Covid-19: Ireland eases out of lockdown

Ireland has lifted some of its Covid-19 restrictions including the 5km (3 miles) travel limit from Monday.

All children are now back in school after more than 100 days of Level 5 lockdown - the country's strictest coronavirus restrictions.

People can travel anywhere within their county or up to 20km (12 miles) from home if crossing county boundaries.

People from two households can meet outdoors but are still unable to meet inside.

This does not include meeting up in private gardens, in order to avoid situations where people would gather indoors.

Some construction can resume, with about 20,000 workers expected to be back on sites.

It comes as the Republic's independent body responsible for giving Covid-19 advice recommended only giving the AstraZeneca vaccine to over-60s.

RTÉ reports that members of the National Immunisation Advisory Committee met on Monday and advised that the vaccine's benefits may vary by age.

It follows reports of a possible link between the vaccine and a very rare blood clotting issue.

The potential impact on the country's rollout of its vaccine programme is not yet known.

As the lockdown is eased, public health officials have appealed for people not to let their guard down.

Acting Chief Medical Officer Dr Ronan Glynn said people should not take the full reopening of schools as a signal to return to the workplace.

Meanwhile an Irishman who flew home from Israel to be with his dying father has been released from quarantine after launching a legal challenge.

Derek Jennings, 47, had been in mandatory quarantine after flying into Ireland on Friday.

On Sunday, the High Court in Dublin directed there should be an inquiry into Mr Jennings' mandatory quarantine.

He was subsequently released after the court received more documentation from his lawyers.

tThe Republic of Ireland recorded two more Covid-19-related deaths on Sunday, taking the country's total to 4,785.

One of those deaths occurred in March and the other in April.

Another 303 people tested positive for coronavirus.

The total number of confirmed coronavirus cases in the Republic of Ireland stands at 240,945.