Further 5,419 cases as Cabinet agrees to introduce Nphet rules on hospitality and household visits

Chief Medical Dr Tony Holohan’s team advised introducing new curbs on hospitality and household visits as soon as possible. They recommended that the new restrictions remain in place until January 9.

The Cabinet met this afternoon and accepted the advice. Taoiseach Micheál Martin will address the nation in a live televised address in which he will outline the new restrictions.

Nphet recommended that tables service only should return in restaurant, pubs and hotels and only six people should be permitted per table.

They said there should be no multiple table bookings and no mixing between tables. Customers will have wear their masks when entering or moving around premises.

Just three weeks after they opened nightclubs will have to close again.

Live venues such as including entertainment, culture and sporting events will have to operate at no more than 50pc of a venue’s capacity and will have to be fully seated. Masks will have to be worn at all times apart from eating and drinking.

The Pandemic Unemployment Payment will be reopened to people who lose their jobs due to these restrictions.

A maximum of four households will be allowed meet in a home at once. This means one host household and three other visiting households.

Nphet also recommended extending Covid certs to high risk settings including gyms and hotels.

Meanhwile, there have been a further 5,419 cases of Covid-19 confirmed in Ireland, the Department of Health has said.

As of Friday morning, there were 528 people in hospitals with the disease, with 110 patients in intensive care units.