Briefing on the government's response to COVID-19 - Thursday 9 July 2020

Delivered by Elizabeth Canavan, Assistant Secretary General, Department of the Taoiseach

Good Morning,

As you are all know by now, it is really important that we remain vigilant and continue to be cautious as we move through the current phase of the Roadmap for Reopening Society and Business.

In general, the vast majority of us are doing the best we can to protect ourselves and each other from the threat of COVID-19. Most of us are following the public health advice that is continuing to keep us safe. As a country, we continue to progress well, despite global increases in the cases of the virus.

As always, we can protect ourselves and our communities by doing the simple things. I know I’ve been saying these things every single day I’ve been talking to you, but they have become more, not less, important now that other restrictions have been removed. These are the things that will make the difference between us keeping the virus suppressed or going backwards.

So please remember:

• wash your hands regularly and thoroughly – especially after you have been out and about or in and out of other people’s homes or businesses
• continue to observe good cough and sneeze etiquette
• maintain social distancing – keeping two metres apart from people when possible and avoid crowds
• face coverings are now required on public transport and recommended in shops or other places where social distancing is difficult and we are seeing more and more people wearing facemasks as part of our daily routine

We are all depending on one another to make responsible decisions. We need to think about the amount of time we spend in any environment – is it crowded, well ventilated, well managed and are COVID-19 precautions being applied. We should continue to try and limit the amount of contacts we have.

Of course, every one of us is anxious to meet family and friends, but avoid crowded places where you are taking on additional risk being surrounded by people you don’t know or in environments which the virus can be more easily transmitted.

Even more important, we have to know the symptoms of COVID-19 and be watchful, if you think you may have symptoms, self-isolate immediately and call your doctor. Don’t “wait and see”, take precautions straight away and you will keep your family and friends safe.

We are all used to assessing risk every day. We do it crossing the road, cycling your bike, driving the car, going for a swim, on a farm, in a factory or any workplace. That’s what we’re asking you to do in respect of COVID-19. You are best placed to assess the risk as you go about your daily business and as you try to get back to some kind of “normal”. So please make the best decision possible when it comes to activities.

Remember, if it doesn’t feel safe, it probably isn’t safe for you.

As you will all be aware, the COVID Tracker App was released this week.

Over 1 million people have downloaded the app – an incredible display of solidarity from people in Ireland. We hope that more people will continue to join in and use the app over the coming days and weeks.

As the country reopens, contact tracing and the early identification of symptoms is becoming increasingly important as more people are visiting family and friends, exercising, socialising, shopping, returning to work and using public transport.

The app will enhance the existing contact tracing operations by reducing the time it takes to trace close contacts from days to hours and identifying close contacts who are not known to each other. The quicker we identify people, the quicker we can advise people they are at risk and stop further spread; and the quicker our public health doctors can identify and respond to outbreaks.

The COVID Tracker App for Ireland has three specific functions:

1. Firstly, digital and anonymous contact tracing of close contacts of confirmed cases of COVID-19.

2. Secondly, allows users to record if they have symptoms.

3. Thirdly, provides daily information about COVID-19.

The app will allow all of us to play an important part in helping everyone to stay safe and protect each other. The more people that download and use the app, the more effective the app will be in helping us to supress COVID-19.

The HSE will run a campaign over the coming weeks, on TV, radio and in the press, informing people about the app and how to use it and there has already been wide sharing of the app online and on social media.

The COVID Tracker app has been developed by the public service using technology provided via Apple and Google.

There are some limitations in terms of the types of phones that can use the app that could not have been addressed in the development process.

In order to download the app successfully your phone must use Apple's iOS 13.5 or higher or Google's Android 6.0 or higher.

However, we can all help maximise the number of people who have access to the app by working together. We would ask that if you are a new user of the app, and you know someone who might like to use it who needs support – please help them out, show them how to download and use it.

We have also linked with hundreds of organisations and advocacy groups, sharing guides to the app, and asking them to assist in passing the guidance on through their own networks.

There’s an easy online guide available on gov.ie.

And if you have already downloaded the app, don’t forget to check in during the day.

We are also looking at the future of the disease. This week a further €4.8 million investment into research in the area COVID-19 immunology was announced.

The funding will go to a research partnership supported by Science Foundation Ireland (SFI) and will seek to understand why some people are more susceptible to COVID-19 than others. A better understanding of immune response to COVID-19 will play a very important part in the long-term development of effective vaccines.

This funding is just one piece of our wider efforts to increase our understanding and our response to the virus though scientific research.

Even at the height of COVID-19 illness levels, the health service continued to provide a wide range of emergency and vital services in hospitals and community settings.

Types of services that were maintained include Emergency Departments and Injury Units, essential surgery, essential medical care, cancer services including surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy, essential general practice and primary care services including public health nursing, residential services for older people and people with disabilities, mental health care services and essential home care supports for people in the community.

Work is underway to reintroduce the health services that were reduced or suspended as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and the HSE has published a framework for a safe return to our health services, with the protection of everyone in their care, and all HSE staff, as a priority.

The risks of a second COVID-19 surge and local outbreaks are real and being taken into account in our plans.

• the HSE understands that people want health services resumed as quickly as possible. However, it won’t be possible to restore all services in exactly the same way as they operated previously, because of the unpredictable nature of COVID-19 and the need to continue to protect people from infection risk
• as services resume, the HSE is making changes to ensure social distancing is possible. This will reduce some service capacity. The HSE also need to continue to implement strict infection control measures across all services. Where possible, services are continuing to connect with people using telehealth, providing consultations on phone or on video calls and many of the new an innovative technologies we have used during the pandemic
• services will need to be delivered in a different way to make sure we keep everybody, patients and staff as safe as possible as we do this. This is challenging and is going to take some time and the HSE have asked for your patience as the health services that were paused or restricted now resume

A particular issue which has arisen relates to cervical screening. From this week, CervicalCheck have once again started issuing invitations for the new HPV cervical screening test. People on a 3 month or 12 month recall as well as those eligible for screening for the first time (i.e. those turning 25 years old) are being invited first. Those being invited will receive information in relation to both the screening and COVID-19 safety.

The cervical screening test can help prevent cancer developing, it is one of the best ways to protect yourself from cervical cancer so if you receive an invitation don’t delay in doing the test.

Over 66,500 employers are now registered with Revenue for the Temporary Wage Subsidy Scheme.

An estimated 410,000 employees are currently being supported by the scheme having received a subsidy in their most recent pay period.

Today (9 July), Revenue has generated further payments to employers under the scheme of almost €24.5 million.

These payments will be in the bank accounts of the majority of the respective employers tomorrow (10 July).

The cumulative value of payments made to employers under the scheme is €1.97 billion (€1,970 million).

At the peak, we had 598,000 people registered for the Pandemic Unemployment Payment but we have been making steady progress.

This week payments valued at €128.3 million were issued to 412,900 people for the COVID-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment.

This represents a decrease of 26,100 on the 439,000 people paid last week.

In addition 63,000 people closed their Pandemic Unemployment Payment claim in the past week marking the highest number of people returning to work in one single week since the crisis.

People who are continuing to receive this payment are required to confirm their eligibility.

In order to do so, you should log on to www.mywelfare.ie and follow the instructions to confirm your eligibility. This is the simplest and easiest way to do so. You do not need to call into your local Intreo to confirm your eligibility.

Recipients have until Monday 13 July to confirm their eligibility.

As businesses continue to restore their operations, a range of measures remain in place to support their recovery.

Supports available include the €250 million Restart Grant which provides direct grant aid of a minimum of €2,000 to a maximum of €10,000 to micro and small businesses, to help them with the costs associated with reopening and reemploying workers.

Applications for this grant can be made through the Local Authorities and to date 37,525 applications have been received with 21,749 approved, which saw a total of €88.8 million in payments made to small businesses.

The Trading Online Voucher Scheme also continues to be hugely popular and to date a total of 6,709 applications have been made to Local Enterprise Offices for the Scheme with 3,938 approved to a value of €9.22 million.

For more information on the different supports available for business go to gov.ie.

The Department of Business, Enterprise and Innovation has launched a public consultation on updated guidelines for remote working.

The department published Guidance for Working Remotely during COVID-19. Much has changed since the publication of this guidance. Amid the COVID-19 crisis, those who can work from home have been encouraged to do so, resulting in unprecedented numbers of people remote working, many for the first time.

The government now wants to hear from employers and employees on how this can be built upon.

The closing date for submissions is August 7th 2020.

Details on how to make a submission are available on gov.ie.

The Community Call Fora, run by the local authorities, continue to operate. Last week, they received approximately 900 calls and made approximately 390 follow-up calls to people who have contacted them.

Nationally, since 31 March, the Community Call Fora have received approximately 52,800 calls and have made over 20,200 follow-up calls.

Helplines operate from 9am to 5pm seven days a week. You can find your local helpline number on gov.ie here.

The community and voluntary sector has undertaken significant efforts to maintain essential services and support their communities during the COVID-19 outbreak.

Like everyone else providing service, they too are looking at how they might return to normal.

The Department of Rural and Community Development and Pobal have produced information and guidance that will assist the sector as it prepares to fully reopen and recommence full services.

It can be found on the pobal website here.

I previously mentioned the schools summer provision programme. The expanded programme for Summer Provision 2020 for children with complex needs is being provided to approximately 15,000 children, which is around 5,000 more than the traditional July Provision. The programme is made up of a school-based strand and a home-based strand.

The government have decided in recent days to widen the eligibility criteria for Summer Provision 2020 to include post-primary students with Down syndrome.

This support will be provided in recognition of the fact that these students have faced additional challenges in continuing with learning since closure of schools and in order to assist in preparing all students involved for the eventual reopening of schools. This time over summer should allow for the rebuilding of relationships and connections between students and once again encourage participation in learning.

It’s estimated that an additional 670 children will be covered by the decision to expand the eligibility to post-primary students with Down syndrome.

It has been some time since I have mentioned the huge efforts that were made to ensure the safe return of Irish citizens from all over the world in the early weeks of COVID-19. Over 8,000 people, across five continents, were given the advice and assistance required to arrive home safely during the COVID-19 pandemic. This work continues through our network of consulates and embassies across the world where Irish residents continue to find themselves in difficulties.

We have made great progress here in Ireland but in other places, the spread of the virus continues, in some places, at an alarming rate. There is now a high risk that our progress against the disease could be undone through our importation of the disease.

For this reason, the government is currently advising against all non-essential overseas travel. Where somebody does decide to travel abroad they need to be aware of the risk, both to themselves and to their communities.

People visiting or returning to Ireland must complete a Passenger Locator Form and they are also asked to restrict their movements for 14 days.

We cannot simply put a blanket ban on travel into Ireland. We depend on ports and airports for supply chains and we need to keep travel routes open to cater to people who need to work or care for family members abroad and those who wish to return home. But we do know that travel creates the risk of importation of the disease.

The government has committed to publishing a Green List of countries on 20 July. This will give clarity in respect of countries which are in a similar position to Ireland in terms of the disease. People entering Ireland from Green List countries will not need to restrict their movements on arrival. But it is a highly volatile situation and for now, the advice remains to avoid non-essential travel.

From Friday evening to Sunday night of last weekend, An Garda Síochána conducted 6,830 checks on licensed premises throughout the country under Operation Navigation to support public health guidelines.

Gardaí found 2,785 individual licensed premises currently open for business.

The vast majority of licensed premises operating were found to be in compliance with regulations and licensing laws – 2,759.

In a small number of cases – 26 individual licensed premises – Gardaí found potential breaches of the health regulations or licensing laws even after providing the premises with the opportunity to rectify the situation.

In many of these cases, Gardaí found customers consuming alcohol, but no evidence of food also being consumed and no evidence of receipts to show that food had been sold.

Gardaí also observed a lack of adherence to public health advice such as allowing large groups at the one table, little to no social distancing, no advisory signage, and no COVID-19 contact tracing being recorded.

In each case, files will now be prepared for the DPP and the renewal of liquor license applications will be at risk unless compliance is observed.

The Guards remain concerned that a minority are potentially operating in breach of the regulations. In doing so, they are putting the health of their customers and staff and everyone they come into contact with after at risk of getting COVID-19.

The best thing we can do, as the public, is to support those businesses who are trying to do the right thing and avoid those which are not. That is safest for you, your friends and family. It is also best for the business – support compliance and those businesses who want to stay open, keep employing their staff and save their businesses.

The online Registration Renewal System was expanded this week to now include all non-nationals based in Dublin who are seeking to renew their registration in the State. This will make the process of registration renewals easier for 1000s of people every year, and significantly reduce the number of people who need to attend the Burgh Quay Registration Office in person, meaning that vital work there can continue with less concerns in relation to public health.

In addition Burgh Quay which was closed to due to COVID-19 related restrictions in March will be reopening on 20th July to facilitate those who need to register for the first time as it is not possible to carry out initial registration online.

Applications outside of Dublin are currently being processed through the Garda Station network. The Garda National Immigration Bureau is considering how they can reopen registration offices countrywide while adhering to public health guidelines, and applicants should contact their local office to confirm when they will reopen.

As we approach the weekend I would ask everyone to continue to take a cautious, responsible approach when out and about. I would ask business owners to continue to take a responsible approach. Please do enjoy a meal in a restaurant, enjoy your staycation, make the most of those reunions with family and friends – however, please do so in a safe way. As I have said before, if you are in a venue, whether a restaurant, a shop, even a park, any venue that you feel is too crowded, then you should leave. If you feel uneasy, or feel a place may not be safe for you, trust your instincts and leave.

Thank you.