The Chief Medical Officer says a rapid rise in incidence of the disease, means Covid-19 is circulating widely.
12 thousand infections have been detected in the last week.
It comes as 1,818 new cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed, with 237 patients in hospital last night, including 52 in ICU.
UCC Professor, and co-founder of ISAG which advocates for Zero Covid Gerry Killeen says the figures are worrying, ahead of unvaccinated children returning to school.
"They're particularly worrying because we're reopening schools soon.
"We have a high percentage of adults vaccinated but a small proportion of children vaccinated, and no primary school children.
"So that's a real concern - and our kids have not been exposed to this kind of risk before or anything like it."
