Saturday, 2 May 2020

GOVERNMENT ANNOUNCE THE FIVE STAGES FOR UNLOCKING COVID-19 RESTRICTIONS

The Government road map on easing the Covid-19 restrictions will start on 18 May. The plan sets out five stages for unlocking restrictions at three-week intervals.
From next Tuesday 5 May, people who have been cocooning can go outside their homes if they avoid all contact with other people. The 2km limit that is currently in place for exercise for the general population is to be extended to 5km.









The road map will kick in on 18 May and here's what is scheduled to happen in each stage:


Phase One (18 May)


  • Outdoor workers like builders and gardeners will be able to return to work.
  • Some retail outlets - such as garden centres, hardware stores, electrical stores, homewares and repair shops - will reopen at this point.
  • Some outdoor sporting activities, in small groups with a maximum of four people, will also be allowed.
  • Outdoor public sports amenities such as football and rugby pitches, tennis courts and golf courses will be reopened where social distancing can be maintained
  • Outdoor public amenities and tourism sites where people are "non-stationary" and can maintain social distancing
  • It will also be possible to meet up to four friends and family from other households outdoors while maintaining strict social distancing



Phase Two (8 June)

  • Workers that can maintain a two-metre distance from colleagues constantly will be allowed to return to work
  • Remote working will be maintained for all those who can do so
  • Small retail outlets with small number of staff will be allowed reopen on the basis that the retailer can control the number of individuals that staff and customers interact with at any one time
  • Livestock marts where social distancing can be maintained will be reopened
  • Restrictions on exercise will be extended from within 5km of your home to 20km
  • Specific retail hours will be designated across all retailers for people who are cocooning. Visits to the homes of those who are cocooning will also be permitted where they involve a small number of people for a short period of time using personal protective equipment and observing social distancing
  • Up to four people will be allowed visit other households for a "short period" while maintaining social distancing
  • Public libraries will be reopened with limited numbers
  • People will be permitted to engage in outdoor sporting and fitness activities, involving small group team sports training (but not matches) where social distancing can be maintained and where there is no contact


Phase Three (29 June)

  • Organisations where employees have low levels of daily interaction with people and where social distancing can be maintained will be allowed reopen
  • Crèches, childminders and preschools will reopen for children of essential workers in phased manner with social distancing and other requirements applying
  • Phase in the opening of all other non-essential retail outlets on basis of restriction on the number of staff and customers per square metre so that social distancing can be maintained
  • This is to be limited to retail outlets with street-level entrance and exit, for example those which are not in enclosed shopping centres, due to higher risk
  • Open playgrounds where social distancing and hygiene can be maintained
  • Permit "behind closed doors" sporting activities events where arrangements are in place to enable participants to maintain social distancing
  • Open cafés and restaurants providing on-premises food and drink where they can comply with social distancing measures and strict cleaning in operation


Phase Four (20 July)

  • Commence loosening restrictions on higher-risk services like hairdressers and barbers that involve direct physical contact for periods of time between people and for which there is a population-wide demand
  • At this point, travel outside of your region will be permitted.
  • Slightly larger number of people may visit another household for a short period of time while maintaining social distancing
  • Small social gatherings by family and close friends limited to a maximum number of attendees for a limited period of time where social distancing can be maintained. For example this will cover small weddings and baptisms
  • Small social (non-family) gatherings will be allowed, limited to a maximum number of participants for a limited period of time where social distancing can be maintained
  • Re-opening of crèches, childminders and preschools for children of all other workers on a gradually increasing phased basis (for example one day per week) and slowly increasing thereafter
  • Organisations where employees cannot remote work to be considered first for return to onsite working arrangements
  • It is suggested that staggered hours should be operated to increase the number of workers available for work in any 24-hour period, as long as they can limit the number of workers interacting with each other
  • Museums, art galleries, and other cultural outlets where people are non-stationary, social distancing can be maintained and strict hand hygiene on entry
  • Religious and places of worship where social distancing can be maintained will be re-opened
  • Permit sports team leagues (for example football and GAA), but only where limitations are placed on the numbers of spectators and where social distancing can be maintained
  • Re-open public swimming pools where effective cleaning can be carried out and social distancing can be maintained
  • Re-opening of hotels, hostels, caravan parks, holiday parks for social and tourist activities initially on a limited occupancy basis (or number of people per square metre) and then increasing over time (and where social distancing is complied with). Hotel bars will remain closed


Phase Five (10 August)

  • This stage will see the lifting of almost all restrictions. However, "large social gatherings" such as large weddings will continue to be restricted due to risk
  • Pubs, bars, nightclubs and casinos, will be reopened where social distancing and strict cleaning can be complied with
  • Visiting rules for hospitals, residential healthcare centre and other residential settings, including prisons, will return to normal
  • Opening of enclosed shopping centres where social distancing can be maintained
  • Further loosening of restrictions on services involving direct physical contact for periods of time between people for which there is not a population-wide demand (such as tattooing and piercing)
  • Theatres and cinemas will re-open where social distancing can be maintained
  • Sports that involve close physical contact, like rugby, boxing and wrestling, will resume
  • Gyms, exercise, dance studios and sports clubs will be allowed reopen where regular and effective cleaning can be carried out and social distancing can be maintained
  • Spectator sporting events which involve mass gatherings will be allowed resume in accordance with both indoor and outdoor numbers restrictions and where social distancing can be complied with
  • Indoor recreational venues, such as roller skating rinks, bowling alleys and bingo halls, will be allowed reopen where numbers can be limited, cleaning can be maintained, restrictions where social distancing can be complied with
  • Festivals, events and other social and cultural mass gatherings will be allowed take place in accordance with both indoor and outdoor numbers and where social distancing can be complied with
  • Schools and universities will return at the beginning of the 2020/2021 academic year


The Government said that the risk of a second wave of the virus was ever present. In a statement issued this evening, the Government said: "As a country, we can only move from one phase to the next if the virus stays under control between each phase."
Walkers In St Stephen's Green Dublin On Saturday 2th May 2020
It also reiterated that there will be a long-term need for physical distancing, for good hand hygiene, for respiratory hygiene, regular cleaning and for people to stay at home and isolate if they are sick.

Additional reporting Siobhan Devoy

ENDS:


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