Cabinet to meet today to decide on LEVEL 5 lockdown

The Cabinet will meet today to discuss the shocking recommendations of NPHET to send the country back to full lockdown in response to rising Covid-19 cases.

NPHET with Tony Holohan back at the helm as Chief Medical Officer recommended Ireland return to Level 5 lockdown in a letter to the government on Sunday. On Thursday, a letter from NPHET said there was no need to move to Level 3.

However, they are now recommending the country move from Level 2 (Level 3 in the cases of Dublin and Donegal) to Level 5 of restrictions in the Living With Covid-19 plan.

This would impose extremely strict restrictions on people, similar to those imposed in March.

Cabinet will meet with Tony Holohan today to discuss the latest recommendations.

Level 5 would mean most non-essential businesses closing and people restricted to travelling within 5km of their homes, except for essential work and care reasons. Schools and creches would remain open, according to the pre-agreed government plan for such a move.

The Department of Health was notified of 364 more cases of Covid-19 and no new deaths on Sunday after more than 600 cases on Saturday. 3,000 cases were diagnosed in the Republic of Ireland this week.

There has now been a total of 38,032 confirmed cases in Ireland and 1,810 deaths.

It is understood there is considerable resistance in the Dáil to a move to Level 5 with fears over the impact it would have on business and the wider economy.

The pandemic has thus far cost the government over €9 billion in supports and measures to stem the impact and reduce employment deficits.