Schools, colleges and other childcare or public facilities are set to close in the Republic of Ireland in a bid to prevent the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19).
According to The Irish Times, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar announced the measures in a media address in Washington DC on Thursday (12 March). He is in the US on the St Patrick's Day visit.
As of 6pm it is understood that schools, colleges and other childcare facilities will shut until 29 March with cultural institutions also expected to close.
Mr Varadkar also announced that indoor gatherings of 100 people and outdoor gatherings of 500 people should be cancelled.
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During the press conference, he said: "From 6pm today, the following measures will be put in place, and they will stay in place until March 29.
"Schools, colleges and childcare facilities will close from tomorrow. Where possible teaching will be done online or remotely. Cultural institutions will close as well."
"Our advice is that all indoor mass gatherings of more than 100 people and outdoor mass gatherings of more than 500 people should be cancelled."
He went on: "Arrangements are being made to ensure that everyone entering Ireland through our ports and airports is fully informed and self isolates if they develop symptoms. You should continue to go to work if you can, but where possible you should work at home.
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"In order to reduce unnecessary face to face interaction in the workplace, break times and working times should be staggered, and meetings done remotely or by phone.
"Public transport will continue to operate, the shops will remain open and we have plans to ensure that supply chains will not be interrupted.
"We need the public and businesses to take a sensible, level headed and responsible approach during the difficult time.
"Restaurants, cafes and other businesses can stay open but to look at ways they can implement public health advice and social distancing."
Yesterday the World Health Organisation (WHO) officially declared coronavirus as a 'pandemic'.
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The WHO said the decision was made due to the 'alarming levels of spread and severity'. A pandemic is classed as the 'worldwide spread of a new disease'.
Director General of the WHO Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the decision hadn't been taken lightly, though it doesn't affect its advice to countries.
He said: "Pandemic is not a word to use lightly or carelessly. It is a word that, if misused, can cause unreasonable fear, or unjustified acceptance that the fight is over, leading to unnecessary suffering and death.
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"Describing the situation as a pandemic does not change WHO's assessment of the threat posed by this coronavirus. It doesn't change what WHO is doing, and it doesn't change what countries should do.
"We have never before seen a pandemic sparked by a coronavirus. And we have never before seen a pandemic that can be controlled at the same time. WHO has been in full response mode since we were notified of the first cases.
"We have called every day for countries to take urgent and aggressive action. We have rung the alarm bell loud and clear."
It's okay to not panic. LADbible and UNILAD's aim with our campaign, Cutting Through, is to provide our community with facts and stories from the people who are either qualified to comment or have experienced first-hand the situation we're facing. For more information from the World Health Organisation on Coronavirus, click here.
Topics: News, coronavirus