Connacht Tribune
Ireland moves to Level 3 restrictions from Tuesday night
The government has decided today that, from midnight tomorrow 6th October, all remaining counties will be placed on Level 3 under the Plan for Living with COVID-19.
This action is based on a review of the current public health advice and is in response to the deteriorating situation with the virus across the country.
All counties will be at Level 3 for a period of 3 weeks until midnight on 27th October 2020, at which point the situation will be reviewed by the government, based on the status of the virus and public health advice.
In addition, in recognising that Level 3 is being extended in Dublin and Donegal beyond the three-week period, businesses in these counties will be eligible for a further 20% and 10% top-up respectively.
Placing all counties at Level 3 has the following implications:
- visitors to private homes and gardens should be limited to a maximum number of 6 from one other household.
- no social/family gatherings should take place, with exemptions to this for weddings and funerals (see below).
- no organised indoor gatherings should take place. Organised outdoor gatherings are permitted, up to a maximum of 15 people.
- people should remain in their county (they must not leave to travel either domestically or internationally), with the exception of those who must travel for work, education and other essential purposes.
- people are asked to work from home unless absolutely necessary.
- schools, early learning and childcare services should remain open. Adult and higher education institutions should remain open, but are asked to review protective measures and take steps to limit congregation as much as possible.
- you are asked to walk or cycle where possible so that public transport is available for use by essential workers and for essential work only.
- no matches or other sporting events should take place, with the exception of professional, elite, inter county and senior club championship – all to take place behind closed doors.
- horse racing may continue, but behind closed doors.
- non-contact training activities can continue in the outdoors and in pods of up to 15, with certain exemptions (see below).
- indoor training should be confined to individuals only and no classes are to take place.
- all retail shops and shopping centres may remain open. All services such as hairdressers, beauticians, barbers, opticians etc. may remain open with strict adherence to sectoral guidance on protective measures
- all outdoor playgrounds, play areas, parks remain open
- gyms/leisure centres, swimming pools may remain open for individual use only and with protective measures.
- hotels, guesthouses and B and Bs may remain open, but with services limited to residents.
- restaurants and cafes (including bars/pubs serving food/wet pubs) may remain open for take-away and delivery and outdoor dining/service to an absolute maximum of 15 people. Wet pubs in Dublin remain closed.
- libraries will be available for e-services and call and collect
- all indoor museums, galleries, cinemas and other cultural attractions should close
- religious services will move online, though places of worship may remain open for private prayer
Over 70s and Medically Vulnerable
- those aged over 70 and the medically vulnerable are advised to continue to exercise personal judgement.
- it is recommended that they stay at home as much as possible, limit engagement to a very small network for short periods of time, while remaining physically distanced
- it is recommended that they stay at home as much as possible, limit engagement to a very small network for short periods of time, while remaining physically distanced
- when taking exercise outdoors, it is important to maintain 2 metres distance from others and wash hands on returning home
- it is recommended to shop during designated hours only, while wearing a face covering, and to avoid public transport
- weddings may proceed, but with a limit of 25 guests for ceremony and reception (irrespective of venue). It will not be possible to attend a wedding in another county. Couples resident in a particular county, but with existing plans to can travel to get married outside that county.
- maximum number of mourners to attend a funeral is 25.
- visits to long term residential care facilities are suspended, with the exception of visits required for critical and compassionate circumstances
- public transport operates at 50% capacity
- non-contact training activities can continue in the outdoors and in pods of up to 15 with strict adherence to the relevant protective measures. There is an exemption to this for professional or elite athletes, for inter-county sports and for senior club championship training
- no matches or other sporting events should take place, with the exception of professional, elite, inter county and senior club championship which should take place behind closed doors. Horse racing may continue, but behind closed doors.
- nightclubs, discos and casinos will remain closed.
- travel to and from work, or for the purposes of work and where that work cannot be done from home
- 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, but excluding social family visits
- for farming purposes i.e. food production and/or care of animals
Significant state investment is required to address ‘shocking’ inequalities that leave cancer patients in the West at greater risk of succumbing to the disease.
A meeting of Regional Health Forum West heard that survival rates for breast, lung and colorectal cancers than the national average, and with the most deprived quintile of the population, the West’s residents faced poorer outcomes from a cancer diagnosis.
For breast cancer patients, the five-year survival rate was 80% in the West versus 85% nationally; for lung cancer patients it was 16.7% in the west against a 19.5% national survival rate; and in the West’s colorectal cancer patients, there was a 62.6% survival rate where the national average was 63.1%.
These startling statistics were provided in answer to a question from Ballinasloe-based Cllr Evelyn Parsons (Ind) who said it was yet another reminder that cancer treatment infrastructure in the West was in dire need of improvement.
“The situation is pretty stark. In the Western Regional Health Forum area, we have the highest incidence of deprivation and the highest health inequalities because of that – we have the highest incidences of cancer nationally because of that,” said Cllr Parsons, who is also a general practitioner.
In details provided by CEO of Saolta Health Care Group, which operates Galway’s hospitals, it was stated that a number of factors were impacting on patient outcomes.
Get the full story in this week’s Connacht Tribune, on sale in shops now, or you can download the digital edition from www.connachttribune.ie. You can also download our Connacht Tribune App from Apple’s App Store or get the Android Version from Google Play.
Galway 3-18
Cork 1-10
NEW setting; new opposition; new challenge. It made no difference to the Galway minor hurlers as they chalked up a remarkable sixth consecutive double digits championship victory at Semple Stadium on Saturday.
The final scoreline in Thurles may have been a little harsh on Cork, but there was no doubting Galway’s overall superiority in setting up only a second-ever All-Ireland showdown against Clare at the same venue on Sunday week.
Having claimed an historic Leinster title the previous weekend, Galway took a while to get going against the Rebels and also endured their first period in a match in which they were heavily outscored, but still the boys in maroon roll on.
Beating a decent Cork outfit by 14 points sums up how formidable Galway are. No team has managed to lay a glove on them so far, and though Clare might ask them questions other challengers haven’t, they are going to have to find significant improvement on their semi-final win over 14-man Kilkenny to pull off a final upset.
Galway just aren’t winning their matches; they are overpowering the teams which have stood in their way. Their level of consistency is admirable for young players starting off on the inter-county journey, while the team’s temperament appears to be bombproof, no matter what is thrown at them.
Having romped through Leinster, Galway should have been a bit rattled by being only level (0-4 each) after 20 minutes and being a little fortunate not to have been behind; or when Cork stormed out of the blocks at the start of the second half by hitting 1-4 to just a solitary point in reply, but there was never any trace of panic in their ranks.
For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.
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GARDAÍ and the IFA have issued a joint appeal to all road users to take extra care as the silage season gets under way across the country.
Silage harvesting started in many parts of Galway last week – and over the coming month, the sight of tractors and trailers on rural roads will be getting far more frequent.
Inspector Conor Madden, who is in charge of Galway Roads Policing, told the Farming Tribune that a bit of extra care and common-sense from all road users would go a long way towards preventing serious collisions on roads this summer.
“One thing I would ask farmers and contractors to consider is to try and get more experienced drivers working for them.
“Tractors have got faster and bigger – and they are also towing heavy loads of silage – so care and experience are a great help in terms of accident prevention,” Inspector Madden told the Farming Tribune.
He said that tractor drivers should always be aware of traffic building up behind them and to pull in and let these vehicles pass, where it was safe to do so.
“By the same token, other road users should always exercise extra care; drive that bit slower; and ‘pull in’ that bit more, when meeting tractors and heavy machinery.
“We all want to see everyone enjoying a safe summer on our roads – that extra bit of care, and consideration for other roads users can make a huge difference,” said Conor Madden.
He also advised motorists and tractor drivers to be acutely aware of pedestrians and cyclists on the roads during the summer season when more people would be out walking and cycling on the roads.
The IFA has also joined in on the road safety appeal with Galway IFA Farm Family and Social Affairs Chair Teresa Roche asking all road users to exercise that extra bit of care and caution.
“We are renewing our annual appeal for motorists to be on the look out for tractors, trailers and other agricultural machinery exiting from fields and farmyards,” she said.
For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.
Connacht Tribune Digital Edition App
Download the Connacht Tribune Digital Edition App to access to Galway’s best-selling newspaper.
Click HERE to download it for iPhone and iPad from Apple’s App Store, or HERE to get the Android Version from Google Play.
Or purchase the Digital Edition for PC, Mac or Laptop from Pagesuite HERE.
Get the Connacht Tribune Live app
The Connacht Tribune Live app is the home of everything that is happening in Galway City and county. It’s completely FREE and features all the latest news, sport and information on what’s on in your area. Click HERE to download it for iPhone and iPad from Apple’s App Store, or HERE to get the Android Version from Google Play.
Families queue up for school’s offer of free house
West has lower cancer survival rates than rest
Galway minors continue to lay waste to all opponents
Gardaí and IFA issue a joint appeal on summer road safety
Marathon Man plans to call a halt – but not before he hits 160 races
