Bringing you up to date on this morning’s news.
At Home:
Nphet to meet today amid concerns over high case numbers
The National Public Health Emergency Team (Nphet) is to meet today to make recommendations regarding the further easing of Covid-19 restrictions ahead of a Cabinet meeting on Tuesday.
Current case numbers of the virus are causing concern, though Taoiseach Michael Martin has insisted Ireland will not go backwards.
In a Sunday Independent interview, he said: “We do not want to go back, and we are not contemplating going backwards. The only issue facing us now is going forward.
“We are not looking at the same situation as last year. We are looking at a completely different approach.”
While vaccine certs were planned to no longer be required for the hospitality sector from October 22, it is now expected they’ll stick around.
Nightclub owners and staff are also awaiting news on whether or not they’ll be able to reopen as planned from October 22.
“Mass withdrawal” of dentists from medical card scheme leaving many families with little coverage
The HSE’s national lead for oral health has said a “mass withdrawal” of dentists from a scheme providing medical card holders with oral healthcare has left many families and people with special needs with an emergency-only dental service.
Assistant national director with the HSE Dr Joseph Green said the withdrawal of dentists from the Dental Treatment Services Scheme (DTSS) urgently needs to be addressed or medical card holders will suffer.
208 dentists have left the scheme, which allows private dentists to treat public patients, within the last year.
This has left some areas of the country with only emergency dental cover, “to the detriment of the oral health of both children and adults in particular those with special care needs,” Dr Green said.
Teen charged in connection with assault and robbery
A teen has been charged in connection with a robbery and assault in Dublin that took place over the weekend.
On Saturday, a man was assaulted and robbed of some personal items by another man in his late teens near St Stephen’s Green.
The victim was taken to St James’ Hospital for treatment of non-life threatening injuries.
The suspect was arrested later that night and the stolen items were recovered and returned to the victim.
Lifestyle: The pandemic’s toll on our skin
An Irish skincare professional has said excessive exposure to “blue light” from phone screens has caused a significant demand for post-lockdown treatments.
Kelly Wallace, who owns neurocosmetics brand Arkana Ireland, said prolonged screen time during the pandemic caused an increase in clients seeking treatment for skin sensitivity.
Wallace added that pandemic-related factors were responsible for a number of other skincare issues, including ‘maskne,’ dryness and redness, and flare-ups due to stress and skincare routines going awry in lockdown.
She said that going forward, many people will find their skin fluctuating as restrictions ease.
“A combination of new factors will come into play as we open back up, leaving our skin with a lot to deal with at once – including the stress of getting back to busy schedules, increased socialising and temperature changes,” she said.
Celebrity:Â Michelle Keegan says she used to rob food during her childhood
Actress Michelle Keegan has revealed her childhood years were a far cry from her current glam lifestyle.
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Chatting to the Off Menu podcast, she revealed her neighbours used to feed her and that she used to swipe from local farmers.
“I lived next to a lady and gent called Pat and Martin and I used to climb over their fence. I remember the bread they would give me. The cut was so thick it was like a door stopper,” she said.
“On the other side, I had Brenda and Barry and they used to get me ice cream with a Flake. I used to climb over the other fence to get my ice cream off them.”
The 34-year-old added that her mum Jackie would take home leftovers from her job as a school dinner lady, and that the family would help themselves to the produce of local farmer fields.
“They used to grow lettuces, carrots and potatoes,” she said. “We never used to go to the supermarket. We were nicking vegetables off that farmer. Climbing over fences getting food.”
