Ireland has been in a very good position in regards to the Covid-19 crisis over the last few weeks.
Cases have remained stable hovering between 300 to 500 a week while hospitalisations have plummeted.
The vaccine rollout continues to ramp up at an impressive rate while people being treated in ICU has also dropped.
However, major concerns have been expressed about the risk the Delta variant poses to Ireland's further reopening.
Here's what you need to know:
Delta variant could cause delay to UK lockdown ease
Prime Minister Boris Johnson is set to update the UK on the next stage of the roadmap to ending lockdown on Monday amid a rise in cases.
Reports suggest it is likely the Prime Minister will announce a delay to the so-called 'Freedom Day' over fears of a third wave.
The Delta variant is fuelling a surge in infections, which is now said to prevalent in almost all of England.
Mr Johnson said on Saturday that the spiralling numbers were a "serious, serious concern".
He will once again take to the podium on Monday to reveal which, if any, restrictions can be lifted on June 21.
The Prime Minister said previously that he hoped to remove all legal limits on social distancing by that date.
But this now looks almost certainly unlikely to happen - which a 'mix and match' approach slated to be taken by the Government.
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Travel warning
Minister for Foreign Affairs Simon Coveney has warned that tighter travel restrictions between Ireland and the UK may be need to stop the spread of the Delta variant here.
The Covid-19 Delta variant which was first identified in India has put huge concerns on plans to end lockdown in the UK due to its high level of transmission.
The UK has seen a surge in hospitalisations in recent weeks as the country races to vaccinate the rest of the population before the virus spreads further.
And concerns have been expressed about how the variant may affect Ireland's reopening plans.
On RTÉ's This Week, Simon Coveney spoke about the more infectious Delta variant of Covid-19 in the UK.
"The numbers are concerning and we need to do what we can within reason to do what we can to protect people here."
He said: "I don't want to announce anything today but we are looking at this seriously."
"Potentially longer quarantine periods particularly for people who aren't vaccinated," he added.
Mr Coveney said he spoke to Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly on Sunday, saying "we want to get the balance right to protect the Common Travel Area as best we can."
Vaccine latest
Pharmacies will start to offer the single-shot Johnson and Johnson vaccine to the over 50s from Monday.
Deliveries of around 60,000 vaccines are expected at around 1,300 participating pharmacies.
The Irish Pharmacy Union said Ireland’s pharmacists have been calling for clarity from government for months around when they can start to give out jabs.
Darragh O’Loughlin, chief executive of the Irish Pharmacy Union, told Newstalk Breakfast Weekends: “The Janssen, or Johnson and Johnson vaccine, with be delivered to 700 or 800 pharmacies around the country in the coming days and those will be available for anyone over the age of 50 who hasn’t already been vaccinated, whether or not they registered on the HSE portal.
“Then in a couple of weeks, a smaller number of pharmacies, mostly those that are not too close to vaccination centres, will have the Pfizer vaccine and they’ll be using that in the same way as the vaccination centres and GPs as part of the national vaccination programme.”
