The respite was short-lived. While Ireland had so far been one of the best performers in Europe in managing the health crisis, the country now records one of the highest growth rates of new cases in the entire European Union. A situation that Irish Prime Minister Micheál Martin is determined to curb… with new restrictive measures.
On August 18, the Taoiseach announced that new rules will come into effect across the Republic of Ireland… These measures are expected to last at least until September 13, 2020.
Among the new measures are:
- Encouraging businesses to promote remote work whenever possible.
- Limiting family gatherings to a maximum of 6 people within the same household.
- Restricting outdoor gatherings to 15 people.
- Requiring restaurants, cafés, and Irish pubs that remain open to close each night by 11:30 PM.
- Holding sporting events (matches, etc.) behind closed doors, without spectators.
- Mandating the widespread use of masks on public transport and in public places.
At the same time, Ireland has decided to extend the closure of Irish pubs that do not offer food service. This situation has been ongoing since March 2020 and could spell the end for many establishments now struggling with inactivity.
In his statement, Micheál Martin was both firm and educational, assuring that every effort is being made to quickly control the current surge. This situation is heightening tensions and concern among the population.
We are at a tipping point. The growth rate of new cases in Ireland over the past two weeks is the fourth highest in Europe. In the last two months, we have gone from a low of 61 cases in a given week to 533 cases last week.
The Irish government has therefore decided to take a firm stance. In addition, it plans to intensify testing and contact tracing. Their goal: to make these processes faster and more efficient to better control the epidemic.
