Dublin City Council instructs seniors how to stay fit amid lockdown

Irish police will enforce restrictions on public life until Catholic Easter is over

The nation-wide emergency in Ireland has forced the cancellation of all Adult Community Exercise classes in the capital. Concerned about keeping older people active and healthy during the Covid -19 pandemic, Dublin City Council is now teaching them how to stay fit in the safety of their own homes – through exercise guidelines.

The helpful booklet ‘Stay Home, Stay Active, Stay Healthy’ recommends that seniors should aim to exercise for 30 minutes a day (at one go or in three 10-minute bouts), doing moderate-intensity activity for 5 days a week.

Daily exercise should include cardio (heart & lung health), muscle-strengthening and balance exercises, says the booklet, providing examples with easy to follow tips and illustrations. Novices to exercise and people with chronic conditions are cautioned to start off slowly or consult their doctor.

“It is important that everyone continues to keep active and healthy during the Covid -19 pandemic and I welcome these exercise guidelines as they will allow older people to stay active and healthy in the safety of their own homes,” Lord Mayor of Dublin, Tom Brabazon, said about the initiative, quoted by the city website.

The booklet is developed by Dublin City Sport & Wellbeing Partnership in collaboration with Dublin City Council and Age-Friendly Dublin. It will be distributed to older people in Dublin city through the Staff and Volunteer Network.

Coronavirus lockdown in Ireland

As of 8 April, Ireland had 6074 confirmed cases of Covid-19 and 235 deaths. To prevent the spread of the coronavirus, on 13 March all schools, colleges and childcare facilities were closed as well as state-run museums, galleries and tourist sites. Indoor mass gatherings of more than 100 people and outdoor mass gatherings of more than 500 people were prohibited.

In late March the restrictive measures were tightened further, with people told to stay in their homes until 12 April except for buying food and medicines or seeing the doctor. Outdoor exercise was also permitted if it was practised within 2 km of one’s home.

Non-compliance was high, however, and last Tuesday Gardaí (the Irish police) were granted extraordinary powers to enforce the lockdown. Police checkpoints are now being set up on main routes out of cities to discourage people from travelling during the Easter period.

Offenders will be asked to return to their permanent place of residence, otherwise, they would risk arrest and on conviction, a fine of up to €2,500 and a prison term of up to six months.