A leading health expert claims it will be impossible to significantly reduce the number of Covid-19 cases without a lockdown.
This comes after 357 cases were confirmed in the Republic yesterday, along with three more deaths.
It was the biggest daily increase in cases since May, with 208 recorded on Monday.
12 additional cases of Covid-19 were confirmed for Waterford - It brings the total, since the outbreak began, to 273.
Eoghan de Barra, a consultant in infectious diseases in Beaumont Hospital, is calling on the public to be vigilant.
"I think it's possible to reduce this, to start to see at least a decrease in numbers.
"I think to actually reverse it back is really impossible without really quite dramatic restrictions on interactions and movement."
The Government's new medium-term approach for living with Covid-19 over the next six months came into effect last night, with restrictions remaining the same for the majority of the country, excluding Dublin.
Despite being placed at level two on the new framework, alongside all other counties, Dublin has had additional restrictions implemented in an attempt to curb the spread of the virus there.
In the new plan, level five would represent a lockdown situation, with many public health experts saying reimposing widespread lockdowns is not the answer to living with the virus until a vaccine is found.
Yesterday, public health expert, Dr Gabriel Scally said it is good to see the Government is not adopting a broad approach to restrictions in the new plan.
"It has been one of my worries about Ireland and the UK that there wasn't actually a strategic plan, so I'm glad that has been remedied.
"I'm also pleased to see that they are not adopting a one size fits all approach. Clarity and consistency are extremely important."
