'We can begin to do things differently': Taoiseach announces significant reduction in Covid restrictions
From September 6, Mr Martin said we will see an easing of restrictions on organised indoor and outdoor events and mass gatherings. Picture: Julien Behal
Sectors that have remain closed for 18 months because of Covid-19 can begin to hope again, Taoiseach Micheál Martin has said as he announced a significant easing of restrictions.
He said the country is entering a whole new phase of the pandemic and while virus case numbers are expected to rise, the work done by the people allows for a lifting of limitations on our personal freedoms.
From September 6, Mr Martin said we will see an easing of restrictions on organised indoor and outdoor events and mass gatherings.
From that date, theatre, music, and live events can take place for vaccinated people at 60% capacity indoors and 75% capacity on tours, religious services will be allowed to proceed up to 50% capacity, he said.
Then, from Monday September 20, the government will ease restrictions on indoor and outdoor group activities, he said.
“I'm under no illusions about how personally difficult that has been for so many people, young and old to have had to curtail their artistic, cultural and sporting lives for so long,” he said.
The return to work for those still working from home may also commence on a phased and staggered basis on the 20th of September, he added.
And on October 22, he said the government then hopes to be in a position to remove the following measures:
- The legal requirement to prove immunity in order to access indoor hospitality, or other events
- Or remaining restrictions on indoor and outdoor events and activities or remaining fictions on religious or civil ceremonies,
- The legal requirements for mask-wearing at outdoors and indoor private settings.
Even after the 22nd of October, there will still be a statutory requirement to wear masks and healthcare settings, indoor retail and on public transport, and each of us will continue to need to use our judgement and wear masks in other environments, where we see a risk, he said.
“It is important to stress that the pandemic is not over. With this delta variant in particular, great uncertainties remain, and we need to continue to be careful,” he added.
“I've never believed that there would be a day when we were just able to announce that the pandemic was over.
"This would be entirely the wrong message to send, and it would undermine our ability to respond properly to new developments,” Mr Martin said.
"Indeed, we expect to see an increase in case numbers over the coming weeks.
"But the combined strategy of careful reopening and energetic vaccination has brought us to a point where we can begin to do things differently,” he added.
Mr Martin said the strategy has worked, sectors of our economy and society have opened, and have stayed open and while we have had many false dawns and crushing disappointments, we move forward confidence because of the high take-up of the vaccines.
“As of this morning, close to 90% of all citizens over the age of 18 had been fully vaccinated. And the rate of uptake and our citizens under the age of 18 is hugely encouraging also this,” he said.
He also warned that the country also faces a very difficult winter in our healthcare settings. The advice from public health officials is that other respiratory viruses including colds and flus may be more impactful this winter because we're more susceptible to them after the reduced exposure of last year, he said.
“We understand this, and we will be ready for it, work is already underway on a new winter plan for the health service, including a comprehensive flu vaccination programme and details,” he added.
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