LAST WEEK it was only Donegal that was off limits for all but essential travel, this week there is nowhere south of the border where Fermanagh people can visit without a valid reason.
As numbers continued to grow in the South, just like the North, it was
announced on Monday the entire 26 counties were to join Donegal and
Dublin in moving to Level 3 of the South’s Covid restrictions chart. This means tighter restrictions in many areas of life such as travel, with people not allowed to cross county borders unless for essential purposes and urged to stay within 5km of their homes. This also applies to those living in Fermanagh, who have already been urged not to travel across the border at the moment unless absolutely necessary.
With regard to gatherings, most sporting events have been cancelled, religious services have moved back online, weddings are limited to six guests and funerals to ten. Everyone in the South is also being urged to work from home again.
However, despite the tightening of restrictions, Monday’s news was actually greeted with some relief among many in the South as fears had been growing of a return to full ‘Level 5’ total lockdown. Under Level 3, for example, both shops and schools can remain open, unlike Level 5.
As for numbers, it appears the north west has the highest rate of infection, no matter what side of the border you are on.
Donegal has the highest incidence rate in the South, sitting at 257.6
per 100,000 population. This is no where near the highest rate in the North however, with nearby Derry and Strabane reporting a rate of 533.6. Tighter restrictions have since been introduced in that Council district in a bid to control the spiralling numbers.
The incidence rate in Monaghan is also continuing to grown and is now higher than in Dublin, at 189.
On the flip side, another of Fermanagh’s neighbours, Leitrim, currently has the lowest rate anywhere in Ireland, North or South, sitting at just 21.8.
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