IRELAND is set to be at Level Two in time for Christmas as the country prepares to move out of lockdown in two phases.
Following advice from the National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET), the plan is for Ireland to revert back to Level Three on December 1, before dropping down to Level Two a fortnight or so later.
The goal is to ease restrictions as much as possible so families can gather for the festive season, but this can only be done if Covid-19 figures are on the right trajectory.
Government representatives met with NPHET on Thursday to review the current lockdown and to discuss the plan going forward.
There was a general agreement that December 1 should remain as the date Ireland exits lockdown and moves to Level Three, and that a move to Level Two should happen later in the month, with some suggesting it could happen as late as December 22 or 23.
At Level Two, members of the public would be allowed to travel domestically without restriction, meaning that families would be free to visit each other at Christmas.
Gatherings would however be limited to a maximum of six people, and to a maximum of three households.
Despite this, no concrete decision has been made yet, though NPHET will officially advise the Government on the next step during their meeting next Thursday.
A source within the team told the Irish Daily Mail that everyone's hope is that the country can open up as much as possible in time for the festive season.
"We will have to do something on Christmas week as Christmas is a primal thing with Irish people and we believe that they are just going to travel around the country, and visit relatives and friends," the source said.
"Nobody in this country is leaving granny on her own this Christmas."
See More: Christmas, Covid-19, Covid Christmas, Ireland, Level 2, NPHET
