LAST UPDATE | 2 May 2020

LAST NIGHT, TAOISEACH Leo Varadkar announced that five-phase plan for Ireland to go back to some sense of normality after the onslaught of Covid-19.

The plan will see restrictions begin to ease from 18 May.

Varadkar said that “all things going to plan”, the fifth stage will commence on 10 August. 

Based on the three-week review process, the current phases would commence on the following dates: 

• Phase one – 18 May
• Phase two – 8 June
• Phase three – 29 June
• Phase four – 20 July
• Phase five – 10 August

A full list on what happens in each of those phases is here. 

As of last night, there were 20,833 confirmed cases of Covid-19 in Ireland with 1,265 people confirmed to have died from it here.

In the US, meanwhile, regulators have approved the use of an experimental drug to treat coronavirus patients.

Here are today’s main Covid-19 points:

• A further 25 deaths and 343 new cases were confirmed in Ireland.
• The government and doctors are concerned that cancers are being missed during the Covid-19 crisis due to people not presenting to their doctors.
• The number of confirmed cases of Covid-19 in ICU has fallen to below 100 for the first time since the end of March.
• Gardaí restricted access to Phoenix Park for a while this afternoon due to a planned anti-lockdown protest.
• Leo Varadkar last night announced a slight relaxation of lockdown rules but warned that Ireland is months away from returning to what he has described as the “new normal”.
• Over 70s, those cocooning as well as the general public are now allowed to go for walks within 5km of their homes.
• Varadkar said that schools and colleges will not be opening until September or October.
• After 18 May, outdoor work such as construction will be allowed as well as small group meetings outdoors.
• The emergency garda powers are also set to last until 18 May. 
• A further 11 people have died in Northern Ireland bringing the death toll there to 376. 
• Today, the government announced a series of new measures aimed at supporting businesses and keeping them afloat during and after the crisis. 
• Two of these measures require new legislation – which means they require a new government.
• Minister for Finance Paschal Donohoe has said there’s been no decision yet on extending the wage subsidy scheme.
• Fianna Fáil’s education spokesperson Thomas Byrne has said the Leaving Cert must be cancelled to take the pressure off students, parents and teachers.
• The rent freeze and eviction ban under emergency Covid-19 legislation are set to be extended according to Housing Minister Eoghan Murphy.
• Parents of a 10-month-old waiting for vital transplants face uncertainty due to Covid-19.
• Public guidance on wearing face-coverings ‘in certain scenarios’ is due in next two weeks.
• The reunion of a grandmother and her grandson on The Late Late Show last night warmed our hearts.
• There’s only been a “minor increase” in Dublin city centre traffic levels in the last fortnight, Dublin City Council has said.

Here are today’s international Covid-19 points:

• US regulators approved the use of an experimental drug to treat coronavirus patients.
• The White House has blocked Dr Anthony Fauci from testifying to a Congress committee on the federal government’s coronavirus response. 
• The World Health Organization has says the coronavirus is “natural in origin” after Trump’s claim it originated from a lab in Wuhan.
• A further 621 deaths from Covid-19 were confirmed in the UK today, bringing the total there to 28,131.
• Russia’s coronavirus situation is worsening, with an extra 10,000 cases confirmed with Moscow the epicentre of the outreak.
• Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro’s comment of “so what?” when the death toll of 5,000 in his country was put to him continues to stoke fury in the South American country today.
• Texas eased its virus lockdown despite recording its highest one-day death toll.