In response to climbing infections and pressure on the health service, the Government this week announced further changes to Covid-19 restrictions in tandem with new public health advice. Many of the changes took effect from midnight on Thursday.
What does it mean for you?
Hospitality
Bars, restaurants and nightclubs have a new closing time of midnight from Thursday, November 18th, with all customers required to be out of the premises by that time each night.
Late-night hospitality was previously required to close by 11.30pm, before the rules were relaxed last month, allowing nightclubs to reopen for the first time since the early days of Covid-19.
Although some nightclubs may opt to open earlier than normal, others in the sector will see the midnight curfew as an effective closure order .
Hotel bars and restaurants will also be covered by the midnight curfew, with an exception for guests staying in the hotel – as had previously been the case with restrictions on hospitality.
The midnight closing time will apply to functions booked in hotels, such as office work parties and weddings.
Christmas parties
There was no specific guidance or new regulations around office Christmas parties.
However, Taoiseach Micheál Martin described recent decisions he had seen by large companies to cancel upcoming parties as “sensible”.
Similarly, chief medical officer Dr Tony Holohan said cancelling office parties, or other social plans and get-togethers over the next number of weeks would be “responsible decisions”. People had a responsibility to reduce their social contacts, he said.
Work from home
People have been advised to return or stay working from home “unless it is necessary” to attend the workplace in person. Many employers had been arranging for employees to return to offices on a phased basis since late September.
Theatres and cinemas
The requirement to show a Covid pass, as proof of vaccination or recent recovery, has been extended to cinemas and theatres.
Previously, the passes were required for indoor hospitality, as well as for live music events, nightclubs and international travel.
Some cinemas and theatres had already required customers to show Covid certs, but the latest change will make the requirement mandatory.
There were discussions about whether the Covid pass would be extended to hairdressers and gyms, but they were not included in the latest announcement.
Playdates
While there is no recommendation around numbers attending events such as playdates or children’s birthday parties, Minister for Education Norma Foley said such activities should now be minimised.
“We need to be very vigilant and very restrictive in terms of our social engagements and that applies to families,” she said.
Close contacts
People who are close contacts of a confirmed Covid-19 case in their household are now advised to restrict their movements for five days, even if vaccinated.
Beforehand, those who were fully vaccinated were not required to self-isolate or restrict their movements when listed as close contacts.
Pandemic Unemployment Payment
The Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP) scheme, set up to support people who lost their jobs due to Covid-19, will not be reopened, the Government said this week.
Minister for Social Protection Heather Humphreys said there were plenty of vacancies elsewhere in the hospitality and retail sector for nightclub staff who may lose their jobs. Nightclub owners could avail of the Employment Wage Subsidy Scheme to continue to pay staff, she said.
Antigen tests
A plan to subsidise antigen tests to encourage wider use is due in the coming days, and this is expected to see the costs of the rapid tests brought down from around €8 to €3 per test.
The Health Service Executive currently posts packs of five free antigen tests to people listed as close contacts who do not have symptoms.
Antigen tests will be made available in primary schools from November 29th onwards.
The Minister for Education said the Health Service Executive will provide antigen tests to parents or guardians of all children in a class pod if one person in the pod tests positive.
