Varadkar indicates gradual easing of restrictions in May On a day when a record number of people died from COVID-19, An Taoiseach Leo Varadkar yesterday told the Dáil that he would like to set out a roadmap on how the current severe restrictions may be eased. The Department of Health revealed that 43 people died yesterday from the virus, the highest reported in a single day, bringing the total to 487. More than 300 of those deaths have occurred in nursing homes and long-stay residential settings. However, there was some encouragement that the current protocols are having a positive effect with confirmation that the transmission rate of the virus has fallen below the crucial target of one infection per person. Any easing of social and commercial restrictions is likely to be on a very gradual basis, while the government will also pay close attention to what effect similar measures have in other European countries over the next few weeks. "I don't yet know if we'll be able to relax restrictions on 5 May, but I do know that if we can at all, it is going to be gradual and happen over a number of months," Mr Varadkar told the Dáil. "As we know from Asia, they may even need to be re imposed again as only a scientific breakthrough - a vaccine or an effective antiviral medicine - will truly allow life to go back to being as it was." The current strict protocols to prevent the spread of coronavirus were brought in by the Irish government on March 28 and it was announced last Friday that they would be extended until May 5. Racing behind closed doors was brought to a halt last month after all sporting events were cancelled from March 24, with Clonmel hosting the last of ten such meetings on that date. Meanwhile the UK government has extended lockdown measures for at least a further three weeks after 861 people died in hospitals from the virus yesterday. The biggest daily rise in five days brings the total of COVID-19 hospital deaths in the UK to 13,729.
