Still no hugs for granny: Over-70s warned to 'avoid other people' in new guide

People who have been asked to cocoon for the past five weeks can from tomorrow leave their homes for daily exercise.

However, new regulations on how older people should act when they are in public insist they "avoid touching people or surfaces".

They are also told to "strictly adhere" to the two-metre social distancing measures and "avoid other people as much as possible".

They are also advised to stay away from shops.

The Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC) guidelines for those cocooning have been updated after the Government lifted the ban on older and vulnerable people leaving their homes.

Cocooning recommendations are advisory rather than mandatory, but health officials have insisted older people should remain in their homes because they are most at risk of dying from the virus.

"You are strongly advised to stay at home and avoid any face-to-face contact at this time," the HPSC says.

"However, you may go out for a short walk or exercise beyond your garden or yard."

Under the Government's roadmap for exiting the Covid-19 lockdown, older people will not be permitted to have friends or family into their homes until June 8.

The five-phase plan says people should take extreme caution when visiting the homes of older people. Those visiting older family or friends will be asked to wear face coverings and gloves when doing so. They will also be asked to wash their hands on entering the home and to keep two metres between themselves and the person they are visiting at all times.

The coronavirus pandemic has had a devastating impact on the lives of older people worldwide. In Ireland, people over 65 accounted for nine out of every 10 deaths.

Yesterday, it was announced another 19 people had passed away from the virus, bringing the total number of deaths to 1,303.

Shopping

As revealed in the Irish Independent last week, there have been calls from Cabinet ministers to ease the restrictions on older people who have been asked to cocoon. Several minister expressed disappointment with the lack of clarity on restrictions for older people in the Government's roadmap.

There are no significant changes in cocooning rules over the next four months, according to the document.

However, next month over-70s will be permitted to go to shops at certain times of the day. From June 8, shops will open at specific times for older people.

Older people will be asked to wear gloves and masks and adhere to social distancing measures when they are shopping.

At this point, older people will also be able to receive visits from family members.

However, the roadmap does not set out any further easing of restrictions for older people in any of the other phases.

The restrictions on older people in Ireland are in stark contrast to the advice in Switzerland, where children under the age of 10 have been told they can now hug their grandparents.

Daniel Koch, head of the Swiss infectious diseases unit, said scientists "now know young children don't transmit the virus".

He said many grandparents "live to see their grandchildren" and this was "important for their wellbeing".

Grandparents have been told they can have "brief contact" with their grandchildren.

The Swiss advice applies only to children under 10 and older children and teenagers are still not allowed to have contact with their grandparents.

In Germany, expert virologist Christian Drosten has said there is insufficient data to conclusively say young children do not transmit the coronavirus.

Yesterday, 330 new confirmed cases of Covid-19 were identified, bringing the total number of people in Ireland with the virus to 21,506.

The data showed more women (58pc) than men (42pc) have been diagnosed with the virus and the median age of those who have tested positive is 49.

Of those who have tested positive, 2,825 have been hospitalised and 363 have been admitted to intensive care.

Dublin has the highest number of cases at 10,406, 49pc of all cases, followed by Co Kildare and Co Cork, which both account for 6pc of cases.

Meanwhile, more than 950 patients are being treated in Irish hospitals with confirmed or suspected cases of coronavirus.

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