The State’s public health team has advised the Government that either rules on households visits can be relaxed over the festive season or the hospitality sector could start to reopen but both should not take place at once. In a letter to the Government, the National Public Health Emergency Team (Nphet) presented the Government with two broad options. However, sources familiar with the issue now say that the Nphet advice signals opposition to some aspects of the planned reopening. That group discusses the public health advice and then makes recommendations to the sub-committee, but based on wider criteria. But senior sources in both Government parties were dismissive of Mr Varadkar’s intervention as a serious policy initiative.

Source: The Irish Times November 26, 2020 12:10 UTC