THE Government will reject a recommendation from the National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET) to move Ireland to a nationwide status of Level 5 Covid-19 restrictions.
The coalition party leaders Micheál Martin, Leo Varadkar and Eamon Ryan today me with the Chief Medical Officer Dr Ton Holohan and leading NPHET offices today.
NPHET, in a letter to the Government yesterday, called for the whole country to move to Level 5.
NPHET said that this was the ‘only opportunity; to bring the Covid-19 infection rate ‘back under control’.
However, the Government is to reject the recommendation and instead move every country to Level 3 – with improvement enforcement measures.
Donegal has been under Level 3 restrictions midnight on Friday, September 25.
A Cabinet meeting, due to get underway at 5.30pm, will discuss the plan.
NPHET says that the powers available to Gardaí under the country’s public health laws should be ‘fully and visibly utilised’.
NPHET are also concerned at the rising number of cases among those aged over 65.
Level 5 would have seen all bar essential retail outlets closed while social gatherings would be restricted and people would again be allowed exercise only within 5km of their homes.