Covid-19: Evening Update

Here's a reminder of today's Covid headlines

The Health Protection Surveillance Centre has today been notified of 381 new cases but no further deaths related to COVID-19.

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Public health experts in the UK say the Indian variant of Covid-19 is hitting young people who haven't been vaccinated. They're warning Irish authorities about the transmissibility of the strain, with over 3,400 cases now confirmed in England. It comes as a new study shows two doses of a vaccine is over 80 percent effective in preventing infection from the variant. 72 cases have been detected in Ireland so far. 

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Pubs and restaurants can welcome more customers into their premises when they reopen next month.  It's expected social distancing will be halved to 1 metre under new regulations. The time limit for customers will also be discarded, as well as the requirement for a €9 meal.

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Retailers in city centres will see more footfall when hospitality is allowed to reopen. Retail Excellence says shops in small towns and shopping centres have had a better first week back than stores in urban cities. Monday saw the return of non-essential retail for the first time this year.

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The government will announce next Friday what foreign travel, entertainment and sports events will be allowed in June and July. NPHET will meet on Thursday to make recommendations on the next phase of reopening - with an announcement the next day. There will also be more information on pilot live events that will take place over the next two months.