Quite a major change.

Cabinet is expected to approve the easing of restrictions for those who have been tagged as close contacts of a positive Covid case.

Following advice from NPHET and Chief Medical Officer Dr. Tony Holohan, it is expected that close contacts who have received a booster jab, have no symptoms, are showing as negative on antigen tests, will no longer have to self-isolate for any period of time.

At present, people who have been boosted more than seven days ago must isolate for five days if they have been pinged as a close contact, and can only re-emerge from isolation if they take three negative antigen tests, each 48 hours apart.

There are different and more restrictive rules for those who have not received a booster, though the easing of restrictions will apply to anyone who has had Covid in the last three months (but has not been boosted).

It is also expected the rules around isolating will change for those who actually have Covid, with the isolation time being reduced from 10 days to seven — though again, this depends on whether or not the person in question is testing negative on an antigen test.

19,290 cases of Covid were confirmed in Ireland yesterday, with hospital numbers at 1,062. ICU numbers remain relatively stable at 92.