When will we know about Christmas? CMO confirms date that NPHET will make new recommendations

Dr. Tony Holohan has confirmed the date that NPHET will give formal advice to the Government regarding Covid-19 restrictions over Christmas.

We’re now around halfway through the current run of Level 5 restrictions that are due to end on December 1. While new Covid-19 cases have decreased since the restrictions were introduced on October 21, the number has risen on each of the past three days, with 482 new cases reported yesterday.

Dr. Holohan has urged caution but said that “if we can keep up high levels of compliance, we can get to where we need to be on December 1”. The Chief Medical Officer stated on Thursday that NPHET will meet on Thursday, November 26 to discuss the current situation and to and to decide whether they should recommend a less stringent set of restrictions for the Christmas period.

Yesterday, NPHET member and HSE Chief Clinical Officer Dr Colm Henry said that he was “certainly hopeful” that families will be able to visit each other on Christmas Day. Earlier this week, it was reported that the Government is considering asking people to keep their close contacts to family members only over Christmas, while there is “increased pessimism” about the possibility of pubs that don’t serve food being allowed to open in December.

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