Phase 1 of Reopening in Ireland
“We need to approach these next couple of weeks showing I suppose a collective sense of cop on” – Minister for Health, Simon Harris on Morning Ireland, 18 May 2020.
Hey y’all! I am coming live from my couch on day 66 of quarantine. Today is Monday May 18th and Ireland is officially beginning to reopen with their 5-Phase Roadmap for Reopening Society & Business.
Source: Twitter (not sure of the original author. if you know please tell me!)
In Phase 1 of the Roadmap for Reopening Society & Business, some of the new measures in place are:
· Meeting in small groups outside. Up to 4 people who don't live together can meet outdoors while keeping at least 2 metres apart.
· Outdoor spaces and tourism sites (car parks, beaches, mountain walks) will be opened where people can move around freely and where social distancing can be maintained.
· Public sport amenities (pitches, tennis courts, golf courses) can be opened where social distancing can be maintained.
· Shops that are mainly outdoor (garden centres, hardware stores, farmers' markets) can reopen so long as social distancing measures can be put in place.
All the above can only be done within 5km (about 3 miles) of our homes. I am so looking forward to Phase 2 when the distance we can travel from our homes will be increased to 20km (about 12.5 miles). The government will not let us proceed to the next phase unless they are seeing everyone complying with the phase we are in currently and that Covid diagnoses continue to go down.
Wearing a face cloth is recommended but it is not mandatory. The government is advising that people wear them when when staying 2 metres (6 feet) apart from people is difficult like in shops or if using public transport. Basically, you should wear a mask anytime you are in an enclosed space with other people.
When I went to the doctor earlier this month my GP advised that I purchase a cloth mask (I bought this one but they are all sold out now) and wear it when in public. It is still a bit odd wearing a mask in public and to be honest, I do not see many people in Dublin wearing them. Anyone I do see is usually a bit older so I probably look dumb walking around with mine, but I would rather look dumb than risk anything.
Remote working for those who can do so is to continue which means I will remain working from home. I have fallen in love with working from home for several reasons (no commute, sleeping in longer, no office camaraderie, etc.). The only downside to working from home is that we have a one-bedroom apartment which is not ideal for 2 people to be in together for such long stretches of time!
We are still encouraged stay at home as much as we possibly can. Just because something is open doesn’t mean that we need to go. The people of Ireland have already done such a great job at flattening the curve that I truly hope that everyone continues to follow the new guidelines so that we can progress to Phase 2 on June 8th!
Author’s Note: This post was originally published on my old blog on 18 May 2020.