Taoiseach speaks out about need for prolonged suppression of virus

The Taoiseach has said there will need to be prolonged suppression of COVID-19 to keep hospital numbers down. 

Tánaiste Leo Varadkar has said some parts of the economy may be able to open when current restrictions expire on the 5th of March. 

However, he warned it would be a slow lifting of measures, rather than a full return to Level 3. 

Taoiseach Micheál Martin has warned restrictions will be with us for some time to come, "For me, we have to get the numbers of hospitalisations down, and the numbers of people in intensive care down. But when we get them down, we can never allow them back up to the levels that they are at now. And that is very clear, as far as I am concerned, and that will mean prolonged suppression of the virus in this country."