Ireland's roadmap out of the pandemic is expected to be released towards the end of the month with big changes to restrictions.
It has already been established that Micheál Martin will announce a timetable for the final ending of all restrictions before the end of this month.
This will signal the Government's official ending of the third pandemic lockdown.
A special Cabinet subcommittee on Covid agreed that there will be a “roadmap for the easing or removal of the remaining restrictions” published within weeks.
And now the Irish Times are reporting that social distancing could be significantly relaxed in the next steps towards freedom.
The paper reports that the new roadmap would see a move "away from regulation and population-wide restrictions and towards a focus on public health advice and personal judgment."
Over 6.3m vaccines have now been administered in Ireland with public health officials confident that the high level of immunity will help a return to normal.
HSE Chief Paul Reid said on Monday morning: "Today we've now 259 #COVID19 patients in hospital (up from just 40 over 6 weeks ago), 48 of those in ICU. Without vaccines in January we saw hospital cases of over 2,000. But it's a strong reminder to us all to stick with what works, public health measures & vaccines."
