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Today marks the first day of Level 3: Living with Covid-19 for December 2020 for a happy and safe Christmas and New Year.

 

Effective today, Ireland placed on Level 3 of the Plan for Living with COVID-19 – with special measures for a safe Christmas

 

What does it mean? Your quick guide to the Christmas changes

 

Covid19 December and Christmas Arrangements

Covid19 December and Christmas Arrangements

 

ACTIVITY

From 1 December

From 4 December

From 18 December

Visitors to you home

No Visitors, apart from those in the support bubble

No Visitors, apart from those in the support bubble

2 other households

Places of Worship

50 Max

50 Max

50 Max

Museums, galleries and cinemas

Open

Open

Open

Restaurants

Closed

Open

Open

Pubs operating as restaurants

Closed

Open

Open

Wet pubs

Delivery and take-away

Delivery and take-away

Delivery and take-away

Retail

Open

Open

Open

Travel outside your county

No

No

Yes

Details of measures in place from 1 December

Social and family gatherings

In your home or garden

You should not mix with any other households outside of those within your support bubble.

Other settings outside your home or garden

In outdoor settings away from your home or garden, up to 6 people from a maximum of 2 households can meet while maintaining strict physical distancing.

Weddings

Weddings may proceed, but with a limit of 25 guests for ceremony and reception (irrespective of venue). It will not be possible to attend a wedding in another county.
Couples resident in a particular county, but with existing plans to get married, can travel to get married outside that county.

Organised indoor gatherings

These are controlled environments with a named event organiser, owner or manager.
For example: business, training events, conferences, events in theatres and cinemas or other arts events (excluding sport).

No organised indoor gatherings should take place.

Exception:

Cinemas may open with protective measures.

Organised outdoor gatherings

These are controlled environments with a named event organiser, owner or manager. For example: outdoor arts events, training events.
Gatherings of up to 15 people can take place.

Sports

Training

Outdoors: Non contact training only in pods of up to 15 (for example: golf, tennis, horse riding, hunting, Gaelic games, soccer, outdoor basketball).

There is an exemption for professional/elite/senior inter-county sports.

Indoors:Individual training only. No exercise or dance classes (for example: no ballet, gymnastics, basketball, racketball, squash, zumba, drama).

Matches and events

No matches or other sporting events should take place, with the exception of professional and elite sports, approved inter-county Gaelic games, horse-racing and greyhound racing, approved show jumping events, and approved coursing events, which should all take place behind closed doors.

Gyms, leisure centres and swimming pools

Gyms, leisure centres and swimming pools may remain open for individual use only, and with protective measures in place.

Swimming classes will be reviewed in January.

Religious services

Open for services with a maximum of 50 people.

Funerals

Up to 25 mourners can attend.

Museums, galleries and other cultural attractions

Open with protective measures in place.

Libraries will be available for browsing, e-services, and call and collect. No seating or events.

Bars, cafes and restaurants (including hotel restaurants and bars)

From Friday 4 December, restaurants and pubs operating as restaurants (serving a substantial meal) may reopen for indoor dining with additional restrictions, including a requirement for meals to be prepared on site, inside the premises.

This includes access for non-residents to restaurants in hotels.

Wet pubs

Delivery and take-away services only.

Nightclubs, discos and casinos

Nightclubs, discos and casinos will remain closed.

Hotels and accommodation

Hotels, guesthouses and B&B’s may remain open, but with services limited to residents.

Retail and services (for example: hairdressers, beauticians, barbers)

Face coverings must be worn.
All retail shops and shopping centres may remain open. All services such as hairdressers, beauticians, barbers and opticians may remain open with strict adherence to sectoral guidance on protective measures.

There is specific guidance available for:

the retail sector

shopping centres

spas

shopping safely during the pandemic

Work

Work from home unless absolutely necessary to attend in person.

Domestic travel

Stay in your county apart from work, education, medical and other essential purposes, if appropriate.

Schools, early learning and childcare services, adult and higher education

Schools and creches are open with protective measures.

Further, higher and adult education should escalate all appropriate protective measures and limit congregation as far as possible.

Outdoor playgrounds, play areas and parks

All remain open with protective measures in place.

Transport

Face coverings must be worn.

Walk or cycle where possible.

Public transport capacity limited to 50%.

Essential workers and essential purposes only.

Those aged over 70 and the medically vulnerable

Those aged over 70 and the medically vulnerable are advised to continue to exercise personal judgement.

It is recommended that they stay at home as much as possible, limit engagement to a very small network for short periods of time, while remaining physically distanced.

When taking exercise outdoors, it is important to maintain 2 metres distance from others and wash hands on returning home.

It is recommended to shop during designated hours only, while wearing a face covering, and to avoid public transport.

Long-term residential care facilities (nursing and care homes)

Visits suspended, aside from critical and compassionate circumstances.

Specific guidance will be available shortly from the Department of Health.

Details of measures in place from 18 December

 

Social and family gatherings

In your home or garden

You can mix with a maximum of 2 other households.

Other settings outside your home or garden

In outdoor settings away from your home or garden, a maximum of 3 households can meet while maintaining strict physical distancing.

Weddings

Weddings may proceed, but with a limit of 25 guests for ceremony and reception (irrespective of venue).

Organised indoor gatherings

These are controlled environments with a named event organiser, owner or manager.

For example: business, training events, conferences, events in theatres and cinemas or other arts events (excluding sport).

No organised indoor gatherings should take place.

Exception:

Cinemas may open with protective measures.

Organised outdoor gatherings

These are controlled environments with a named event organiser, owner or manager. For example: outdoor arts events, training events.

Gatherings of up to 15 people can take place.

Sports

Training

Outdoors: Non contact training only in pods of up to 15 (for example: golf, tennis, horse riding, hunting, Gaelic games, soccer, outdoor basketball).

There is an exemption for professional/elite/senior inter-county sports.

Indoors: Individual training only. No exercise or dance classes (for example: no ballet, gymnastics, basketball, racketball, squash, zumba, drama).

Matches and events

No matches or other sporting events should take place, with the exception of professional and elite sports, approved inter-county Gaelic games, horse-racing and greyhound racing, approved show jumping events, and approved coursing events, which should all take place behind closed doors.

Gyms, leisure centres and swimming pools

Gyms, leisure centres and swimming pools may remain open for individual use only, and with protective measures in place.

Swimming classes will be reviewed in January.

Religious services

Open for services with a maximum of 50 people.

Funerals

Up to 25 mourners can attend.

Museums, galleries and other cultural attractions

Open with protective measures in place.

Libraries will be available for browsing, e-services, and call and collect. No seating or events.

Bars, cafes and restaurants (including hotel restaurants and bars)

Restaurants and pubs operating as restaurants (serving a substantial meal) can open for indoor dining with additional restrictions, including a requirement for meals to be prepared on site, inside the premises.

This includes access for non-residents to restaurants in hotels.

Wet pubs

Delivery and take-away services only.

Nightclubs, discos and casinos

Nightclubs, discos and casinos will remain closed.

Hotels and accommodation

Hotels, guesthouses and B&B’s may remain open, but with services limited to residents.

Retail and services (for example: hairdressers, beauticians, barbers)

Face coverings must be worn.

All retail shops and shopping centres may remain open. All services such as hairdressers, beauticians, barbers and opticians may remain open with strict adherence to sectoral guidance on protective measures.

There is specific guidance available for:

the retail sector

shopping centres

spas

shopping safely during the pandemic

Work

Work from home unless absolutely necessary to attend in person.

Domestic travel

You can travel anywhere in Ireland.

Schools, early learning and childcare services, adult and higher education

Schools and creches are open with protective measures.

Further, higher and adult education should escalate all appropriate protective measures and limit congregation as far as possible.

Outdoor playgrounds, play areas and parks

All remain open with protective measures in place.

Transport

Face coverings must be worn.

Walk or cycle where possible.

Public transport capacity limited to 50%.

Essential workers and essential purposes only.

Those aged over 70 and the medically vulnerable

Those aged over 70 and the medically vulnerable are advised to continue to exercise personal judgement.

It is recommended that they stay at home as much as possible, limit engagement to a very small network for short periods of time, while remaining physically distanced.

When taking exercise outdoors, it is important to maintain 2 metres distance from others and wash hands on returning home.

It is recommended to shop during designated hours only, while wearing a face covering, and to avoid public transport.

Long-term residential care facilities (nursing and care homes)

Visits suspended, aside from critical and compassionate circumstances.

Specific guidance will be available shortly from the Department of Health.

Further advice on how to stay safe and support local business this Christmas on :

https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/e3b9e-safe-christmas/