"Their concern is what happens before the match and after the match"
August 05, 2020
Covid-19 signage on display. ©INPHO/Laszlo Geczo.
The Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly has outlined the Government’s decision to keep crowds limited to 200 at outdoor sporting events.
The Cabinet confirmed yesterday that the moving into of Phase 4 of the easing of Covid-19 restrictions would be delayed for another three weeks at least, meaning attendances at GAA matches across the country must remain limited to 200.
Speaking to RTÉ Radio 1's Morning Ireland, Mr Donnelly explained the reasoning behind the latest decision.
"NPHET's [the National Public Health Emergency Team] position on this is, they actually don't see much of an issue during the game.
"The GAA and various other sporting organisations have some large stadiums. Their view is, of course you can have more than 200 people at an outdoor event properly spaced. Their concern is what happens before the match and after the match.
"For example, some of the clusters we're looking at at the moment, the belief is that some of the transmission may have been in the cars, on the way to work on the way from work.
The public health experts, their view is, the match itself is not a problem. But people congregate beforehand, people share cars, people congregate afterwards and that really is their concern."
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