The Republic of Ireland on Friday announced new restrictions in order to curtail the spread of the new COVID-19 variant before the end of year celebrations.
According to the report by AFP, the announcement by the Irish government will see the implementation of new restrictions, including the closure of nightclubs and social distancing in some places, in an attempt to limit the new Covid-19 variant.
“Going forward into the Christmas period without restrictions to reduce the volume of personal contact is simply too high a risk,” Prime Minister Micheal Martin said, addressing the Irish.
Closure of nightclubs and gauges in bars and restaurants
Following the recommendations of the health authorities, from Tuesday December 7 to January 9, nightclubs will have to close and social distancing will be restored in pubs, restaurants and hotels, with room service only and six people maximum per table.
Reception capacity is halved in cultural venues and for sporting events, where wearing a mask is compulsory. In addition, it is advisable to limit home meetings to a maximum of four households.
In mid-November, Dublin had already announced measures to stem the resurgence of the coronavirus in Ireland and preserve the health system, just weeks after the lifting of almost all the restrictions that were in place.
The executive, therefore, recommended working from home when possible and brought forward the closing of bars and restaurants to midnight. The health pass, already applied in pubs, restaurants and nightclubs, had been extended to places of leisure.
The first case of Omicron detected in the country
But if the vaccination campaign is a success and the rise in contamination has been “stabilized”, the appearance of the Omicron new COVID-19 variant , of which a case has been detected in Ireland, is “a source of concern”, Micheal said. Martin.
“We will do everything we can reasonably do to prevent this new variant from circulating in the country,” he insisted. “If Omicron becomes established and if it is more transmissible, the possibility of having a very serious crisis is obvious.”
A country of 5 million inhabitants where nearly 90% of over 12s are fully vaccinated, Ireland recorded 5,419 positive cases on Friday, according to the latest official figures. The epidemic has killed more than 5,700 people there.