NEED TO CATCH up? TheJournal.ie brings you a round-up of today’s news.

IRELAND

Empty shelves in a Lidl in Dublin today. RollingNews.ie RollingNews.ie

• Taoiseach Leo Varadkar announced that schools, colleges and childcare facilities across the country will close from tomorrow until 29 March. 
• A further 27 cases of the coronavirus were confirmed in Ireland this evening.
• There have been a lot of closures and cancellations – most gigs, every GAA match and even Coppers – due to Covid-19. 
• Supermarkets and government ministers warned people against “panic” buying today as shelves across the country were cleared of essential supplies. 
• A man who claimed he had been wrongly and maliciously accused of “spooning” with his girlfriend in a hospital bed lost a €75,000 damages claim for defamation. 
• Ian Bailey appeared in court charged with drug driving and drug possession.  
• Gardaí arrested a man in relation to the attack on Quinn Industrial Holdings (QIH) director Kevin Lunney. 
• Roads in Sligo were closed and an orange warning was issued for Mayo as roads were flooded across the country.  

INTERNATIONAL

Leo Varadkar and Donald Trump greeting each other without handshakes today in the US. PA PA

#DELAY: The UK moved into the next stage of its response to the coronavirus outbreak.

#WHITE HOUSE: US President Donald Trump met with Taoiseach Leo Varadkar in the oval office today after Trump banned travel from most EU countries to the US. 

#CELEBRITY CASE: Actors Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson confirmed they tested positive for Covid-19. 

Parting shot 

Today has been… a lot. Schools were closed, workplaces prepared to function at home where possible and 27 more cases of Covid-19 were confirmed in Ireland.

If you want to just tune out the noise for a little bit, look no further than this serene page from the New York Times.

For four peaceful minutes, relax, pet a (virtual) dog and just take some time to breathe. 

Tibetan Spaniel dogs at the Crufts Dog Show in Birmingham last Sunday. Jacob King Jacob King