Here's A Reminder Of Today's Covid Headlines
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1,293 new cases of Covid-19 have been reported this evening.
382 people are in hospital with the virus, up 35 on yesterday, with 61 in intensive care.
The chief medical officer says a lot of preparation has gone into ensuring schools are safe to reopen.
Dr Tony Holohan says the school environment is not a major source of transmission.
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The EU has removed the US from its "safe travel" list.
The recommendation means American travellers would no longer be exempt from quarantine and testing requirements.
Israel, Kosovo, Lebanon, Montenegro and North Macedonia have also been taken off the list.
The announcement isn't binding with member states allowed to decide if they'll adopt the change.
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Restrictions will start to ease next week, including an "early return" of communions, confirmations and indoor activities for children.
The government is to publish its reopening roadmap tomorrow, which will will phase out restrictions and encourage personal responsibility.
Public transport capacity will also increase to 100 per cent next week, ahead of employers being given the option to welcome workers back to the office in mid-September.
The cabinet sub-committee on Covid-19 is meeting this evening to finalise the timeline.
Speaking on his way into the meeting, Minister Eamon Ryan said they may look at staggered opening times for certain sectors.
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A senior member of NPHET says there's "considerable evidence" that schools are not major sites of Covid-19 transmission.
Professor Philip Nolan says the Delta variant presents a "new challenge" and that Covid safety measures will need to be strictly enforced.
Around 65 per cent of 12-17 year olds have registered to get a vaccine ahead of the new school term.
Damien McCallion, the HSE's national lead on the vaccination programme, is urging more children of that age to come forward.
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The World Health Organisation's Europe director says third doses of a Covid vaccine are not a luxury - but rather about keeping vulnerable people safe.
Hans Kluge ((pron: Kloo-guh)) appears to have contradicted senior colleagues, who've criticised booster jabs when many people in poor countries haven't been immunised at all.
But he says research shows top-up vaccines are clinically effective - and that message must be backed up.
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Another six Covid patients have died in Northern Ireland.
1,259 new cases have also been confirmed in the space of 24 hours.
Over 2.4 million Covid vaccines have been administered in the North.
