A leading immunology expert says the decision to reopen pubs should be reviewed after a big spike in Covid-19 cases yesterday.
307 new cases were recorded – including in Tipperary – the highest number in a single day in four months.
The government had earlier confirmed all pubs would be allowed to open on September 21st, after 3,500 were shut for six months.
A number of Tipperary publicans had traveled to Dublin yesterday to lobby the Taoiseach to reopen so-called ‘wet pubs’.
Professor Kingston Mills, from Trinity College Dublin, says the decision should be re-assessed.
“Yes I think it should – the trend in the last few weeks has been upwards and the last few days has been upwards further. I would have significant concerns about opening the pubs.”
“The fact is that people in a pub are not wearing a mask – a lot of other activities that are indoor and outdoor people are wearing a mask. The environment in a pub is conducive to spreading the virus – there’s no getting away from that.”
