Isolation period for Omicron cases and contacts may change to five days, reports indicate

The government is considering reducing the isolation period for Omicron cases and close contacts to five days, according to a report in The Irish Times.

As a record 16,428 cases were confirmed last night, one Minister told the newspaper that a review of the isolation period will be something "on the agenda of Cabinet very early in the new year."

The source added: "If numbers continue to rise at the rate they are at now, the sheer numbers of people in isolation will have a huge impact on jobs and the economy."

It follows after the Centre for Disease Control, or CDC, this week reduced the number of days of self-isolation for positive Covid-19 cases from 10 days to five, so long as said cases are asymptomatic.

The CDC also reduced the quarantine period for close contacts.

In addition, the newspaper reported that the govt has based the potential changes on research which suggests that Omicron is a milder variant of Covid-19, yet is nonetheless capable of resulting in far more infections.

Speaking on the widespread cases of Omicron throughout Ireland yesterday, Chief Medical Officer Tony Holohan said: “All of the latest epidemiological indicators are a cause of concern."

"The Omicron variant is accelerating rapidly in the community and given the very high levels of transmission of this new variant nationwide."

He added: "Every individual should consider themselves potentially infectious, and strictly adhere to the public health measures by washing hands regularly, keeping a safe distance from others, avoiding crowded places and reducing social contacts as much as possible."

His sentiments were echoed by HSE CEO Paul Reid, who told RTÉ News that the variant is "running rife in our communities."