Feb 4, 2021
Insights from our partners, OSK.
Employment Wage Subsidy Scheme (EWSS) – Important update from 1 January 2021
From 1 January 2021, the period for determining eligibility for EWSS will be Q1 and Q2 of 2021 compared with the same period in 2019.
To qualify for the EWSS, as well as having tax clearance, employers must demonstrate that their business will experience a 30% reduction in turnover or customer orders as a result of COVID-19.The rate of subsidy under the Employer Wage Subsidy Scheme was revised last October to support businesses impacted with Level 5 restrictions. The Government have extended the enhanced rate of subsidy until the end of March 2021 to cover the current period of public health restrictions.
Read More here https://www.osk.ie/blog/posts/covid-19-business-supports-update-january-2021/
Jan 25, 2021
Keep Well Resilience Campaign
The cross-Government community resilience campaign co-ordinated by Healthy Ireland and funded by Slaintecare is continuing across the months of January, February and in to March. Updates can be found on gov.ie/healthyireland.
The Keep Well campaign is sponsoring Operation Transformation this year. The programme goes out at 9.30 on Wednesday nights on RTE 1 TV and will be on air until the end of February. Operation Transformation is a TV series on RTE 1 encouraging the Irish public to get healthy. Over the course of the show it gives the nation the tools they need to eat well and maintain and improve their physical and mental health. This year Operation Transformation aims to help people find ways of getting and staying healthier in body and mind while living with Covid restrictions. Previous episodes can be found on the RTE Player https://www.rte.ie/player/series/operation-transformation/SI0000001272?epguid=IP000066828
Jan 5, 2021
As you will be aware, on December 30th the Government announced a revised Level 5.
During this period people are asked to stay at home, except to travel for work, education or other essential purposes.
The below should be noted in relation to sport & exercise. Full details on those measures can be viewed here:
- Sporting facilities (Indoors & Outdoors), gyms, leisure centres and swimming pools must close.
- Activity is restricted to individual training/personal exercise within 5 km of home.
- Individuals may meet with one other household in outdoor settings when taking personal exercise.
- Exemptions to Training & Matches apply to certain professional, elite sports, horse-racing, greyhound racing and approved equestrian events. Such events should take place behind closed doors.
- No other matches or events are to take place.
Sport Ireland will continue to provide updates to the Sector as and when they arise.
Nov 12, 2020
Public Health Measures
Ireland is now at Level 5. You can see all of the measures that are in place at Level 5 here.
Healthy Ireland Resilience and Wellbeing ‘Keep Well’ Campaign
We are pleased to share the next phase of the Healthy Ireland Resilience and Wellbeing campaign will go live on Monday 16th November with a national and local advertising campaign.
The Government Plan for Living with COVID-19 – Resilience and Recovery 2020-2021 highlights the important role that individual and community resilience will play in contributing to our ongoing response to COVID-19. The “Keep Well” campaign will signpost to people of all ages about minding their own physical and mental health and wellbeing by adding healthy and helpful habits to their daily and weekly routines. The Healthy Ireland “Keep Well” campaign will provide guidelines, information, and tips on things to help all to keep well through the coming months. This Resilience and Wellbeing information is being added on an ongoing basis on www.gov.ie/healthyireland and under the following sections: Staying Active, Keeping Connected, Switching Off, Eating Well, and Minding Your Mood.
A number of Sláintecare funded initiatives will be delivered through the Healthy Ireland Fund and rolled out over the coming months. A suite of creative assets are available to share with you if you have use for them. Follow on support on social is always welcome. #keepwell
Invitation to International Men’s Day Webinar: Men’s Mental Health in these Challenging Times
An invitation to attend an upcoming webinar on International Men’s Day the 19th November focussed on Men’s Mental Health in these Challenging Times in partnership with the Men’s Health Forum in Ireland and the Centre for Men’s Health in IT Carlow. It will highlight recent research and promote important messages for men in relation to their mental health. There will be an exciting line up of speakers on men’s health including inputs on farmers, men who attend men’s sheds and young men as well as a discussion panel with representatives from the GAA, SpunOut, Mental Health Ireland, Healthy Ireland in the Department of Health and the HSE. Please see the link here for registration.
New COVID-19 Campaign
The HSE Bubbles campaign and the Irish language version of the ad are live. The idea of the Bubble is to create a visual reminder for the protection we share when we follow public health actions, and how easily it can be lost.
New COVID-19 Testing, Self-Isolation and Restricted Movements Ad
This new ad explains that COVID-19 wants to spread from person to person, but there’s a lot you can do to stop it reaching someone near you or dear to you. It’s important to know when you should self-isolate and when you should restrict your movements. You can watch the ad here. It’s currently live on TV, radio, digital and social media.
Living with COVID-19 Ad
The Living with COVID-19 ad focuses on protective measures and is currently on TV, radio, digital and social media. The newly updated version of this ad is available here.
Enhanced Illness Benefit for COVID-19
Last week, the Department of Social Protection launched a public information campaign to raise awareness of Enhanced Illness Benefit for COVID-19.
Enhanced Illness Benefit for COVID-19 is available to employees or self-employed people who are unable to work due to:
-A diagnosis of COVID-19, or
-An instruction by a doctor or the HSE to self-isolate/restrict their movements.
The payment is €350 per week. To apply, a person will require medical certification and will need to make an application to the Department of Social Protection. The online applications can be made at: www.mywelfare.ie
A series of multi-lingual resources including posters and social media posts in a wide range of languages have been developed. These are designed to help ensure that as many people as possible are made aware of this important support. The resources are available to download by language here.
START
The START partnership campaign from the HSE, safefood and Healthy Ireland (Department of Health) encourages families with young children to adopt healthier lifestyles. Conscious of the impact of COVID-19 on families and recent research demonstrating that family time is highly valued at the moment, this month we are focussing on “Big wins start with small changes. Make the most of family time by adding a healthy habit.”
TV, radio, out of home and digital advertising are running for the month of November. You can view the TV ad here. If you and your family would like to get more information on healthy habits check out www.makeastart.ie/
Public Health Information
As always, for the most up to date information and advice on Coronavirus, please go to: www.gov.ie/en/news/7e0924-latest-updates-on-covid-19-coronavirus/ and https://www.hpsc.ie/a-z/respiratory/coronavirus/novelcoronavirus/.
Clinical and professional guidance relating to COVID-19 is available on www.hpsc.ie where you’ll find up to date guidance for healthcare settings and non-clinical settings.
Please also check here for the most up to date partner resources for COVID-19.
You can view the latest information on how Ireland is responding to cases of COVID-19 here.
Nov 9, 2020
Please find below HPSC update on the efficacy of visors compared with masks and face coverings.
Any additional queries on the content should be raised directly with the HSPC via +353 1 8765300 / hpsc@hse.ie.
Some key recommendations include:
- In public settings, when considering the options of cloths face coverings compared with visors, expert opinion and international guidance generally favours cloth face coverings.
- There is a rationale and laboratory evidence in particular for favouring cloth face coverings over visors where the wearer is at a higher level (standing) than those potentially exposed at a lower level (sitting).
- However, there is evidence that visors do reduce exposure to droplets to a certain extent and may be an alternative in certain circumstance including
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- People with breathing difficulties
- People who are unable to remove masks/face coverings without help
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- Anyone with particular needs who may feel upset or very uncomfortable wearing the mask/face covering
- In settings where people who have learning difficulties or hard of hearing or deaf are present.
- Where cloth face coverings are used, it should be of multiple layers of suitable fabric and correctly applied. Further information on the handling and care of cloth face coverings can be found here.
- Where visors are used they should cover the entire face (above the eyes to below the chin and wrap around from ear to ear) and be correctly applied. Further information on the handling and care of visors can be found here.
Current evidence on the use of face coverings V1 0
Oct 23, 2020
Statement issued by Sport Ireland.
As Ireland has moved to Level 5 of the Framework for Restrictive Measures, the Return to Sport Expert Group has issued guidance on participation in sport for what is expected to be the next six-week period.
The Government’s guidance on Level 5 is clear, with the risk to public health meaning that individuals are asked to stay at home, with certain exceptions.
With regard to sport, the restrictions applicable in Level 5 are as follows:
- No training or matches should take place with the following exceptions:
- Non-contact training can continue for school aged children, outdoors in pods of 15
- Professional, elite sports and senior inter-county Gaelic games, horse-racing and greyhound racing are permitted to continue behind closed doors
- All other training activities should be individual only.
- No exercise or dance classes are permitted.
- Gyms/leisure centres/swimming pools closed.
- Exercise within 5 kilometres of home.
Facilities
As they are not recognised as essential services, the decision of Government is that all gyms, leisure centres, swimming pools and other sports facilities must close in the Level 5 restrictions. This includes both indoor and outdoor sports facilities.
- It is permitted to open sports facilities for training sessions and scheduled matches for the exempted categories of sport, i.e. high performance, professional and senior inter-county Gaelic games. It will also be permitted to open outdoor sports facilities for structured training sessions by school aged children, i.e. those aged 18 years and younger, in pods of no more than 15, under the supervision of designated coaches and in compliance with approved COVID-19 protocols and all relevant public health guidance.
During these training sessions it will only be permitted for participants and relevant coaching and support personnel to be present. In the case of children’s sport, parents will be permitted to attend for child safeguarding purposes, however they will be required to comply with social distancing and other public health advice.
Professional & Elite Sport
Professional and elite sport must adhere to comprehensive protocols, which ensure extraordinary levels of control and compliance are in place.
Professional and elite sport is defined below;
- Professional sports people or sports people who participate within professional competition.
- A Member of a high performance team funded by Sport Ireland.
- Those who compete at major international events including European and World Championships, Olympic and Paralympic Games. It is advised that these are senior athletes only within one of the following categories:
- Athletes on the 2020 International Carding Scheme
- Players on the 2020 Team Ireland Golf Scheme
- Senior riders in Show-Jumping, Eventing & Dressage
- Senior team players in Hockey, Cricket, and Rugby Sevens.
Inter-county sport refers specifically to senior competition organised by the Gaelic Athletic Association, the Ladies Gaelic Football Association or the Camogie Association.
It is important to note that protocols as they apply to each sport will be prepared and communicated directly by the respective National Governing Bodies.
Non-contact training for school aged children
Further guidance on non-contact training will be issued by Government. The following is advised:
- Underage activity refers to those in primary and secondary school who are aged 18 years and younger
- Participants and coaches may travel beyond the 5km limit to attend training. Car-pooling should continue to be avoided
- Outdoor facilities may open only to allow the activity to take place. Only those participating in and conducting the training session should attend.
It is important to note that protocols as the apply to each sport will be prepared and communicated directly by the respective National Governing Bodies.
For further information, contact David Gash – DGash@sportireland.ie
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