Press release
Government announces that most of the public health measures currently in place can be removed
From Department of the Taoiseach
Published on
Last updated on
From Department of the Taoiseach
Published on
Last updated on
Following public health advice, the government today agreed that most of the public health measures currently in place can be removed.
The efforts of the Irish people over recent weeks to reduce social contacts, and take care when they did meet others, combined with the high uptake of the vaccination and booster programme, has made a considerable difference to the public health situation.
From 6am on Saturday 22 January, the following restrictions will be removed:
From Monday 24 January, a return to physical attendance in workplaces can commence on a phased basis appropriate to each sector.
A number of public health measures will remain in place until 28 February 2022:
In addition, the government reiterated the need for ongoing close monitoring of the virus.
The pandemic is not over and the emergence of new variants with increased levels of transmissibility, immune escape and/or virulence remains a risk both nationally and globally, particularly in the context of continued high levels of infection and variance in vaccine supply and uptake globally.
The ongoing strategy must include:
Individuals may still have concerns about themselves or their family members. They should continue to assess their individual situation. There are ways to reduce risk, especially for those who may be more vulnerable. For further guidance go to the Risk Aware site.
Sectoral protective measures being removed include:
Mask wearing will still be required in the following settings:
There is no change to the current measures in place regarding international travel, including the requirement for a Digital COVID Certificate. See gov.ie/travel for more details.
From 1 February, for travel purposes, a DCC based on primary vaccination only will expire after 270 days (9 months). An updated DCC can be obtained for those who have received a booster dose. Updated DCCs are currently being issued.
Anyone who has not received an updated DCC can request one through the self-service portal.