New Covid-19 measures for bars, restaurants and nightclubs as work from home advice issued

The Cabinet has agreed that midnight will be the new closing time for bars, restaurants and nightclubs from Thursday midnight.

Normal opening hours came back into effect on October 22 but will now be brought back.

Work from home advice for employees will also take effect from Friday.

The decision was made at a Cabinet meeting this morning following the consideration of advice from the National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET).

"I think there's an obligation on all of us to reduce socialisation, to take care of everybody," Taoiseach Micheál Martin TD told reporters before the meeting today.

"The overall objective is to prevent people from getting very sick, going into hospitals, ICUs. We simply have to limit the increase we are experiencing at the moment."

4,570 cases of Covid-19 were recorded yesterday, and as of 8am this morning 614 people were being treated in hospital with the virus with 117 patients being treated in ICU.

Today the Cabinet is also considering a plan that would see Covid certs required for cinemas and theatres.

An audience of 50 people are currently allowed in these venues without the requirement of a cert.