Kenneth Fox
The Licensed Vintners Association (LVA) have said they will reject any move to separate out the vaccinated from the non vaccinated, describing the suggestion as 'ridiculous' and 'unworkable.'
It comes as the Cabinet are set to meet Tuesday morning to consider a proposal to allow only people who have been fully vaccinated against Covid-19 to be admitted to indoor dining.
The LVA said any such system would put every pub, restaurant and café in the country in an impossible position and would also lead to unvaccinated staff being charged with having to police who can and cannot enter their premises.
In light of the ongoing concerns around the delta variant, the LVA is proposing that the reopening of indoor hospitality should be delayed until July 19th to allow for those in the 60-69 year demographic to receive additional vaccines.
They cast doubt on the projections publicised by NPHET last night, saying they need to be independent validated given the actual levels of hospitalisations and deaths in other countries where indoor hospitality is permitted and the delta variant is circulating.
"It is completely bizarre that they would introduce such a system this late and basically try to panic the entire country into accepting a process that would create a two tier society."https://t.co/Sk99kXfpiw
— LVA (@LVADublinPubs) June 29, 2021
Real world implications
“This latest suggestion from NPHET that pubs and restaurants should police who is and isn’t vaccinated is utterly ridiculous and unworkable,” said Donall O’Keeffe, chief executive of the LVA.
“NPHET has lost the run of themselves and possibly the entire country this time. It is completely bizarre that they would introduce such a system this late and basically try to panic the entire country into accepting a process that would create a two tier society.”
He asked if anyone in NPHET actually takes into consideration the real world implications of their “outlandish ideas” and added “We can’t take them seriously after this.”
Mr O'Keeffe called on the government to give pubs and restaurants a two-week delay which would allow those aged 60-69 to receive a further vaccination and coincide with the return of international travel.
He added “We can see that hotels across the country are operating at full capacity for indoor service since June 2nd and that indoor service is permitted across the border and in every other EU state.
“It is insane to contemplate that international travel would be permitted and yet indoor hospitality would not be allowed for all customers. Why is Irish hospitality being treated so differently?"
