Cases of corona are surging in the country of Ireland. The nation announced some of Europe’s toughest Covid-19 restraints on Monday, closing non-essential retail, defining restaurants and pubs to take away service and telling people not to travel more than five kilometres (3 miles) from their home. Ireland imposed one of Europe’s longest lockdowns during the first surge in coronavirus cases and eased restrictions at such a cautious pace that pubs that only serve drinks in Dublin had not resumed by the time a rise in infections indicated a tightening of curbs.
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This time, schools will stay open and vital services such as construction are permitted to proceed, prime minister Micheal Martin said, as he moved the country to the highest level of restrictions, Level 5, for six weeks from midnight Wednesday. Hotels may remain open, but only if their rooms are needed by essential workers. “The proof of a potentially grave situation arising in the weeks ahead is now too strong,” Martin said in a televised address, two weeks after rejecting what was then seen as a surprise call by health chiefs to move to Level 5, marking the first time ministers went against their advice.
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Martin said the government’s intention was to return to Level 3 by Dec. 1. That would allow all retailers to reopen and restaurants to serve 15 customers outdoors. Even then, another lockdown could not be ruled out in 2021, he added. While countries grappling with high rates of infection like Belgium, the Netherlands and France have shut bars, restaurants and imposed a nighttime curfew, none have such strict travel restrictions within the country. Harder hit Northern Ireland last week shut schools for two weeks and restaurants for four, although most retailers remain open.
