'No truth' to reports of December 30 lockdown, Nphet tells Cabinet
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Chief medical officer Dr Tony Holohan has dismissed reports of a fresh lockdown as "entirely speculative".
A senior Cabinet source told the Irish Examiner that Cabinet have been assured by members of Nphet that there is “no truth” in reports of a December 30 lockdown.
Dr Holohan and Taoiseach Micheál Martin spoke this morning after reports in the that Ireland would be facing a raft of new lockdown measures heading into the new year.
Sources have confirmed that Dr Holohan said although the Covid situation would be monitored closely, the reports are "entirely speculative".
A spokesperson for Mr Martin said: "There are no plans for a December 30 meeting, no nuclear buttons.
"The leaders and health minister met public health on Tuesday and they discussed the areas where restrictions might apply.
"On Friday, members of Nphet briefed members of Cabinet and there was no reference to lockdown plans, and they said they’d meet again on January 6.
"As the Taoiseach said yesterday, there are no guarantees, and they will keep monitoring the situation, but they are heartened with booster progress."
There have been 5,124 confirmed cases of Covid-19 announced today with 436 hospitalised, 107 of which are in ICU.
Dr Holohan said it has taken less than two weeks for Omicron to become the dominant strain of Covid-19 in Ireland.
“We have slowed transmission of this disease in the past using our basic measures and responding immediately if symptomatic — it is extremely important we do everything we can to flatten the curve of this wave now to prevent unnecessary deaths, risk to the vulnerable, and to protect our health service," he said.
“If the majority of us can now reduce our social contact, meet others outdoors, work from home unless absolutely necessary, ensure the appropriate use of face masks, avoid crowds, and keep indoors well ventilated.
"Very important if you have any Covid-19 symptoms self-isolate immediately and arrange a PCR test, if you are a close contact of a confirmed case please restrict your movements.”
HSE chief clinical officer Colm Henry said it is "becoming very, very evident that Omicron is going to displace delta in the coming weeks", and become the dominant variant.
"Existing protection that people have from either natural infection or from primary vaccination regimes provides much more limited protection if no protection at all.
"Hence the importance for people to embrace the booster vaccination. There is very good evidence that the booster vaccinations do restore protection from symptomatic infection and can slow down the pace of the spread of this variant and give us a chance to respond and spread whatever harm ensues over a longer period of time for our already beleaguered healthcare services"
There were long queues at vaccination centres across the country as those aged 40 and over became illegible for their booster vaccine.
Some 290,000 vaccines have been carried out in the last six days, according to HSE chief executive Paul Reid, with 1.5M boosters and third doses distributed.
Meanwhile, Green Party leader Eamon Ryan has tested positive for Covid-19 and is self-isolating at home.
“The minister is following all HSE protocols,” a statement said.
“He has advised the Taoiseach, tánaiste, and the secretary to the Government.
“Minister Ryan attended Cabinet remotely on Friday, so members of the Cabinet are not close contacts.”
The Minister for Public Expenditure Michael McGrath has said that changes to the supports for businesses affected by Covid-19 will be announced by Tuesday at the latest.
Speaking on RTÉ's This Week programme, Mr McGrath said that the Cabinet will meet on Tuesday and if a further meeting is required over Christmas that will be arranged.
Mr McGrath noted the Government has committed to the enhanced rates of the Employment Wage Subsidy Scheme (EWSS) and are looking at changes to the Covid Restrictions Support Scheme (CRSS).
The scheme was initially designed to support businesses that had been closed, but Mr McGrath said businesses are now in a different space where trading hours are affected.