Irish Examiner view: Observe spirit of new Covid rules

Just as we all will struggle with these restrictions Government will struggle to balance the limits on social and commercial activities with essential pandemic defences.

The Government is expected to announce very challenging restrictions today to try to slow C19, a move made all but unavoidable as more than 1,200 new cases were recorded just last Friday. Even though this Government has already rejected National Public Health Emergency Team (Nphet) advice once it is hard to imagine it might, or could, do so again. Nevertheless, this will be a very difficult intensification on myriad levels.

As ever, context is important and today Europe offers a pretty sobering picture. Western Europe is the world's emerging epicentre of the current wave. A third of all new cases worldwide present in the continent's western countries where more new cases than India, Brazil and the US combined have been recorded in recent days. Italy has recorded a one-day rise of 10,925 and may impose tougher restrictions.