There was some an inevitability about today's Government announcements on fresh measures to halt the surge in Covid-19 cases.
Some brakes have been applied to what had largely been a full reopening and there will be disappointment, worry and some Christmas plans now in doubt.
Currently, daily case numbers are regarded as unsustainable. There is a two-week time lag between high case numbers and around 25 cases in every 1,000 translating into hospital admissions.
Today, there are 614 patients with Covid-19 in hospital and 114 of these in ICU. Also Ireland has reached and passed the figure of 500,000 Covid-19 cases since the start of the pandemic.