With one of the highest rates of coronavirus infection after the border counties, businesses in Co Clare have expressed their fears about the impact of another lockdown.
The virus has been spreading rapidly in the county over the past month, with infection rates in the Ennis and Kilrush areas now over 400 per 100,000 people—higher than in Dublin, Limerick or Cork.
Many people move in and out of the country for work and education, and Clare is a popular location for visitors from across the country; these may be factors in the spread of the virus and the rising numbers.
While there's an acceptance that the rates must be lowered, businesses say the prospect of tougher restrictions forcing them to close again is heartbreaking.