Dublin, Europe Brief News – Irish public health experts have recommended to ease most Covid-19 restrictions across Ireland.
The National Public Health Emergency Team (Nphet) gave the go-ahead for the removal of almost all pandemic restrictions and regulations.
This includes an expected return to normal opening hours for hospitality in the near future. It also includes the end of the use of the digital Covid pass for those attending pubs, restaurants and cinemas.
The experts also recommended a phased return to work at a time when thousands of daily cases are on rise.
However, Dr Eoghan de Barra, a consultant at Dublin’s Beaumont Hospital, said the situation had improved in Ireland but that a significant number of people were still falling ill with Covid-19.
“I think this is largely where we wanted to get to, we have enough data to suggest that it (Omicron) hasn’t caused a huge impact with the severely ill, it’s obviously impacted service provision and staffing and that’s the next piece that’s still going to linger,” he said.
“There are clearly still people who are suffering with this, there’s people in ICU today, there’s individual stories playing out and we shouldn’t forget that there are many vulnerable in society that are feeling huge anxiety with the pace of this.
“I think largely it’s the right direction at the moment with cautious caveats.”
“The wave isn’t always up and down. It can have humps along the way. The question is what impact that has on the few people that end up severely ill,” he said.
