PUBS THAT do not serve food will remain closed past the planned reopening date of 31 August.
In a move which may not be unexpected, but which is still a blow to pub owners across the country, the National Public Health Emergency Team announced last night that pubs will not reopen and their reopen will not be considered for at least another two weeks.
Acting Chief Medical Officer, Dr Ronan Glynn, acknowledged the financial impact that pubs remaining closed for almost six months were having on businesses but said due to the rise in Covid-19 cases, the team "felt we weren't in a position to open pubs at this point".
"We are aware of the impact this is having on small family businesses across the country," Dr Glynn told a press briefing yesterday.
Dr Ronan Glynn, Acting Chief Medical Officer, said now "is not the moment" to reopen pubs (Photo: Sam Boal/RollingNews.ie)"We want pubs to reopen in a safe way but for the last number of weeks, since the end of June, we have seen a slow and steady deterioration of this disease.
"Through August we have seen very significant clusters, we have seen cases a day, all the parameters deteriorate. Unfortunately there's not been an opportunity to open up what is recognised as one of the most high risk areas for the disease.
"In the context of schools opening [and] the number of cases in hospital beginning to rise, it's not the time to open pubs."
Yesterday, a further 93 cases of Covid-19 were identified within the community across Ireland, with 34 identified in Dublin.
The new figures brings Ireland's total to 28,453; 1,777 people have passed away with the virus.
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