The decision was made by the cabinet health committee last night.

(Source: @merrionstreet/Twitter)

The Chief Medical Officer is to consider reducing the isolation period for people who test positive for Covid.

The decision was made by the cabinet health committee last night - after ministers were briefed by Dr Tony Holohan.

He'll now review the seven-day period and make a recommendation to Health Minister Stephen Donnelly.

Executive editor of the Irish Daily Mail, John Lee, says a return of mandatory mask-wearing was also ruled out last night.

Despite pressure from all sides to bring back moderate restrictions particularly from the health service, the cabinet health committee voted in favor of reducing the isolation period.

The health committee discussed loosening some of the remaining restrictions.

Tony Holohan has been sent off to review the seven day isolation period and to return with ideas of a shorter period.

Although the cabinet agreed to this, yesterday afternoon a further 5,252 PCR-confirmed covid cases were announced.

And  6,489 people registered positive antigen test results through the HSE portal yesterday.

That makes the number of covid cases 110 greater than lastweek.