New rules around close contacts will take effect from midnight tomorrow.
Cabinet Ministers have signed off on an exemption to isolation for close contacts who are fully boosted and are asymptomatic.
It is expected those aged under 40 won't now need to get a PCR test if they get a positive antigen and will have to isolate for seven days.
Health Minister Stephen Donnelly says those with a positive test result will be asked to log their antigen tests through an online portal.
Cabinet approves changes to close contact rules which take effect from midnight tomorrow night
— Mícheál Lehane (@MichealLehane) January 12, 2022
Donnelly says relaxing the rules for close contacts comes with some risk:
"I think it is fair to say there is an element of risk, we're always balancing these things.
"We've seen the ECDC advice, and undoubtedly if we relax the rules on close contacts, it does add an element of risk.
"But I think what we're really seeing now is an endorsement of the booster campaign and an endorsement of the national effort."
