WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW: Daily Covid-19 round-up

Here is your daily Covid-19 (coronavirus) round-up March 24, 2020:

• Psychology experts suggest that as the country moves through national crisis, Irish citizens may be feeling their own "anxiety pandemic".

• A series of public health measures have been announced by government to further contain Co vid-19. These restrictions come as a result of the National Public Health Emergency Team meeting this morning, these measures were subsequently confirmed by Cabinet.

• Queens University Belfast has been awarded a grant of £295,626 to find a treatment for Covid-19. This funding comes as a first round of projects that is expected to receive £10.5 million as part of the £20 million rapid research response funded by UK Research and Innovation, and by the Department of Health and Social Care through the National Institute for Health Research.
• The Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Support payment has been increased from €203 to €350 for those who have been financially effected by Covid-19.
• Schools are to remain closed beyond March 29 according to Minister for Education Joe McHugh.

• The Court Services will alter court hearings in light of social distancing concerns in overcrowded court rooms. Hoards of people were left standing in narrow hallways with no social distancing implemented or hand sanitiser available in the Criminal Courts of Justice Dublin. These conditions arose after numbers within the court room were reduced to adhere by social distancing rules. 

• People in Ireland have made over 20,000 donation to COVID-19 GoFundMe campaigns in Ireland. One in every two GoFundMe campaigns started in Ireland over the past seven days have been related to COVID-19. More than 20,000 donations have been made and a massive €677,000 has been donated to these campaigns to date.

• The Tokyo 2020 Olympics will be postponed until 2021 due to Covid-19 fears. Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has proposed a one-year postponement of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games in a teleconference with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach, NHK News reported.

• The Order of Malta Ambulance Corps (Order of Malta) have today announced that volunteers are currently preparing to provide national support to the Health Service Executive (HSE) as the health crisis caused by COVID-19 continues to develop.
• Brokers are offering discounts to van motorists who opt for online self- service in midst of social distancing protocol. Soft copy documentation is now accepted for insurance policies to mitigate delays caused by COVID-19 business interruption. Customers are encouraged to submit scans or photographs of items such as no claim bonus certificates and drivers licences to streamline the process at a high volume time, and to reduce delays and handling.