Ireland reveals it will extend coronavirus lockdown until May 5 – but England still in limbo
IRELAND is extending its lockdown until May 5, while England remains in limbo on when theirs will be lifted.
Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has announced today the current restrictions on movement in Ireland will be extended beyond Easter Sunday.
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It comes as the pressure is mounting here for the government to reveal their exit strategy.
The UK went into lockdown on March 23 and said it would review the measures every three weeks.
Ministers have been reluctant to lift the strict measures after Dominic Raab – filling in for Boris Johnson – warned yesterday it was still too early for social distancing to be lifted.
And epidemiologist Professor Neil Ferguson, of Imperial College London, said “definitive” proof of whether the nationwide-lockdown has worked will take “several more weeks”.
He explained: “It is only when we see the case numbers come down and how quickly transmissions have been reduced we can really conclude anything about what happens next, when these measures can be relaxed”.
It is believed that less than 10 per cent of the population has had the virus and Mr Raab said that discussing a route out of lockdown would be a “distraction”.
Government sources revealed yesterday the first expected moved “is most likely the re-opening of schools so parents are able to go back to work”.
In Ireland, Varadkar said today he was not willing to reopen schools.
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