Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 9 June 2020
403. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Minister for Health when cocooning groups will be able to shop for essential items in view of the fact it is not listed in the Roadmap of Reopening Society and Business; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10190/20]
View answerThe Government’s Roadmap for Reopening Society & Business, published on 1 May 2020, sets out an indicative path to the easing of COVID 19 restrictions and other actions in order to facilitate the reopening of Ireland’s society and economy in a phased manner. Phase 1 was introduced on 18 May 2020 and, as the Deputy is aware, the Government confirmed the move to Phase 2 of Roadmap for Reopening Society & Business from Monday, 8 June 2020. Information and advice about the restrictions that have been eased as part of Phase 2 and the measures that are now in place are available on the Government website at http://www.gov.ie/phase2.
The Roadmap specifies that decisions in relation to which actions will be taken and which public health measures might be lifted will be made in accordance with the Framework for Future Decision-Making which is as follows:
1. Before each Government consideration of the easing of restrictions, the Department of Health will provide a report to the Government regarding the following on/off trigger criteria:
a. The latest data regarding the progression of the disease,
b. The capacity and resilience of the health service in terms of hospital and ICU occupancy,
c. The capacity of the programme of sampling, testing and contact tracing,
d. The ability to shield and care for at risk groups,
e. An assessment of the risk of secondary morbidity and mortality as a consequence of the restrictions.
2. It will also provide risk-based public health advice on what measures could be modified in the next period.
3. The Government would then consider what restrictions could be lifted, having regard to the advice of the Department of Health as well as other social and economic considerations, e.g. the potential for increased employment, relative benefits for citizens and businesses, improving national morale and wellbeing etc.
4. It is acknowledged that there is also an ongoing possibility that restrictions could be re-imposed and this process will be carried out on an ongoing basis once every 3 weeks.
As is clear from the framework described above, it is the Government rather than I or my Department that will decide on any modifications to the current public health measures in place and those decisions will be informed by the status of the on/off trigger criteria and the public health advice received at the time that a decision is being made.
As we move on to Phase 2 of the Government's roadmap to ease COVID-19 restrictions, retail and other sectors which will reopen under this phase, are encouraged to designate specific retail hours for over 70s and medically vulnerable.
The HSE’s Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC) 'Guidance on cocooning to protect people over 70 years and those extremely medically vulnerable from COVID-19' offers practical assistance as we move into a new phase of the roadmap and advises that people who are at very high risk of severe illness from COVID-19 should continue to protect themselves and stay at home as much as possible to minimise all nonessential contact with people who are not cocooning themselves.
