Level 5 restrictions ‘look certain’ to be extended but Government hopes to reopen schools in February

The Government is expected to extend current Level 5 restrictions at next week’s Cabinet meeting, according to reports this evening.

Current Level 5 restrictions are scheduled to remain in place until January 31 but it looks like that this date will be pushed back after a Cabinet meeting next Tuesday.

On the reopening of schools, RTÉ’s Micheál Lehane reports that it “remains Government’s ambition to re-open all schools on February 1st and to have a “traditional Leaving Certificate” this year.” This comes after the traditional New Year reopening was initially pushed back until January 11 before then being moved to the end of the month.

While the number of Covid-19 cases remains high across the country, today was the first day in a month that the number of coronavirus patients in hospital was lower than the previous day. There are currently 1,954 cases of Covid-19 in Ireland’s hospitals.

Full details on current Level 5 restrictions can be found here.

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