No lockdown, Level 3 restrictions throughout Ireland

The cabinet meeting decided to reject the recommendation of the National Public Health Committee to subject the entire country to level 5 restrictions.

Instead, the cabinet has now approved an alternative proposal to move across the country to Level 3 Covid-19 restrictions.

The decision to shift the entire country to Level 3 restrictions will take effect from today midnight.

The cabinet came to a final decision after much debate. Such a decision was initially abandoned because of strong “resistance” from a section of ministers against moving to Level 5 restrictions all over the country.

Today, the allied leaders spent two hours and 15 minutes with Chief Medical Officer Dr. Tony Holohan.

Instead of moving to the Level 5 lock town, party leaders requested that more facilities and systems be put in place to prevent the spread of the Covid.

518 new Covid cases were reported today, with no further deaths. This brings the total number of Covid-19 cases in Ireland to 38,549, leaving the death toll at 1,810.

Of the new cases, 134 are in Dublin. Cork had 53, Limerick 49, Donegal 34, Meath 32 and the remaining 216 cases spread to other counties.

The new cases involved 252 men and 266 women, 68% of whom were under 45 years of age.