A ban on inter-county travel from St Stephen's Day is among the proposals being discussed at Cabinet this morning.
The closure of restaurants and pubs from Christmas Eve and an extension of the ban on flights from Britain until the end of the year is also being considered.
Last night the Chief Medical Officer told Ministers that Level 5 restrictions will be needed after Christmas, as the situation is deteriorating rapidly.
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Health officials say there could be over a thousand cases of Covid-19 by next Wednesday based on the current trends.
It's estimated the reproduction rate has risen to between 1.5 and 1.6 while the estimated 14 day incidence has increased to 122 per 100 thousand.
