A new study that'll test the population for Covid-19 antibodies is expected to be rolled out next month.
The serial prevalence survey would see a small random group of the population invited to have blood taken, which would then be analysed.
Cillian De Gascun, chairman of the Covid-19 Expert Advisory Group, says it'll get under way in June subject to ethical approval.
"It would obviously be age, gender and ethnicity matched to the population as a whole.
"We'd probably look at two different regions, one of a high prevalence and one of a low prevalence.
"And then depending on the findings of that first iteration, it would probably be repeated at serial intervals, perhaps in different geographic areas depending on the first iteration."
