Cabinet has announced that from Thursday, 18 November, all bars, restaurants and nightclubs will have to close at midnight as it looks to curb growing infection numbers ahead of the key Christmas period.
Employees will also be urged to work from home, with the advice starting on Friday, 19 November.
Cabinet also affirmed that Covid passes would be needed for cinemas and theatres – but NOT for hairdressers and gyms.
Antigen Testing
The Government also gave details of an expected turnaround on antigen testing as it announced that any member of a household contact of a positive Covid test will have to restrict their movements for five days and take three antigen tests during that time.
More restrictions likely
It is feared, however, that this is only the beginning of more restrictions as “case numbers are very high and the situation is concerning,” according to Taoiseach Micheál Martin
He reiterated that it was incumbent on society to look out for each other and that the situation was going to get worse before it got better.
