A new campaign has been launched to encourage safe behaviours in relation to COVID-19.

It will feature posters encouraging people to continue hand washing, physical distancing, wearing face coverings, covering coughs and sneezes and downloading the COVID Tracker app.

They were designed by illustrator Fatti Burke.

The campaign also includes radio and Spotify adverts, and social media messages.

Later in August the campaign will be extended to include TV advertising and spots on online players.

The poster campaign is mainly aimed towards people who are out commuting, socialising and shopping.

They encourage people to:

• Step up & step back – go one step further to keep each other safe
• Wash and go – clean hands stop the spread of COVID-19
• Masking for a friend – wearing a face covering helps us to protect each other
• Cover coughs and sneezes with your elbow or a tissue
• Use the COVID Tracker app to protect yourself and people around you

Picture by: Department of Health

Health Minister Stephen Donnelly said: "Thanks to the care taken by everyone over the last few difficult months, the number of people with COVID-19 had fallen significantly in Ireland.

"However, as we start to see a rising number of cases around the country, we need to reinforce basic but key public health messages.

Picture by: Department of Health

"One of those key messages is to wear face coverings as advised.

"Other key messages include keeping our physical distance, washing our hands, covering our coughs and sneezes and using the COVID Tracker app."

Acting Chief Medical Officer Dr Ronan Glynn added: "We know how important communicating clearly with the public has been throughout this crisis and I thank everyone for their engagement with public health advice.

Picture by: Department of Health

"We know that the vast majority of people in Ireland have followed our advice and have made very significant sacrifices over the past number of months.

"The priority now is to protect the progress we have achieved and continue to protect each other into the future."

And HSE Chief Clinical Officer, Dr Colm Henry, said: "More of us are now going out to work and socialising, commuting and eating out.

"Our public health advice is asking people to avoid crowds, especially indoors, and limit the number of people we're meeting and if you do meet people, keeping up our protective behaviours will make a difference to reduce the risk to yourself, to others, and to preserve health services for people who are more vulnerable."

Main image: One of the posters as part of the new campaign. Picture by: Department of Health