There have been 1,423 further cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Ireland.
Latest available data from the Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC) shows there are 286 patients hospitalised with the virus - of which 63 are in ICU.
The five-day average of cases has risen slightly to 1,330.
Chief Medical Officer Dr Tony Holohan says despite rising vaccine numbers, people still must adhere to public health advice.
"COVID-19 vaccines are providing very effective protection from severe illness and have fundamentally changed the risk profile of COVID-19 in Ireland.
"It is important that all of us receive our COVID-19 vaccine as soon as it is available to us.
"Once again today, we see more elements of our society and economy re-open.
"If you are fully protected through vaccination, then you can have confidence that your vaccination, and your continued adherence to the public health advice appropriate to each environment, is the best way you can protect yourself from COVID-19.
"If you display cold or flu like symptoms like cough, fever, headache, sore throat and blocked or runny nose, self-isolate immediately.
"Please do not meet up with others or attend events, work or school. Arrange a PCR test through the HSE as soon as possible".
'Back to normal by Christmas'
While the latest Pfizer data on vaccines for five to 11-year-olds has been hailed as "really positive news" given the high percentage of children that suffer symptoms of long-COVID.
Pfizer and Pfizer and BioNTech have announced plans to seek regulatory approval for the use of their COVID vaccine in children as young as five.
The companies said their latest trial results show the vaccine is safe and produces a robust immune response in children aged five to 11-years-old
They noted that the vaccine would be administered at a lower dosage for children under the age of 12.
And Professor Anthony Staines, a professor of health systems at DCU, has put falling case numbers down to the people and not action by the Government.
He earlier told The Hard Shoulder: "The Irish population have been very reasonable mostly - with very few exceptions - very sensible, but mostly done what they're asked to do.
"You could argue the Government hasn't done their bit in ramping up public health to control case numbers.
"I think that's a very fair criticism.
"But the vaccination programme has worked extremely well, and hopefully that will get us out of this and case numbers will keep going down over the next couple of months.
"And we'll be back to more or less something like normal by Christmas".
