The Government will discuss banning take-away pints when it meets this morning.
It’s after large groups of people were filmed drinking on the streets in Dublin and Cork over the weekend.
The National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET) has warned the suppression of Covid-19 has stalled and time is running out before December 1st, when the country’s due to exit level 5 restrictions.
456 new cases and 5 additional deaths were confirmed last night, among them nine in Kilkenny and six in Carlow.
Deputy Chief Medical Officer Ronan Glynn says the scenes in Dublin and Cork are frustrating.
He also says that people attending funerals need to keep their guard up.
It’s after a number of new outbreaks associated with such gatherings have been identified.
It initially recommend that 10 people be allowed attend funerals under level 5 restrictions, but this was revised upwards to 25 by Government.
Pandemic Unemployment Payment …
167 more local people are getting the Pandemic Unemployment Payment this week.
9,222 locals across Carlow and Kilkenny will get the PUP paid into their bank accounts this morning.
86 people have also signed off from the payment as they returned to work this week.
88 more local people have been medically certified to get the Enhanced Illness benefit in the past week.
Elsewhere …
A decision is to be made later on whether Scotland will move to its highest level of Covid-19 restrictions.
It would mean pubs and restaurants closing and households not allowed to mix.
Nicola Sturgeon suggested yesterday that acting now could give more flexibility to ease the rules slightly over Christmas.
She says there also needs to be a focus on care homes.
Vaccine …
Two covid vaccines have now been announced after a breakthrough by US company Moderna.
It’s the second pharmaceutical firm to develop a vaccine after Pfizer revealed one last week.
Moderna says its vaccine is 95% effective.
Professor at the schools of Biochemistry and Immunology at Trinity College Kingston Mills says there is a note of caution. And Professor of infectious diseases, Dr Jack Lambert has welcomed the vaccine developments, but he’s warned that we can’t just continue to move in and out of lockdown until they are rolled out.
Meanwhile, a study has found mouthwash can kill Covid-19 in 30 seconds.
Scientists say it shows “promising signs”, however it hasn’t been tried on a human.
Researchers at Cardiff University in the UK say over-the-counter mouthwashes have the potential to reduce Covid-19 in saliva.
Tests carried out in a lab have mimicked the conditions of a person’s nose and throat.
An ingredient known as CPC shows signs of lowering virus levels, they say.
A clinical trial will next examine how effective mouthwash is in human patients.
