He said, “Spring is coming, and I don’t think I’ve ever looked forward to one as much as this one.” It is true that people are social, but we Irish are more social than most people. In the spring, we have to see each other again; we have to see each other smile; we have to sing again.
Catherine Martin, the minister for culture, tourism, and the arts, also said that the country’s St. Patrick’s Day celebration would go ahead in March after a two-year break. The 2020 competition was one of the first victims of the pandemic. It was canceled only the weekend before St. Patrick’s Day. And last year’s party was also canceled.
Covid restrictions have been lifted, which means that bars and restaurants can stay open later than 8 p.m., which was the time they had to close in the run-up to the holiday season when Omicron cases rose.
Clients will no longer have to show proof that they have been vaccinated or that they have had an infection in the last few months. Nightclubs will be able to open again, and there will be no limits on how many people can go to events like weddings, live shows, sporting events, or funerals. The rules that made it illegal for people from more than two families to visit each other’s homes are also being changed.
“We must all take a moment to think about how far we’ve come, how hard and risky those who put themselves in harm’s way to keep us safe are, and how much we should remember and appreciate the lives and contributions of those we lost,” the prime minister said.
People who work for Eire write about what’s new in the world every day. COVID conditions have been going down. There were 5,523 new cases in the country on Thursday, down from 26,122 on Jan. 8 when the current Omicron-fueled wave was at its peak of 26,122. According to a database from the New York Times, 78% of the people in Ireland have been vaccinated.
In public places, like stores and public transportation, people will still need to wear face masks. At least for another month, they will be required. People who plan to go on a trip to another country must still get anegative COVID checkup. These last steps will be looked at at the end of February, when the federal government hopes that many more kids aged 5 to 11 will have been completely vaccinated.
“The pandemic isn’t over,” said Mr. Martin. “It should still require all of us to be on the lookout.”
