Visitors to nursing homes will need to show a Covid-19 cert from Monday.
New HSE guidance requires that visitors either have been vaccinated or have recovered from the virus.
Visiting through windows will still be permitted.
Executive Director of Sage Advocacy Sarah Lennon says visits are an important part of residents well-being:
"The timing of it is interesting because what we know is that in nursing homes the booster programme for the vaccine has just really been wrapped up. And the vaccine programme for staff is well underway as well so the vaccine levels in nursing homes are probably as high as they're likely to be."
