IF IRELAND reopens too soon the country will be at serious risk of a fourth wave of coronavirus, Dr Ronan Glynn has warned.
The acting chief medical officer is set to appear before an Oireachtas committee today to give an update on Ireland's fight against the virus.
At midnight on Monday, Ireland relaxed a number of lockdown restrictions for the first time in over four months, and while more restrictions are set to be eased over the coming weeks, Dr Glynn says the country shouldn't act too hastily.
It's understood that Glynn will tell TDs and Senators that a fourth wave of Covid-19 can be avoided if social contact remains largely unchanged for the next six weeks.
The skeleton of lockdown is set to remain in place until around mid-June, but the public are growing increasingly frustrated with the prolonged implementation of strict public health measures, and the Government is under increasing pressure to ease or even lift restrictions in the coming weeks as transmission rates fall.
On Monday, Ireland's 5km travel limit was lifted and citizens are now allowed to travel wherever they like so long as it's in their own county or within 20km of their home.
Two households can now meet outside for social reasons, and two fully vaccinated individuals are now allowed to meet without wearing masks or socially distancing.
But Dr Glynn maintains that members of the public should continue to adhere to all necessary public health guidelines until lockdown is officially lifted, and urged everyone not to take their foot off the gas.
On Sunday evening, the Department of Health confirmed 394 new Covid-19 cases, but thankfully no further deaths.
It brings the nation's overall total number of confirmed cases to 241,330, with 4,785 Covid-related deaths since the start of the outbreak.
See More: Covid-19, Dr Ronan Glynn, Fourth Wave, Ireland
