![\"\"](\"http:\/\/irishexaminerusa.com\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/2.55897786.jpg\")
The Minister for Health has insisted there is \u201cno appetite\u201d to extend Ireland\u2019s Level 5 lockdown, but stopped short of guaranteeing the restrictions will be eased on schedule.<\/p>\nThe Minister for Health has insisted there is \u201cno appetite\u201d to extend Ireland\u2019s Level 5 lockdown, but stopped short of guaranteeing the restrictions will be eased on schedule.<\/p>\n
Stephen Donnelly urged the public to \u201cdouble down\u201d on compliance with measures for the remainder of the six-week lockdown as he expressed concern over recent \u201cstalled\u201d progress in driving down infection rates.<\/p>\n
He said scenes of people drinking on the streets in Dublin and Cork over the weekend and data indicating more traffic on the streets were evidence of people becoming \u201cfatigued\u201d with the restrictions.<\/p>\n
The Level 5 measures are due to lift on December 1st.<\/p>\n
Mr Donnelly said while the country had made great progress in driving down infection numbers in the first half of the lockdown, Covid-19 rates were starting to go in the wrong direction again.<\/p>\n
He said infection numbers had fallen from 1,200 a day at the start of the lockdown to current rates that had seen 366 cases recorded today.<\/p>\n
He said Ireland had witnessed the biggest reduction in cases in Europe.<\/p>\n
However, Mr Donnelly noted that 13 of the 26 counties have had more cases in the last seven days than they had in the previous seven days.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are largely on course,\u201d he told RT\u00c9.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe first three weeks were really good, the R number for last week was down to 0.6.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo people have made huge sacrifices, people have really got on board with Level 5. It has worked.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat I\u2019m saying and what the public health doctors are saying, over the last week it is clear that people have become fatigued. The gatherings in large groups to drink outside is one symptom of that. We\u2019re seeing more traffic on the roads as well.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere has been an easing off over the last week, so we want to see over the next two weeks we\u2019ve got to double down, because we want to open up as much as possible for December.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Minister added: \u201cThere is no appetite to not exit Level 5 in two weeks.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere was a very clear decision made, which was Level 5 for six weeks, which is why the next two weeks matter so much.\u201d<\/p>\n
Asked if the Government would approve a lifting of Level 5 restrictions no matter what on December 1st, Mr Donnelly replied: \u201cI don\u2019t think with Covid, the Irish Government or any government anywhere can say no matter what on anything.\u201d<\/p>\n
Mr Donnelly noted that the National Public Health Emergency Team (Nphet) had recommended that Level 5 measures should be lifted if case numbers fell to 100 a day.<\/p>\n
But he added: \u201cThere is time and if we don\u2019t hit the hundred it doesn\u2019t mean we won\u2019t come out of Level 5.<\/p>\n
\u201cObviously the Government and Nphet will consider a wide variety of measures.\u201d<\/p>\n
This evening, Chief Medical Officer Dr Tony Holohan also stressed the need for a concerted public effort over the next fortnight.<\/p>\n
\u201cI am increasingly concerned that the positive trends we had seen recently have not been maintained,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe five-day moving average of daily cases has increased from an average of 350 cases on November 11 to 424 today.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have two weeks to continue in our efforts to drive down community transmission of this disease as much as possible.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe lower the incidence the more flexibility the country will have in easing measures.\u201d<\/p>\n