LAST UPDATE | 19 Jun 2020

AFTER RELEASING THEIR own set of guidelines as part of calls to re-open sooner than had been indicated, hairdressers and barbers around the country now look set to re-open at the end of this month.

Last night, chief medical officer Dr Tony Holohan said that the National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET) had made a recommendation to the government in this regard.

The government usually follows the advice of NPHET and it’s expected to make an announcement this evening that hairdressers can re-open from 29 June.

That announcement is set to come at a press conference led by the Taoiseach and other ministers later today following a meeting of Cabinet. The recent post-Cabinet Friday briefings have contained significant announcements such as the accelerated roadmap and the issue of social distancing at schools.

Meanwhile, in the UK, lockdown measures have eased across Scotland while Prime Minister Boris Johnson has revealed a £1 billion plan to help pupils catch up with their education before September after months out of school.

Here are today’s Covid-19 main points:

• It was confirmed last night that a further four people with Covid-19 have died in this country. The death toll from Covid-19 here is now 1,714. A further 16 cases brought the total number to 25,355.
• The National Public Health Emergency Team has said there is “a bit of a concern” about an increase in Covid-19 cases in Ireland as a result of travel.
• The number of confirmed cases in Irish hospitals is now at 42, with 21 people in an intensive care unit. 
• Hairdressers and barbers should be allowed to reopen at the end of the month, from 29 June. An announcement from government is expected this evening, following a meeting of EU leaders after Cabinet signs off on the decision. 
• The government is expected to announce that guidelines on indoor and outdoor gatherings will change to allow for larger groups to meet up. Clarity on the numbers allowed at weddings in the coming months should be provided. 
• Cabinet is also discussing the re-opening of gyms and other indoor facilities. 
• The HSE was “gifted” €544,000 in free advertising by Google and Facebook during the pandemic.
• Taxi drivers could be off the road for weeks due to NCT delays. 
• Medics have called for a DIY warning after a hospital saw ladder-related injuries triple during lockdown. 
• Almost one in five residents in Ireland’s nursing homes were diagnosed with Covid-19, it has emerged.

Here are today’s international Covid-19 main points:

• EU leaders are set to hold talks today on on a major recovery fund to revive a European economy ravaged by the coronavirus outbreak.
• Boris Johnson has outlined a £1 billion plan to help pupils catch up on what they’ve missed during lockdown ahead of a return to school in September. 
• Lockdown measures have been eased across Scotland.
• The number of cases from a new outbreak in Beijing has risen above 200.
• A team of British scientists has called for more research into the animals susceptible to Covid-19, including pet cats and dogs, for fear they could re-infect human populations who have fought to control the disease.
• There were 700 deaths from Covid-19 yesterday in the US.