NPHET is expected to recommend further Covid restrictions to Government following a crunch meeting this afternoon.
Further measures limiting social interactions as well as new guidance on close contacts are thought to be among the advice.
It is anticipated that Cabinet will meet on Friday to consider the recommendations and decide on whether new rules will be imposed.
Tanaiste Leo Varadkar provided these details on Wednesday, but said he did not want to speculate about the other restrictions NPHET may recommend, particularly when it comes to hospitality.
Speaking from Brussels, Taoiseach Micheal Martin offered further clarity on the rules he expects to be in place for pubs and restaurants over the Christmas period.
The Taoiseach said there will be "flexibilities" around New Year’s Eve, adding that people should be trusted.
He was asked how pubs and bars would handle New Year's Eve when current restrictions mean all licensed premises have to have customers off their properties by midnight.
"The situation is challenging with Omicron and I fully appreciate the frustration people are experiencing because of this long pandemic but people are using their common sense and taking precaution, and flexibility in people's behaviour is going to be there," he said.
"I think being overly prescriptive is not the way forward here and we must trust people as well about how they go about their daily lives.
"Obviously public health advice will come, there will be a meeting of NPHET tomorrow evening and I would prefer to wait for that and government's response to that before getting into specifics, but suffice to say, all, including public health officials, realise the festive season is upon us, an important part of the year where families get together and we recognise the obvious human factors involved and flexibilities will apply."
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