Shops may have to close from St. Stephen’s Day as the government demands that NPHET begin a six-week blockade

Shops may have to close from St. Stephen’s Day as the government is urged by NPHET to begin a six-week Level-5 blockade starting on St. Stephen’s Day.

NPHET advises closing non-essential retail stores.

Home visits are also prohibited at level 5.

Taoiseach Micheal Martin has asked retailers not to sell in January for fear of crowding the store.

Many restaurants and gastropubs close today at 3pm.

The Irish Times reports that NPEHT recommends a six-week blockade due to growing concerns about new variants of Ireland and the level of the disease.

The Cabinet has no plans to meet again until December 29, and it is understood that no decision will be made on Nphet’s advice until then.

Starting on St. Stephen’s Day, new restrictions will be enforced on home visits and overseas travel.

The National Public Health Emergency Team (Nphet) warned on Wednesday that Ireland was “extremely hit by a rapidly expanding and rapidly infecting virus” as it entered Christmas.

Foreign Minister Simon Coveney said the Cabinet would keep NPHET’s advice “in the foreground” at a meeting on December 29, but did not expect the government to act on it before that.

He told Morning Ireland at RT Radio One: I hope they keep everyone safe throughout Christmas. “

Coveney added that the government was “there to make decisions about all the information we have,” and that “there was no collective response” to NPHET’s new advice.

A more infectious strain of coronavirus was detected in Ireland, the health director warned last night.

However, they do not believe that new variants of the bug found in the United Kingdom are the only cause of the rapid spread of the disease.

The Ministry of Health reported yesterday 938 new infections and 13 more deaths.

At a health briefing, director of the National Institute of Virology, Dr. Cillian De Gascun said: “In response to an announcement from the United Kingdom, we tested some of our existing cases with diagnostic assets. These are samples from December 19th and 20th.

“They have shown us that these are currently in small numbers, but perhaps about 10% of them are dropping S-Gene in the area.

“Based on British epidemiology, movement between the two counties, and the timeline, these results may reflect the presence of British variants, but given the timing, by themselves. We may not be able to explain the case number we found, but as I said, we will continue to confirm it.

“Based on a very small number, it is mainly in the east of the country, but it is where we see a significant burden of illness anyway.

“It’s too early to decide, but that’s what we’re seeing at this point.”

The new strain is reported to be 70% more infectious than the original virus.

This variant was first seen in the United Kingdom last September. Many European countries, including Ireland, have suspended flights from the United Kingdom to curb new tensions.

UK Health Minister Matt Hancock announced last night that two cases of another new strain of coronavirus were detected in the UK. He states: “Both are contacts for cases that have traveled from South Africa in the last few weeks.”

“This new variant is of great concern because it is more contagious and appears to be more mutated than the new variant found in the United Kingdom.”

Scientists believe that South African Covid-19 variants may be highly infectious, highly infectious to young people, and slightly more resistant to vaccines.

Dr. Tony Holohan, Chief Medical Officer, said he does not believe the new variants are responsible for Ireland’s recent surge. “At this point, I don’t think there is any evidence of widespread infection in this new variant,” he added.

Professor Philip Nolan of the NPHET Modeling Advisory Team warned that all Covid-19 indicators were elevated and that virus growth was “exponential.”

Ireland’s 14-day Covid-19 incidence is currently 153 per 100,000 population, with a 5-day moving average of 785 per day.

In a speech last night, Professor Nolan said the wave of this current case is rising as rapidly as the first surge in March, with R rates currently estimated to be between 1.5 and 1.8. It was.

He predicted 1,000 to 1,600 cases per day if the R rate did not fall below 1.

The average number of hospitalizations has increased from 14 which was stable for several weeks to 22 in the last 7 days.

Demand for tests is also increasing, with more than 20,000 conducted on Tuesday with a positive rate of 5.2%.

Professor Nolan warns: “The basic message here is that the disease is growing rapidly throughout the community, putting it at risk for vulnerable people.”

About 65% of cases are under 45 years and the median age is 36 years.
There are 300 cases in Dublin, 110 cases in Cork, 72 cases in Limerick, 68 cases in Donegal and 41 cases in Kildare.

Earlier, HSE Chief Paul Reid said yesterday that the infection level of Covid-19 is “very serious and dangerous.”

He added that the situation in Ireland associated with the new case of Covid-19 is worsening more rapidly than any other country in Europe.

Earlier, Taoiseach Michael Martin warned that it was “unthinkable” that a new Covid stock would not yet exist in Ireland.

He said there was a “risk” in intergenerational mixing at Christmas, adding that “the smaller the congregation, the better.”