to €2,500 and/or six months in prison.
After months of wrangling between unions, representative bodies and the Department of Education, second-level students returned to the classroom.
A year after Leo Varadkar announced the first Covid restrictions, the annual St Patrick's Day meeting between the US president and the Taoiseach in the White House was forced to go online, with Joe Biden and Micheál Martin speaking via video call.
The Taoiseach signalled a summer of "hope and caution" as he announced yet another phased reopening of the economy beginning with hairdressers, beauticians and barbers from May 10. As part of this easing it was announced that vaccinated grandparents would be allowed to meet grandchildren.
Outdoor hospitality was given the green light to resume.
Fully vaccinated people began receiving their EU Digital Covid-19 Certificates via email or post and a week later Ireland joined the rest of the EU in implementing the cert as travel restrictions into and out of the country eased.
However, thousands of people were told to get private PCR tests costing up to €400 to allow them leave the country as the Government's Covid cert helpline buckled under the demand of calls.
Pubs and restaurants were allowed to resume indoor dining and drinking after almost 500 days of closure for some venues.
After 18 months of closure nightclubs and other late venues were finally allowed to open their doors. However, this was short-lived.
Hopes of a normal Christmas were dashed for a second year as the Taoiseach confirmed a raft of Covid-19 restrictions for the festive period.
As Omicron spread across the globe, the Government announced that a maximum of four households should meet for Christmas dinner. Nightclubs were again closed and bars and restaurants were ordered to revert back to six adults per table with no multiple table bookings allowed.
With case numbers spiking Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly announced that booster vaccines would be offered to everyone aged 30 and over from 29 December and to all remaining age groups from 10 January. This was again revised over the Christmas period.
