December reopening guidance
Deputy Kelly sought a date for Government guidance on restrictions after 1 December. The Tánaiste said case numbers and positivity were falling, but it was too early to give a reliable reopening date.
We are now going into our third week in level 5 and many people are trying to plan for the unique period around Christmas, which is not something we have experienced before. While the R level is coming down and the numbers are changing, I do not expect the Tánaiste to be in a position today to be able to advise businesses, workers or families as regards what we will be able to do on 1 December when level 5 ends. At this juncture, can he give us an indication on what date the Government will be in a position to give us that indication? It would be very helpful for businesses, workers and families.
Let us be realistic. People who are living in Dublin who have family down the country, possibly fathers or mothers who are living on their own, will travel for Christmas. On what date will we be in a position to do that? I am not asking what it will be, but what date will we be able to do it, so businesses can plan?
Will rapid testing be available and be signed off in regulatory terms by then?
Comment on this
I thank the Deputy. On the second point, HIQA has done a health technology assessment on rapid testing, which the Deputy may have seen. It was not as positive or favourable as I might have hoped it would be. There are definitely pros and cons to rapid testing and NPHET is very much working on that at the moment. I cannot say it will be ready by 1 December and that is probably unlikely, but it is being worked on.
In regard to the first question, things are going very well. The number of new cases is falling faster than we thought it would, and the positivity rate is falling faster than we thought it would and it was down to something over 3% the other day, which was really encouraging. What we are saying very definitely is that level 5 is for six weeks. We want to get the number of cases down as low as possible before easing restrictions. We do not have a decision date yet to tell people what we move to on 1 December. I take the Deputy’s point that businesses need to prepare and families need to be prepared and they will need a few days’ notice, but we have no date as yet.