Covid-19: Here comes the sun as rollout raises hopes of a brighter future

Society is no longer in suspended animation. But joy at a staged return to normal life is tempered by apprehension on the part of many

Taoiseach Micheál Martin addresses the nation at Government Buildings on the plan to ease lockdown restrictions from May 10

Throughout last week, the leaks came thick and fast. But the news was not of the limited freedoms we had been conditioned to expect. Instead, the National Public Health Emergency Team (Nphet) and government had decided that they could offer more than we had imagined possible at so delicate a stage.

Despite case numbers hovering around 400 a day, the vaccination rollout has offered a fresh perspective on what this truly means for our health ...