A shop assistant (R) wearing a visor stands at the entrance of a reopened shoe shop in Dublin, Ireland, June 8, 2020. More businesses and public amenities in Ireland reopened on Monday as the country entered the first day of what the government called Phase 2 in reopening society and business. (Xinhua)

 
More businesses and public amenities in Ireland reopened on Monday as the country entered the first day of what the government called Phase 2 in reopening society and business.

They include all retail stores, public libraries, playgrounds and marts where livestock is traded by farmers.

Greyhound racing, a popular game in Ireland, is also permitted to resume, provided that there will be no spectators on the site.

But large shopping centers will remain closed until June 15. The government requires these centers to take measures to avoid congregation on benches, by fountains or in food courts inside these centers once they are reopened.

Dublin City Council said in a statement that they will delay the opening time of playgrounds in the city as they do not have enough manpower to guarantee the safe opening of these facilities.

People are seen in front of a reopened retail store in Dublin, Ireland, June 8, 2020. More businesses and public amenities in Ireland reopened on Monday as the country entered the first day of what the government called Phase 2 in reopening society and business. (Xinhua)

 
Starting from Monday, more people are also allowed to return to work so long as their workplace can guarantee that employees can work safely while keeping two meters away from each other. The government encourages people to continue to work remotely if their work can be done at home.

During Phase 2, greater freedom has been given to people in their movement.

People can now travel freely within their own county or up to 20 kilometers away from their home instead of the past 5-km limit imposed in Phase 1.

People can also meet each other either indoors or outdoors so long as the meeting has less than six persons in number excluding the members of the same family. They are also allowed to carry out outdoor sports activities provided there are less than 15 people involved in such activities and there is no body contact in these activities.

The maximum number of people attending a funeral is also increased to 25 from the past 10.

Ireland started easing the COVID-19 restrictions on May 18 after a months-long nationwide lockdown declared at the end of March. It originally planned to ease the restrictions in five phases, with each phase lasting for three weeks.

On June 5, the Irish government announced an acceleration of its steps in reopening the country's social and economic lives by shortening the five phases to four phases, which means some of the restrictions will be lifted earlier than previously planned.

According to the new plans announced by the government, the domestic tourism in the country will be reopened during Phase 3 which is scheduled to commence on June 29.

People enjoy outdoor life at a public park in Dublin, Ireland, June 8, 2020. More businesses and public amenities in Ireland reopened on Monday as the country entered the first day of what the government called Phase 2 in reopening society and business. (Xinhua)

 
During Phase 3, hotels, hostels, restaurants, bars operate as caravan parks, galleries and museums as well as places of worship will also reopen to public.

Schools in the country will remain closed until the end of August or early September, but outdoor summer camps may operate for post-primary children in groups of no more than 15 persons starting from Monday.

Earlier last week, Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar said while announcing the new roadmap for reopening the country that it is the efforts and sacrifices made by all the Irish people over the last few months that have made the "acceleration" possible.

People enjoy outdoor life at a public park in Dublin, Ireland, June 8, 2020. More businesses and public amenities in Ireland reopened on Monday as the country entered the first day of what the government called Phase 2 in reopening society and business. (Xinhua)

 However, he urged public to continue to keep guard against the virus so that there will be no second wave of the pandemic that has hit the country so badly since the end of February.

So far the COVID-19 has claimed 1,683 lives and infected a total of 25,207 people in Ireland, according to the statistics released by the Irish Department of Health on Monday.

People line up outside a reopened chocolate cafe in Dublin, Ireland, June 8, 2020. More businesses and public amenities in Ireland reopened on Monday as the country entered the first day of what the government called Phase 2 in reopening society and business. (Xinhua)