By Padraic Halpin
DUBLIN (Reuters) – Irish ministers are set to agree a new set of strict measures on Monday to slow the spread of COVID-19 that will shut non-essential retail across the country but aim to keep schools open, two sources familiar with the plans said.
Ireland’s health chiefs last week renewed a call to move the country to Level 5, the highest level of constraint. A minister said on Sunday that “decisive” nationwide measures were coming but that they would stop short of the full lockdown imposed earlier this year.
The cabinet is due to meet at 1500 GMT to agree a proposal by senior ministers that would incorporate parts of Level 4 and 5 of the five-step framework, the two sources told Reuters.
The government moved three counties on its open border with Northern Ireland, which is harder hit by COVID-19, to Level 4 last week, and banned most visits to homes across the country. The other 23 counties are on Level 3, which banned all indoor restaurant dining.
Under Level 4, only essential retail can stay open, although the government has broadened that category since March. If Level 5 restrictions apply to retailers, businesses that are primarily outdoors such as garden centres would also shut their doors.
Similarly, restaurants and pubs can serve 15 people outdoors under Level 4 but would be limited to take away only in Level 5. National broadcaster RTE reported that they are expected to only be allowed serve take away.
Local media, including RTE, reported that travel limits of 10km from people’s homes were under consideration, less strict than the 5km called for in Level 5, and that the measures were likely to be introduced initially for four weeks.
On Sunday, Ireland broke its record for the number of cases recorded in a single day for the fifth time in nine days. The number of COVID-19 patients has also doubled in the past two weeks but stands at less than half the peak in April.
(Reporting by Padraic Halpin; Editing by Bernadette Baum)
