Ireland to ban gatherings of more than 5,000 until end of August

[webfact]

Ireland to ban gatherings of more than 5,000 until end of August

 

FILE PHOTO: General view of West Link motorway, as the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) continues, Belfast, Northern Ireland, April 19, 2020. REUTERS/Jason Cairnduff

 

DUBLIN (Reuters) - Ireland on Tuesday banned large-scale public events until the end of August at the earliest in a bid to rein in the coronavirus outbreak.

 

The decision to ban gatherings of more 5,000 people was taken at a meeting of ministers to provide clarity for the organisers of events that need licensing and the involvement of police and local authorities.

 

"Local authorities have been advised by Government that event promoters should be informed that events requiring licences in excess of 5,000 will not be considered for the period up to the end of August," the government said in a statement.

 

The government would decide what to do about smaller gatherings closer to May 5 when restrictions put in place on March 24 are due to expire.

 

Other restrictions require people to stay home other than for short periods to exercise, and all schools, bars, restaurants and non-essential shops are closed.

 

Ireland, which has a population of 4.9 million, has reported 16,041 cases of coronavirus infections and 731 related deaths.

 

The country's chief medical officer last week said the country had contained and effectively suppressed the first wave of the coronavirus outbreak.

 

(Reporting by Graham Fahy; Editing by Alison Williams and Nick Macfie)

 

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2020-04-22

 

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[lkv]

18 minutes ago, webfact said:

The country's chief medical officer last week said the country had contained and effectively suppressed the first wave of the coronavirus outbreak.

Ok so basically Ireland peaked on April 10th.

 

 

Now we get to better understand the definition of "supressed", unlike Thailand, that "will be covid-free" in 10 days.

 

In reference to large gatherings, the August 31st date is in line with data from other European countries, although Oktoberfest got cancelled also, so yeah.

Edited April 21, 2020 by lkv

[richard_smith237]

9 minutes ago, webfact said:

 

The country's chief medical officer last week said the country had contained and effectively suppressed the first wave of the coronavirus outbreak.

 

Unless Ireland plans on keeping its international borders closed, the ‘first wave’ suppression and potential onset of a an inevitable 'second wave’ is a global issue and not one which can be solely attributed to the success of the policies of any one nation. 

 

Is the ‘first wave’ over?... does it even make sense to discuss a first wave or is this just human & and political constraint used to feed the news reading population in a manner we can assimilate. 

 

Rather, I envisage a series of ‘pulses’ of resurgence in case load [Covid-19] growth rates as cities and countries are impacted differently based on their population density and travel demographics as the world reboots.

 

 

 

 

[lkv]

19 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

Unless Ireland plans on keeping its international borders closed

Rest assured that, when borders and flights do reopen, the estimate is June, you will not be able to board a plane without some sort of covid-free certificate issued within the last 48 hours or so.

 

A 95% accuracy rate is deemed acceptable, and that sort of thing should keep things under control.

Edited April 21, 2020 by lkv

[richard_smith237]

17 minutes ago, lkv said:

24 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

Unless Ireland plans on keeping its international borders closed

Rest assured that, when borders and flights do reopen, the estimate is June, you will not be able to board a plane without some sort of covid-free certificate issued within the last 48 hours or so.

 

A 95% accuracy rate is deemed acceptable, and that sort of thing should keep things under control.

Edited 5 minutes ago by lkv

I too can envisage such a policy. The difficulty of course us by under which body is a certificate is issued or acceptable?

 

What is the oversight of such certificate or the verification on the validity? Will doctors be willing to issue such certification?

 

Or, will the certification come in the form of a ‘fit to work’ letter (fit to fly) whereby we have had a quick checkup, don’t show symptoms and can receive such a letter.

 

 

 

 

 

[lkv]

The head of travel for Euromonitor International, a London-based global market research firm, expects governments will start easing travel bans over the summer and into September.

"However, consumers will be hesitant to travel and may fear being caught abroad in a second or third wave of the pandemic, with the risk of being stranded abroad."

Thus, when international travel restrictions are eventually relaxed, people may be inclined to stick closer to home.

"We are expecting to see domestic and visiting friends and relatives along with travel to second homes to be the first to pick up once bans are lifted," Bremner told CNN Travel.

 

https://edition.cnn.com/travel/article/fall-travel-covid-19/index.html

[lkv]

22 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

I too can envisage such a policy. The difficulty of course us by under which body is a certificate is issued or acceptable?

Every country will have its own standards, I guess, of what they deem acceptable.

 

It could sound like this (for example):

 

"Exempt third-country nationals as well as those arriving by air from within the Schengen area will only be allowed to enter Austria upon presentation of a medical certificate confirming a negative molecular-biological SARS-CoV-2 test. The certificate must be issued by a licensed medical practitioner in German or English and must not be older than 4 days at the time of entry. Persons who cannot produce the required medical certificate will be denied entry into Austria or be subject to mandatory quarantine."

 

https://www.austria.org/coronavirus

Edited April 21, 2020 by lkv

[natway09]

Now we know the Irish are stupid.. It should be 5 not 5,000