Ireland imposes 6 week curfew ahead of Christmas, New Years to stem COVID-19

Ireland on December 21 imposed a stringent 6-week lockdown shutting down businesses, restaurants, gyms, and all public premises, retails as well as sporting venues amid fears of a deadly virus surge. Health Minister Robin Swann announced a night curfew at a press conference for the Christmas and New Year holidays between 8 pm and 6 am. Citizens were forbidden to mix both indoor and outdoor and all businesses operating during the daytime were ordered to shut down in the hours when rules were activated. “These new restrictions are being put in place to help reduce the spread of coronavirus and to help manage the pressures on our health and social care system,” the government of Ireland announced in an official advisory. 

As Ireland recorded 86 COVID-related fatalities, according to the tally by the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency NISRA, the government issued stay at home orders. This included restrictions on all outdoor activities such as walks and exercise effective December 26 onwards. “From 8.00 pm to 6.00 am there can be no indoor or outdoor gatherings of any kind. This includes no household mixing in private gardens,” the health ministry informed. It added that all essential retails must close between the hours of 8.00 pm and 6.00 am. Different households were prohibited to mix at private homes. 

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2 households per bubble

Only six people from no more than two households were allowed to meet at a family’s private garden with adherence to the 6 feet apart rule. “You can form one bubble of two households limited to a maximum of 10 people,” the Ireland government informed. This can include children at any one time only. “If anyone within your bubble develops symptoms, all members of the bubble should self-isolate,” the ministry instructed in an advisory.

Furthermore, face masks were made mandatory on all public transport, in taxis, private buses, coaches and on aircraft, in train and bus stations, and inside airports. Ireland as of December 21 registered a death toll of 1,594, of which 949 fatalities occurred at hospitals that had reached the brink of their maximum capacities, according to North’s health department’s database. 

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