Please find below a summary of the relevant information along with a Guidance Document for Employees and Employers regarding the Provision of Essential Services.

Summary Details:

As of March 28th 2020, the Government has decided that everybody should stay at home until April 12th 2020, except for the following situations:

  • to travel to and from work, or for purposes of work, only where the work is an essential health, social care or other essential service and cannot be done from home
  • to shop for essential food, beverage and household goods or collect a meal
  • to attend medical appointments and collect medicines and other health products
  • for vital family reasons, such as providing care to children, elderly or vulnerable people
  • to take brief individual physical exercise within 2km of your home
  • always observe 2m physical distancing
  • you may take children from your own household outdoors for physical exercise
  • for farming purposes, i.e. food production and/or care of animals

 

Cocooning:

The CMO has asked for cocooning of people over 70, or with a condition that makes them vulnerable

What it means is:

  • You shouldn’t leave the house
  • You shouldn’t have any visitors to your home unless they are visiting to give you vital care
  • You shouldn’t attend any gatherings – even family get-togethers in your home or your family’s homes, weddings or religious services
  • You shouldn’t go out for any reason.

 

What you should do is:

  • Avoid anyone who is displaying symptoms of Covid-19 – including anyone who usually cares for you from your family or a home care provider
  • Keep using the phone, internet and social media to stay in touch with your family and friends
  • See what ways you can participate in activities remotely from your home
  • Phone the GP or any other service you need like getting your shopping and medicines delivered and have them left at your door
  • Make sure you keep your phones and other devices charged up and that you have credit

 

If you are worried about anything or need any food or medicine delivered – call you family or friends and any local provider and let them know what you need. There will be local arrangements to make sure anyone who needs help gets it.

If you are an older person and are living alone, contact the ALONE national helpline on 0818 222 024. Or contact your local Garda Station.

 

Parks, Forests, Natural Amenities and other open public spaces:

It is important that people take physical exercise and get out for fresh air during this time. These entities should therefore remain open for local use, if they are within 2km of your home.

 

Business Continuity and Resilience:

All organisations who provide essential services should have business continuity and resilience plans in place

 

Non Essential Services:

If you are not engaged in the provision of essential services, then you are not permitted to travel to and from work until April 12th 2020

 

Review:

This Guidance will be kept under ongoing review, and will be updated as required.

 

Public Transport:

Essential workers can continue to use public transport.

If your only option to buy food or medical supplies, is to use public transport, then you should continue to do so.