The Taoiseach has announced further restrictions this evening to battle Covid-19.
With effect from midnight tonight, for a two week period, everyone must stay at home in all circumstances, except:
- To travel to and from work, only if the work is deemed essential and cannot be done from home
- To shop for food and household goods
- Medical appointments
- For vital family reasons, for example care of children and the vulnerable
- To take brief individual physical exercise (children may be included) no more than 2km from your house
- For farming purposes
All public and private gatherings outside a family unit are now prohibited (this includes social and family visits.)
Cocooning will now be introduced for all those over 70 years of age and those with vulnerable health conditions.
The Taoiseach said that "now is the time for these further actions" and he thanked the public for "the great national effort" so far.
The Taoiseach was speaking at a press briefing tonight with Health Minister Simon Harris and Chief Medical Officer Dr Tony Holohan.
Earlier, it was announced that an additional three patients diagnosed with COVID-19 in Ireland have died.
One person was from the north-west of the country and two are females in the east.
The number of new confirmed cases of the disease increased to 302 today, the highest daily total recorded so far.
