Ireland announced tough new Covid-19 restrictions on Monday, including the closure of non-essential retail, limiting restaurant and pub operations to takeaway and banning travel further than five kilometres from home, Reuters reports.

Ireland imposed some of the toughest lockdowns in Europe early in the pandemic and has since eased them only gradually. It is now imposing similar lockdowns as before, with the difference that schools are now allowed to remain open and some essential services, such as construction, are allowed to continue.

Hotels should also be allowed to remain open, but only for the use of people performing essential work.

”"The evidence that a potentially serious situation is emerging in the coming weeks is now strong," said Prime Minister Micheal Martin, who on Monday raised the country to the highest level of restrictions, level five, starting Wednesday and lasting six weeks.

Source: Direct News Agency