NPHET has recommended the closure of restaurants and gastropubs before the New Year as part of efforts to deal with rising rates of Covid-19.
From today, people can travel outside their county and three different households can meet indoors.
The measures were due to stay in place until January 6th - but NPHET wants household mixing limited to one other household shortly after Christmas.
The advice, including new restrictions for the hospitality sector, will be considered by cabinet next week.
It comes as health officials have warned we could see up to 1,200 cases a day by the second week of January based on the current trends.
484 new cases were confirmed last night with 3 additional deaths, while the estimated 14-day incidence rate has risen to 94 per 100 thousand.
The reproduction rate of the virus is now between 1.1 and 1.3 but could be higher.
