A specialist in infectious diseases has said the switch to individual responsibility now required of people by the accelerated reopening of the economy is wise and people "must get out there" and live again.
Professor Sam McConkey said he is comfortable with the accelerated reopening of the economy as the virus is circulating at a "one in a million" level in the community.
Speaking on RTÉ's Brendan O'Connor programme, the head of the Department of International Health and Tropical Medicine at the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland explained that of the 10 to 15 cases coming to light each day, they are part of a known chain of spread, whereas the number of unexpected cases of Covid-19 are at around a one in a million level.
Prof McConkey said it is very good news that in some counties in the west of Ireland rates of the virus are exceptionally low and people could consider the possibility of "hugging their granny" in some of those areas.
However, he said that the pandemic is not over and while life will resume in some areas "it is with some elements of change and social distancing".
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He said that the fact that travel is restricted remains key and believes that restricted travel will remain for the next few months.
Prof McConkey said that many places in the United States and the UK have a lot of virus circulating there and if people come into Ireland from those areas, they could re-introduce the virus.
He said the quarantine measures for inbound travellers are necessary and he favours the compulsory self-isolation being monitored by gardaí.
Prof McConkey said that it is noticeable and right that there are no nightclubs, discos, music events and that the Health and Safety Authority continue to monitor the safety of workers as business return.
Meanwhile, the Archbishop of Dublin has described the limit of people attending religious services as "strange and disappointing".
In a statement, Archbishop Diarmuid Martin said parishes have put a lot of energy and investment in preparing churches for reopening and it is disappointing that "with the reopening for public worship there is a blanket restriction to the participation of a maximum of 50 people in these first weeks".
He said it seems "strange" that in a church which has a capacity for 1,500 and which has been fitted out to conform with social distancing rules, that only 50 people can be present, when there are large retail outlets "brimming with people".
He said he hopes it will be possible to come to a more reasonable and responsible situation in which numbers permitted to attend mass could be proportionate to the size of each church and under current restrictions only 50 people out of a parish of over 10,000 might be able to attend.
