Ireland has seen encouraging signs emerging in the battle against the latest surge in Covid-19 cases.
However there is a still a high level of infection throughout the country.
Meanwhile as the country enters its 7th week of the third lockdown there has been some indication as to what we can expect from March 5 onwards.
Here's all you need to know about the Covid-19 situation in Ireland today:
Revised 'Living with Covid plan' coming in two weeks
Tanaiste Leo Varadkar has said he hopes people can meet their friends and families outside next month as the government works on what restrictions to ease.
Mr Varadkar also revealed that the government will present a “revised” Living with Covid plan, expected to be announced by the government the week starting February 22.
He told reporters at government buildings that it needs to be modified now because when the current plan - which has five levels, was created there was no vaccine and that “a lot has changed” and he said it “makes sense to refresh it.”
He said: “I’d hope that after the 5th of March that it’ll be possible for households for friends and family to meet outdoors, that was part of the first reopening if you remember back in May, around the middle of May you were able to meet other households outdoors or in a garden.
“We know that this virus is nearly 20 times more likely to transmit indoors than outdoors so getting people outdoors would be a good thing.
“But like I say and the Taosieach has said, we’re going to be conservative and cautious about this.”
Hairdressers won't open until 'much later' than March 5
Unfortunately it is not likely we will see any major reopening from March 5.
This includes hair dressers and barbers across the country, so people won't be able to get their lockdown locks trimmed for a long time.
The Tanaiste confirmed on Thursday that the reopening of barbers and hairdressers will be “definitely be much later” than March 5th, before telling the Irish Mirror he has ordered clippers for himself.
Welcome drop in cases today
Ireland saw another very welcome drop in cases today with 556 new cases confirmed.
Tragically another 68 Covid-19 related deaths were reported.
50 of these deaths occurred in February, 15 occurred in January and 2 in December. There is 1 death where the date of death is under investigation.
Ireland's death toll now stands at 3,752 while there has now been 204,940 confirmed Covid cases here.
Latest vaccination figures
As of February 6, 236,996 doses of COVID-19 vaccine have been administered in Ireland:
- 152,652 people have received their first dose
- 84,344 people have received their second dose
Schools and construction priority for reopening
Schools and construction are the Government's priority when it comes to easing Ireland's brutal lockdown restrictions.
The Taoiseach today confirmed that classrooms and building sites – both regarded as "essential services" – will be top of the agenda when the Government moves to lift some restrictions.
Micheal Martin promised a Level Five decision of some variety "closer to the middle of the month" – but warned the rest of the country not to expect any grand reopening.
"We will be cautious in our response," he told reporters ahead of a Cabinet meeting.
Mr Martin said schools and construction – two areas that are supposed to stay open even in Level Five, but which closed last month amid an extraordinary spike in case numbers – "are regarded as essential services."
