Ireland’s restrictions may go beyond April 12, deputy PM says

The highly restrictive measures Ireland put in place last week to slow the spread of coronavirus may well be extended beyond the initial deadline of April 12, Deputy Prime Minister Simon Coveney said on Thursday.

Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar significantly ramped up previous restrictions last Friday when he ordered citizens to stay home and only leave to shop for groceries, for brief physical exercise or absolutely essential family visits, Reuters said. Coveney says “people do need to realize that these restrictions may go on for some time.”

“We’ve set an initial period but I think it may well be that we will need to go beyond that initial deadline, but again that will be a decision take with the best public health advice,” the deputy PM said.