The last remaining restriction imposed during the Covid-19 pandemic is officially being lifted today.
Masks are no longer mandatory in hospital settings and the rule implemented back in 2020 comes to an end.
The Health Protection Surveillance Centre says face coverings should still be worn around patients displaying coronavirus symptoms.
Infectious disease specialist, Professor Sam McConkey is welcoming the move - but says many people are still very frightened of the virus.
''The fear and the trauma of two and a half years of restrictions has left a significant imprint of anxiety on some people. We need to help them to reestablish their social connections and confidence in going out. We had social distancing. Now we should have social intimacy.''
The end of mandatory masks in hospitals is yet another sign that the salience of COVID-19 as a public health issue has waned; last month, the HSE announced that community test centres for the virus would close. ”
The HSE recommends that anyone with symptoms of COVID-19 limits their interaction with other people and remains inside until 48 hours after their symptoms have subsided.
