The National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET) is to meet today to discuss the concerning spread of Covid-19 in Ireland as we approach Christmas.
Travel restrictions are set to ease from tomorrow onwards until the start of January but following a warning from Taoiseach Micheal Martin, that could change.
From December 18, people are allowed to travel anywhere in Ireland and three households are allowed to meet up.
But speaking on TV, Micheal Martin said the Christmas relaxing of these rules could now end earlier than the fixed date of January 6th.
He revealed on Virgin Media's Tonight Show that a special Cabinet meeting has been scheduled for Tuesday December 29th to reassess the situation.
Chief Medical Officer Dr Tony Holohan believes that the country is in a "precarious situation" and heading in the "wrong direction".
On Wednesday, there were 431 new cases of the virus, 134 of which were in Dublin.
The CMO warned: "We are seeing significant and concerning indicators that this disease in moving in the wrong direction, including an increase in positivity rates, and seven day and 14 day incidence, and our five-day average has now increased to 339 cases.
"Recent international experience has demonstrated just how quickly this disease can get out of control.
"These trends are all the more troubling because of the delicate and precarious situation we are in - as a country, we are heading into a period of potential widespread inter-household and inter-generational mixing."
He added: "This is an ideal opportunity for the virus to spread and impact on those most vulnerable to its severest effects.
"Don’t give Covid-19 this chance: limit your contacts, prioritise who you meet, and let’s remain vigilant so we can get through this together."
Worsening Covid-19 rates across Europe has led the Taoiseach to say he's "keeping an eye" on the date.
Intercounty travel reopens this Friday and there are fears that it could lead to a huge spike in Covid-19 cases – especially when the numbers of loved ones travelling home from regions abroad where rates are skyrocketing again is factored in.
This was supposed to last through to January 6th.
But it now appears that an earlier return to a higher level of lockdown could be on the cards.
