The government has today (Friday, 19 June 2020) approved a Revised Roadmap for Reopening Society and Business, with most activity now being moved to Phase 3, beginning on Monday, 29 June 2020.
The acceleration of the Roadmap has been made possible thanks to the progress made by the Irish people in suppressing the virus and in keeping transmission levels low.
As the country is reopened in a controlled and measured way, personal responsibility will be more important than ever. Physical distancing must be maintained to the greatest extent possible, for as much time as possible, to prevent the spread of infection.
Everyone is being asked to consider four things before making a decision about doing something and to evaluate the risk by using the acronym DATE:
- Distance
- Activity
- Time
- Environment
The revised Phase 3 includes:
- The reopening of churches and places of worship
- Gyms
- Cinemas
- Leisure facilities
- Hairdressers and barber shops
- All sporting activities, including close contact sports, can recommence including team leagues for adults and children. However, these sports will take place with a very limited number of spectators.
- Mass gatherings will be limited to 50 people indoors and 200 people outdoors. If the presence of the virus remains low, this will rise to 100 people indoors and 500 people outdoors in Phase 4.
- Members of the public are advised to use a face covering (that is, a non-medical face covering) as an additional hygiene measure, when using public transport or when in enclosed indoor public areas such as retail outlets.
A new communications campaign launched this week encourages people to wear face coverings in these circumstances, and when visiting people vulnerable to COVID-19.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, our members can find comprehensive, timely and authoritative information on the Citizens Information website at health/covid19 and daily updates on what’s changed on its Twitter account at @citizensinfo.
Relevant information and advice is also available to our members in our updated Family Support Booklet (our booklet also includes a Personal Affairs Checklist).
