Google staff to work from home tomorrow after worker showed 'flu-like symptoms'
Up to 8,000 Google staff and contractors in Ireland will work from home tomorrow because of concerns over coronavirus.
An employee in its Dublin office has reported flu-like symptoms - but it's not a confirmed case of Covid-19.
But as a precaution, the company has asked its Dublin teams to work from home tomorrow.
The decision affects most of Google's offices in Ireland.
A Google spokesperson said: “We continue to take precautionary measures to protect the health and safety of our workforce, and as part of that effort we have asked our Dublin teams to work from home tomorrow.”
It comes as Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and Health Minister Simon Harris are to seek Cabinet approval on Tuesday to establish a special committee to examine the full impact of the coronavirus on the economy and society.
The has learned that the Taoiseach will chair the new sub-committee.
"The Taoiseach and the Minister will now establish a special Cabinet committee to assess the impacts of Covid-19 and oversee the cross Government response. This will be chaired by the Taoiseach,” a spokeswoman for Mr Harris said.
A teenager remains under treatment in a Dublin hospital and his school, Scoil Chatriona in Glasnevin will be closed for 14 days as a result of the diagnosis.
Mr Harris, speaking on RTE's said: “We won't be surprised if we see more cases and we've been preparing for that for a number of weeks”.
Earlier, Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald has revealed that her children attend the Dublin school that is closed due to a case of the coronavirus.
"We are following all of the chief medical officer's advice and therefore the children have to be at home for the next 14 days," she said, adding it was a "worrying time" for parents and pupils of the school, "particularly for the family of the person affected. We wish them a speedy recovery."
