Covid-19 lockdown restrictions may not be eased on May 5 says Varadkar

Covid-19 lockdown restrictions may not be eased in three weeks on May 5 according to Taoiseach Leo Varadkar.

And, he cautioned that any easing will only by gradual adding that only a scientific breakthrough will see a return to normality.

"I don't yet know if we'll be able to relax restrictions on 5 May, but I do know that if we can at all, it is going to be gradual and happen over a number of months," Mr Varadkar told the Dáil.

"As we know from Asia, they may even need to be re-imposed again as only a scientific breakthrough - a vaccine or an effective antiviral medicine - will truly allow life to go back to being as it was."

Britain has extended its lockdown for a further three weeks today while restrictions in New York will remain in place to May 15. France has also extended its lockdown to May 11.

Spain and Italy have slightly eased restrictions this week.

Restrictions have now been in place in Ireland since just before St Patrick's Day when schools were shut.