Level 3 of the government's living with Covid plan took effect at midnight
It will continue for the next three weeks.
People are asked not to travel outside their county, and eating inside restaurants and cafes is banned.
It comes as the Tánaiste last night told a meeting of the Fine Gael Parliamentary party a short sharp 'circuit break' lockdown is being considered to control the virus.
Professor of Immunology at Trinity College Dublin, Kingston Mills, doesn't think the level 3 measures are enough:
