Advertisement

We need your help now

Support from readers like you keeps The Journal open.

You are visiting us because we have something you value. Independent, unbiased news that tells the truth. Advertising revenue goes some way to support our mission, but this year it has not been enough.

If you've seen value in our reporting, please contribute what you can, so we can continue to produce accurate and meaningful journalism. For everyone who needs it.

Leah Farrell/RollingNews.ie

Non-essential retail to remain open under Level 5 but shops asked to defer January sales

“The retail sector will be requested to defer January sales events,” the Taoiseach said this afternoon announcing the measures.

NON-ESSENTIAL RETAIL will be to allowed remain open but shops have been asked not to hold January sales as the government announced the country was heading back to Level 5 restrictions, with some modifications. 

Amid a sharp rise in Covid-19 cases, Taoiseach Micheál Martin confirmed this afternoon that the country will enter Level 5 from 24 December.

While non-essential shops will be permitted to remain open after that date the sector is being asked not to hold sales in January. “The retail sector will be requested to defer January sales events,” Martin said this afternoon announcing the measures. 

Duncan Graham of Retail Excellence Ireland welcomed the news that non-essential retail was to be allowed to stay open under the Level 5 restrictions.

Responding to the Taoiseach’s comments about winter sales he told RTÉ’s News at One it wasn’t in anybody’s interest to see large crowds come into stores in late December or early January, and called on customers to continue to use options to shop online or utilise click & collect.

In a national address just three days out from Christmas, the Taoiseach said household visits will be limited to one other household from 27 December. From 1 January, no household or garden visits will be permitted. 

Inter-county travel will be restricted from 26 December, though people who have already left their county can remain in another county until they are due to return home. 

Government has decided to keep non-essential retail and gyms open, despite Chief Medical Officer Tony Holohan recommending that the country move to Level 5 restrictions as soon as possible. 

Yesterday, public health officials warned that Ireland is now “clearly in a third wave of this pandemic”.

“If [the virus] is left to spread unchecked, it will reach the most vulnerable,” the Taoiseach said this afternoon. “And they will pay a heavy price.”

He said it was important for people’s mental health and wellbeing that there was some respite from restrictions. 

“Unfortunately, in the last week we have seen extraordinary growth in the spread of the virus,” Martin said, adding there’s a daily growth rate of around 10%.

“It’s simply not sustainable,” he says, adding that the “safest and most responsible thing to do” is to act as if the new strain of Covid-19 being seen in the UK is already here.

Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone...
A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation.

Close
35 Comments
This is YOUR comments community. Stay civil, stay constructive, stay on topic. Please familiarise yourself with our comments policy here before taking part.
Leave a Comment
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Stef
    Favourite Stef
    Report
    Dec 22nd 2020, 1:36 PM

    Not really level 5 then is it.

    205
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Emily Martin King
    Favourite Emily Martin King
    Report
    Dec 22nd 2020, 1:39 PM

    @Stef: barely level 3

    79
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute New World Order
    Favourite New World Order
    Report
    Dec 22nd 2020, 1:35 PM

    Huge credit must go to Gov , since outbreak of Covid, they have solved the people on trolleys, nearly sorted homelessness, and now banished winter flu, keep up good work

    193
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute David Garland
    Favourite David Garland
    Report
    Dec 22nd 2020, 1:56 PM

    @New World Order: Nobody dying of Pneumonia either. I’d say Cancer deaths will also be down as some of those were classified as Covid.

    86
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute ▪️
    Favourite ▪️
    Report
    Dec 22nd 2020, 1:59 PM

    @David Garland: It is absolutely staggering that ICUs across the continent are repeatedly being overwhelmed and there are people STILL stubbornly maintaining that this is just some conspiracy on the part of hospital doctors classifying other deaths as Covid for some obscure unknown reason.

    It actually beggars belief how ye can be so ill-informed.

    139
    See 4 more replies ▾
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Sean O'Doherty
    Favourite Sean O'Doherty
    Report
    Dec 22nd 2020, 2:00 PM

    @David Garland: Where is the proof that non covid deaths were classified as Covid-19 deaths?

    25
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute David Garland
    Favourite David Garland
    Report
    Dec 22nd 2020, 2:08 PM

    @Sean O’Doherty: It’s well known that poor people who were dying of cancer and just happened to test positive for Covid but had zero symptoms were classed as Covid deaths. Sure in the UK they admitted that if you had Covid, fully recovered from it but you were hit by a bus two months later it was classed as a Covid death

    42
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute David Garland
    Favourite David Garland
    Report
    Dec 22nd 2020, 2:12 PM

    @▪️: It actually beggers belief you don’t know it’s flu season. January 2018 94 People in ICU in Ireland because of the seasonal flu alone. 500 Hospital Admissions in one week alone the same month.

    35
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Spot the d0g
    Favourite Spot the d0g
    Report
    Dec 22nd 2020, 5:57 PM

    @▪️: ICU’s are always overwhelmed! Nothing new …

    14
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute James Quinn
    Favourite James Quinn
    Report
    Dec 22nd 2020, 1:41 PM

    29 people in ICU. No excess deaths with the average virus death recently of 85. ‘Cases’ of healthy people out of control but the hospitals are not over run and ICU numbers are stable for months.
    The country is losing the plot with all these bull sh!t restrictions.

    186
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Seán Óg
    Favourite Seán Óg
    Report
    Dec 22nd 2020, 1:47 PM

    @James Quinn: There is always a delay between exponential growth in cases and exponential growth in hospitals and a further delay between growth in hospitals and deaths.

    48
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Darren Lambe
    Favourite Darren Lambe
    Report
    Dec 22nd 2020, 1:48 PM

    @James Quinn: 29 people in ICU out of a population of 5 million.

    86
    See 9 more replies ▾
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Sam Harms
    Favourite Sam Harms
    Report
    Dec 22nd 2020, 1:49 PM

    @James Quinn: but they shouldn’t be stable they should be dropping!

    7
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Thomas O' Donnell
    Favourite Thomas O' Donnell
    Report
    Dec 22nd 2020, 1:57 PM

    @Darren Lambe: For now. As a public health expert, what would you expect to happen numbers in ICU in the next couple of weeks after our recent surge in cases. As an expert, I’m sure I needn’t remind you of the time lag between someone testing positive and ending up in ICU.

    18
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Darren Lambe
    Favourite Darren Lambe
    Report
    Dec 22nd 2020, 2:00 PM

    @Thomas O’ Donnell: As a fellow expert how long until ICUs are at capacity and how long until the 10 thousand deaths we were supposed to have in April was it?

    20
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute David Garland
    Favourite David Garland
    Report
    Dec 22nd 2020, 2:01 PM

    @Seán Óg: Sure the cases have been out of control since they started testing everybody and anybody. Sure according to the HSE themselves 80% of the cases are asymptomatic, this figure goes with what some immunologists have been saying since the summer. We have already 80% immunity because Covid 19 is a Coronavirus and our bodies have been fighting these viruses in one shape or form since the dawn of time.. We’ve literally no deaths compared to April and even at that, those deaths are the same. 80% Asymptomatic, the poor people dying of Cancer etc and just happened to test positive on the PCR test.

    28
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute ▪️
    Favourite ▪️
    Report
    Dec 22nd 2020, 2:01 PM

    @James Quinn: No excess deaths because we went into successive lockdowns, but plenty of excess death in April when this virus was allowed to roam free in March.

    You people are still not getting it. Have a look around Europe. Do you think they’re all in on the conspiracy yeah? ICU doctors are just being fed tens of thousands of fake dying patients, is it?

    Good man.

    23
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Jim Lingk
    Favourite Jim Lingk
    Report
    Dec 22nd 2020, 2:03 PM

    @Sam Harms: that was never going to happen in the middle of Winter with restrictions lifted. And that was recognised by everyone when the restrictions were lifted. Keep an eye on all these cases, numbers of tests and hospitalisations over the next ten days or so and we will see if things were really spiralling out of control.

    8
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute joe doyle
    Favourite joe doyle
    Report
    Dec 22nd 2020, 6:53 PM

    @James Quinn:

    1
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Pat ALTHEA
    Favourite Pat ALTHEA
    Report
    Dec 22nd 2020, 7:08 PM

    @James Quinn: 29 people with covid in ICU. What about other people who also are of ill health who require ICU? There is only a limited number of ICU beds in the country.
    Also, have you looked at the long terms effects of covid for some people who contract c19? But we all suppose that’s BS as well!

    3
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute EvieXVI
    Favourite EvieXVI
    Report
    Dec 22nd 2020, 8:17 PM

    @Darren Lambe: we’re we really ‘supposed’ to have that many deaths? And if we had, would that make you happy?

    1
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Munster1
    Favourite Munster1
    Report
    Dec 22nd 2020, 1:41 PM

    Expecting 2k cases by new years eve. I would go to level 5 tonight.

    61
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute David Garland
    Favourite David Garland
    Report
    Dec 22nd 2020, 2:54 PM

    @Munster1: So what’s your plan for next winter when Covid is gone and we have thousands on trolleys because of the seasonal flu? More lockdowns I suppose

    48
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Carlin Ite
    Favourite Carlin Ite
    Report
    Dec 22nd 2020, 2:00 PM

    What’s the point if it’s going to be like last level 5 lockdown. That was t a lockdown at all. Homestores and more was open but the Yankee candles were closed off! Halfords had a click and collect system but you had to go inside to collect and people were taking things off the shelves and buying them. Lock it down or open it up. This in between carry on is not working.

    55
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Darren Lambe
    Favourite Darren Lambe
    Report
    Dec 22nd 2020, 1:40 PM

    The government/nphet must have severe dizziness at this point with all of the going around in circles.

    53
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute The Red Devil
    Favourite The Red Devil
    Report
    Dec 22nd 2020, 1:38 PM

    So is this level 3.9 or 4.7 but not level 5

    51
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Tony Humphreys
    Favourite Tony Humphreys
    Report
    Dec 22nd 2020, 1:39 PM

    What happened to level 4?

    46
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Ed
    Favourite Ed
    Report
    Dec 22nd 2020, 1:43 PM

    Level 3.685. From day one the different levels made no sense.

    31
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Brendan McCarron
    Favourite Brendan McCarron
    Report
    Dec 22nd 2020, 2:44 PM

    And daily report is still people in hospital ‘with’ Covid, as opposed to new hospitalisations ‘because’ of Covid. You would not report the same way if there was a widespread outbreak of MRSA or similar in the hospitals. All data is only relevant in the context it’s presented. Without detailed of where cases are coming from and deaths with versus from Covid they’re ust numbers used to support a narrative.

    22
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute David Connell
    Favourite David Connell
    Report
    Dec 22nd 2020, 1:40 PM

    Seeing that GAA, Soccer and Rugby is allowed and Gyms to remain open, I’m gussing Tennis and Golf will be allowed this time around.

    19
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Mairead Jenkins
    Favourite Mairead Jenkins
    Report
    Dec 22nd 2020, 1:53 PM

    @David Connell: Yes they are. It was on the RTE radio news at 1.

    4
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute David Connell
    Favourite David Connell
    Report
    Dec 22nd 2020, 2:41 PM

    @Mairead Jenkins: Thank you. Finally common sense.

    7
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Vincent Bickerstaffe
    Favourite Vincent Bickerstaffe
    Report
    Dec 22nd 2020, 1:35 PM

    Covid will be in the hotels and restaurants.. crazy logic..

    21
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Eileen O' Connor
    Favourite Eileen O' Connor
    Report
    Dec 22nd 2020, 1:43 PM

    @Vincent Bickerstaffe: and getting a haircut and shellac nails done for xmas

    1
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Piggy
    Favourite Piggy
    Report
    Dec 22nd 2020, 1:39 PM

    Ju back in da gym bro?

    12
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Pauline Fedigan
    Favourite Pauline Fedigan
    Report
    Dec 23rd 2020, 8:38 AM

    BUT MAKE SURE YOUS ALL STAY AT HOME,????

    1
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Dickie Fogarty
    Favourite Dickie Fogarty
    Report
    Dec 23rd 2020, 10:11 AM

    Absolute codswallop

    1
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Dickie Fogarty
    Favourite Dickie Fogarty
    Report
    Dec 23rd 2020, 10:10 AM

    Codswallop

    1
Submit a report
Please help us understand how this comment violates our community guidelines.
Thank you for the feedback
Your feedback has been sent to our team for review.

Leave a commentcancel

 
JournalTv
News in 60 seconds