Health officials last night confirmed the lowest number of new Covid-19 cases in Ireland in weeks, when 10 cases were reported. However, officials also confirmed that a further 8 people with coronavirus have died in Ireland.

The HSE has told the Dáil Covid-19 committee that the cost of taking over the private hospitals will be roughly €300 million. The deal, which saw the State renting 19 private hospitals during the pandemic, was estimated to cost €115 million per month. Read more on that here.

A UK study has found that Black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) people are at significantly higher risk of dying from Covid-19. The study, from Public Health England (PHE), concluded that BAME individuals have a much higher risk of death, as do those from poorer backgrounds, men and anyone who is obese or suffering from diabetes. UK health secretary Matt Hancock said the evidence showed that coronavirus targets people in an “unequal and disproportionate way”.

Travel demand during Phase One easing of restrictions has been higher than expected, the National Transport Authority (NTA) told the Dáil Covid-19 committee yesterday. Anne Graham, Chief Executive Officer of the (NTA), also said that the NTA believes there is a large percentage of non-essential travel being made on public transport which is using up the capacity that it had planned for Phase Two of the government’s roadmap.

Irish nurses have expressed concern about high Covid rates in their profession. In Ireland, 32 percent of all coronavirus cases have involved healthcare staff. Around 35 per cent of those healthcare workers were nurses, according to the INMO, a rate which it says is far higher than in other countries

Máiréad Ni Chiarba writes about the benefits of remote working and the ‘new normal’ in this opinion piece, following the results of a recent survey that revealed 83 per cent of Irish workers want to continue to work from home once the Covid-19 crisis ends.

ICTU general secretary Patricia King makes the case for an increased focus on our public services in this piece.

Lastly, today’s zen is one of Aretha Franklin’s most loved songs, ‘Respect’ which reached number one on the charts on this day in 1967.