LAST UPDATE | 12 May 2020

THE DEPARTMENT OF Health has confirmed a further 24 deaths from Covid-19 and 107 new cases in Ireland.

The death toll here is now 1,488 and the total number of confirmed cases is 23,242.

This continued reduction in cases compared to previous weeks comes as a survey shows 43% of people believe the worst of the Covid-19 outbreak in Ireland is over. 

The latest survey carried out on behalf of the Department of Health has suggested that 29% of people think the worst is happening now, while 17% of people think it’s coming down the line. 

The remaining 12% did not know. 

“So we think there is still a challenge for us in getting the message out, in the risk of what people might call a second spike but an increase in cases that causes a challenge for us first of all in terms of public health,” Chief Medical Officer Dr Tony Holohan said at yesterday. 

Here are today’s main Covid-19 points:  

• A further 24 deaths from Covid-19 and 107 new cases have been confirmed in Ireland.
• The National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET) met today to discuss a range of issues including guidance on the voluntary wearing of face coverings. Its advice to government will be announced on Friday.
• Business lobby group Ibec has set out a framework for a sustainable future for Irish business, including calls for a €15 billion reboot plan in the first 100 days of a new government. 
• The special Oireachtas committee on the Covid-19 response has agreed to invite the Chief Medical Officer Dr Tony Holohan and HSE boss Paul Reid to appear at a hearing next Tuesday.
• Minister for Health Simon Harris said it is “likely” people will be advised to wear face coverings in certain situations as restrictions begin to ease. The minister spoke to Dermot and Dave on Today FM this morning. 
• Simon Harris also said Ireland needs to take further measures to “toughen up” checks at airports and ports to ensure people are self-isolating when entering the country.
• The CEO of the Health and Safety Authority has urged employers to engage with workers about the safest way to return to work if they are required to do so.
• Employment law solicitor Richard Grogan has warned that a deluge of workplace disputes could be on its way as businesses start to reopen. 
• Groups of four to six people who do not share a household will be allowed to meet outdoors while maintaining social distancing as part of the NI Executive’s roadmap to ease Covid-19 restrictions published today. 
• A survey carried out on behalf of the Department of Health has said that 43% of people believe the worst of the Covid-19 outbreak in Ireland is over. 
• Ryanair has announced a plan to restore 40% of its flight schedule from 1 July. 
• Transport unions want all public transport passengers to wear a facemask and all frontline transport staff to have their temperatures checked with a laser thermometer before work. 
• Dublin City Council needs to “cop on” and “think outside the box”, according to the chief executive of the Restaurants Association of Ireland, after it emerged that the local authority could reduce the number of seats allowed outside premises.  
• The president of the Garda Representative Association has described how he was left frustrated by the lack of garda involvement in NPHET.  
• The Minister for Justice, Charlie Flanagan, has announced a four-month extension for sector licences that are due to expire to enable property service providers to keep their licence despite Covid-19 restrictions. 
• McDonald’s is to begin reopening restaurants in Ireland, starting with six in Dublin which will open for drive-thru orders only.
• A text message which claims the Irish government has issued a €350 payment to all residents in the country as part of its response to Covid-19 has been debunked as false. 

Here are today’s international Covid-19 points:

• Wuhan plans to conduct coronavirus tests on the Chinese city’s entire population after new cases emerged for the first time in weeks.
• Work is accelerating on up to eight leading candidates for a vaccine to combat the novel coronavirus.
• The World Health Organization has warned that countries are essentially driving blind in reopening their economies without setting up strong contact tracing to beat flare-ups of Covid-19. 
• US President Donald Trump abruptly ended his coronavirus press briefing yesterday after getting into a testy exchange with an Asian-American reporter.
• Dr Anthony Fauci has warned US senators that ending lockdowns too quickly could bring severe consequences including new outbreaks of Covid-19 just as the country tries to overcome the pandemic.

With reporting by Órla Ryan