The Republic of Ireland remains steadfast in its strategy to combat the coronavirus. The Irish government has just announced that the country will continue its lockdown measures until May 5, 2020. This extension is deemed necessary by Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar during a televised address on April 10.
Irish Prime Minister Extends Restriction Period
Strong Measures to Fight the Epidemic
We cannot afford to be complacent.
Ireland will therefore extend its restrictions for a minimum of three additional weeks. During this period, schools will remain closed, as will non-essential businesses. Irish residents are urged to adhere strictly to the lockdown by staying home as much as possible.
In terms of tourism, all tourist sites will remain closed until further notice, and travel to and from Ireland is still prohibited. Travel agencies have been instructed to postpone all planned trips within Ireland for the next three weeks. The same applies to airlines and ferries, which are forced to remain inactive.
Today, experts recommend extending the current restrictions for an additional three weeks until Tuesday, May 5. We, the government, have accepted this recommendation.
I know many of you want to know when things will return to normal. We are already working on this question. We are carefully planning a future exit strategy with one priority: to do so safely,
said Leo Varadkar.
The Prime Minister took the opportunity during his speech to thank the Irish people for their crucial role in the fight against COVID-19. He praised the tireless work of healthcare workers, thanked those working during the epidemic, and acknowledged the efforts of Irish citizens respecting the lockdown measures.
Stay strong, stay safe, and stay at home,
he emphasized.
However, the Taoiseach (Irish Prime Minister in Gaelic) reminded that extending the country’s state of emergency until May 5 does not guarantee a lifting of lockdown on May 6. With great clarity, the country’s leader stressed that a tough battle is underway in Ireland against the coronavirus… and nothing can guarantee an end to the crisis in three weeks.
Nevertheless, efforts over recent weeks have helped reduce the daily infection rate in Ireland from 33% to 10%… thanks to social distancing measures implemented since mid-March. These encouraging figures allow Ireland to keep the disease under as much control as possible.
