VACC TO NORMAL BY EASTER
Sporting events & festivals return Post- Christmas cases spike ‘ likely’ Varadkar pledges crisis will end in 2021
LEO Varadkar is hopeful the fight against coronavirus will be won by the summer.
The Tanaiste said if the vaccines roll- out i s successful i n the next couple of months we could start to see life return to normal around Easter.
Mr Varadkar added this would open the way for mass attended events such as sporting occasions and concerts.
He said: “I think we’re talking probably something more like the end of March, early April – around Easter.
“And that doesn’t mean that things are back to normal by then but more in the Level 2, Level 1 space then.
“I f t hi ngs work out with t h e summer, the possibility of a return to things l i ke f ootball matches and maybe even concerts and festivals and gatherings too.”
The Fine Gael leader was asked on Newstalk Breakfast if we could all start to dream of foreign holidays from then, he joked, “Oh, I hope so – I ’m starting to look very pale.”
“We have that European traffic light system and I think the second quarter of next year – will t h e r e b e more g r e e n zones and amber zones across Europe?
Mr Varadkar admitted a p o s t - C h r i s t m a s Covid- 19 spike is likely.
He sai d: “It i s l i kely cases will rise again and we have never ruled out the possibility that we will reintroduce restrictions f or a short period i n January.”
However, whatever happens in the coming months, even with another wave spike if it comes, the Fine Gael leader is optimistic the crisis will be over by this time next year. He added: “I think vaccines, with mass testing and with increased knowledge of how we treat and prevent this disease, we will see the end of this pandemic in 2021.”
Meanwhile the Government has finally given a green light for Christmas foreign travel.
Travellers can come home f or the holidays from abroad if they take precautions.
Speaking on Morning Ireland yesterday, Mr Varadkar said: “If people do travel, we do appreciate that is people’s choice and there may be individual people who have individual f amily circumstances that re qui r e t h e m t o t r av e l , we do appreciate that. It’s what we have agreed as a Government and it is not as strong as the NPHET advice, which is stronger.
“We’ve agreed as a Government that if people do travel we are asking them to follow those traffic light rules.
“So, if you’re coming from an amber light area, there are very few of them, make sure you have a test before you travel, a negative test.
“If you’re coming from a red area, which is pretty much everywhere at the moment, outside of Ireland and Iceland, we’re saying to people that if you’re coming, restrict your movements for the first five days until you get a test that’s negative on day five.”
The Tanai st e added i f f ur th er re stri cti ons are i ntroduced next month it “won’t be done lightly”.
Referring to a rise in coronavirus
I think we will see the end of pandemic in 2021
LEO VARADKAR NEWSTALK YESTERDAY
cases following gatherings in the US and Canada for Thanksgiving, he said it gives an indication on how the virus will spread over the festive holidays.
Mr Var adka radded :“It is likely cases will rise again and we have never ruled out the possibility that we will reintroduce restrictions for a short period in January.”
He said the number of cases will dictate whether the country moves back to Level 5.
The Tanaiste added: “We need to make sure we don’t concentrate too much on daily numbers,.
He said: “If the Government has to reimpose restrictions we won’t do it lightly as we know what it means for businesses, for jobs, but if we do, it will be for as short a period as possible.”
The Fine Gael leader described the start of the UK’S vaccination process as a “day of hope”. He added: “I think vaccines, with mass testing and with increased knowledge of how we treat and prevent this disease, we will see the end of this pandemic in 2021 and that’s the best news from yesterday.
“In terms of whatt we are doing, we have advanced purchase agreements to buy six vaccines, eight million doses for Ireland.”
Covid -19 vaccines are expected to become available in Ireland next month.
The State has opted into six advanced purchase agreements with Modern a, Oxford/ Astrozeneca, Janssen , Bion Tech-Pfizer, Sanofi Pasteur and Curevac. A taskforce established to oversee the rollout of vaccines will publish its action plan tomorrow. Mr Varadkar said the Cabinet hopes to approve the plan Tuesday, which will be followed by a communications campaign.
He said: “The intention is to vaccinate everyone, to offer it to everyone, free of charge. It’s not compulsory.
“The best estimate is probably 70% is what you would need to achieve herd immunity.
“I ran vaccine clinics and the best way to encourage people and convince people to take the vaccine is to engage with them, to explain, to reassure, to answer questions, not to brow- beat or patronise them.”