Lockdown in Ireland after apprehensions over second wave of coronavirus

DUBLIN: Micheal Martin, Prime Minister of Ireland, announced a six-week lockdown in the nation. The lockdown has been imposed after witnessing a resurgence in confirmed cases of SARS-CoV-2 infections in the past few weeks. From midnight on Wednesday, October 21, Ireland will move to its highest level of restrictions categorized as tier 5. Non-essential shops will be closed and travel will be restricted within five kilometres of an individual’s home. The government also warned of the penalty for violating the five-kilometre restriction.

Martin addressed the nation on national television and said, “The evidence of a potentially grave situation arriving in the weeks ahead is too strong” and added that if the nation pulls itself together in the next six weeks, Ireland will have the opportunity to celebrate Christmas in a meaningful way.

The lockdown will not allow visits to private homes or parks and will restrict the number of people attending weddings and funerals. Public transport will run at 25 per cent capacity and construction and manufacturing sites can continue operating. However, schools are to remain open across the State during the lockdown.