Irish Taoiseach: We are considering advice on ordering return to working from home

The Government will make a decision next week on whether to advise people to once again work from home, Micheal Martin has said.
Irish Taoiseach Micheal Martin was speaking after concerns about Covid rates.Irish Taoiseach Micheal Martin was speaking after concerns about Covid rates.
Irish Taoiseach Micheal Martin was speaking after concerns about Covid rates.

The Government will make a decision next week on whether to advise people to once again work from home, Micheal Martin has said.

The National Public Health Emergency Team (Nphet) has recommended the move as part of a number of measures to tackle rising Covid cases.

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In a letter outlining its recommendations, Nphet also says people who regularly go to bars, nightclubs and the cinema should take antigen tests twice a week before going out.

The expert group said this should apply to people who engage in higher risk activities, involving indoor contact sports and multi-household visits.

Nphet also recommends extending the use of the Covid pass to close contact services and activities outside hospitality businesses.

However, it did not identify which businesses or activities it would apply to.

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Nphet urged the Government to consider reinstating its previous advice to work from home where possible.

The recommendations come following a meeting to assess ways to bring down transmission in the community ahead of Christmas.

The Taoiseach said he received the letter on Friday morning.

Speaking in Galway, he said: “I think the first point I would make is the numbers are increasing and that is a concern and therefore the main point of Nphet’s advice is on all of us to restrict socialisation, to monitor our behaviour.”

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He said Nphet also recommends further mask-wearing, particularly in outdoor sporting events, large crowds and in congregated settings.

“For people who have vulnerabilities or underlying conditions, that medical grade masks would be worn and that we generally overall try and reduce socialisation and then cumulatively that would have an impact,” Mr Martin added.

The Government has adopted a phased return-to-work policy since September.

Figures from the Central Statistics Office estimate around 50% of workers have returned to the office since then.

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On a return to working from home, Mr Martin added: “We will give consideration to that advice. Nphet references the advice of Sage in the UK, in respect of travelling to and from work and the increased socialisation that occurs as a result of that.”

He said employers and trade unions have been working effectively to implement work safety protocols.

“We will make a decision early next week in relation to that,” the Fianna Fail leader added.

“The over-arching advice really is around communicating to the public the fact that the cases are increasing.

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“The vaccination is working in terms of maintaining some degree of stability around admissions to hospitals, ICUs and mortality.

“The booster campaign, the Nphet letter says, is effective, particularly now in the over-80s where we can see declining numbers getting ill.

“We expect to see that continue on to the over-60s and healthcare workers, so the continued rollout of the booster campaign will also be an important element in terms of dealing with this acute phase of the pandemic.”

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