Care home visitors in Ireland will need to show Covid status

Visitors to nursing homes in the Republic of Ireland will be required to show proof of Covid immunity before entering the premises.

That is according to new guidance published by the Health Protection Surveillance Centre.

The advice will be implemented from Monday.

A Covid vaccination certificate, a HSE vaccination record or another proof of immunity will be needed. It will not include "essential service providers".

That includes healthcare, legal, financial, advocacy or regulatory service providers.

But the document states that essential service providers should be fully vaccinated, similar to healthcare workers, but recommends that they should not be denied access.

It also recommends that "important service providers", such as hairdressers and entertainers, should also be fully vaccinated.

Window visits will be allowed at all times, according to the document.

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Last month Covid-19 visiting restrictions in care homes in Northern Ireland were eased.

Up to four people from no more than two households can now visit, with a maximum of four such visits per week allowed.

However, the easing of restrictions may not fully apply if the care home has an active Covid-19 outbreak.

On Thursday, the National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET) advised the government that people in the Republic of Ireland should work from home, where possible.

It also recommended extending the use of Covid certificates to other areas outside of hospitality.

The body also recommended that people who frequently go to nightclubs, bars and restaurants should take twice weekly antigen tests.

It came after 3,680 more cases were reported by the Irish Department of Health.

Micheál Martin confirmed he received a letter from NPHET on Friday morning

On Friday, Taoiseach (Irish prime minister) Micheál Martin said: "Numbers are increasing and that is a concern. Therefore, the main import of NPHET's advice is on all of us to restrict socialisation and to monitor behaviour."

He said that NPHET had proposed mask-wearing in outdoor sporting events, including in large crowds.

He added that vulnerable people should wear medical-grade masks