‘I’m much more comfortable’ – Taoiseach hints Covid-19 restrictions will begin to ease next Monday
An Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has given the biggest hint yet that the Government are ready to start rolling back Covid-19 restrictions next week.
Speaking to Dermot and Dave on Today FM this morning, the Taoiseach said he is “more comfortable” about easing restrictions as the Covid-19 death toll has started to slow and figure have started to slow over the past seven days.
The National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET) is due to meet this Friday and will discuss the possibility of easing restriction next Monday, May 18, which will include allowing a phased return to work for outdoor workers, certain retail outlets and the re-opening of childcare services for essential healthcare workers.
The Taoiseach told Dermot and Dave: “What was reassuring over the last couple of days is that we’re seeing the number of new deaths being reported trending downwards, number of new cases trending downwards, fewer people in ICU and hospital every day with Covid.
“So if you take the five day average that has been going in the right direction and that’s reassuring.
“There’s always a possibility that that will change over the next few days but I don’t think so,” the Taoiseach said.
He was quick to state that with Covid-19 things can change very quickly and if the NPHET sees the graph expanding again in the coming days, then hopes could be squashed.
“I don’t want to raise expectations and then dash them on Friday but things are going in the right direction and have been for the last few weeks, and I’m much more comfortable now than I would have been a week ago or two weeks ago,” the Taoiseach concluded.
