Ireland imposes tighter restrictions on British travellers amid Delta variant concerns
There is a much lower incidence of the Delta variant in Ireland, which is why these changes are being made.
Tuesday 15 June 2021 20:46, UK
People arriving in Ireland from Britain will have to self-isolate for a minimum of five days, the Irish government has announced.
Those who are fully vaccinated will have to undergo quarantine for five days and unvaccinated people for 10 days, the Irish Cabinet confirmed on Tuesday.
The new rules, brought in amid rising cases of the Delta variant of COVID-19, come into force immediately.
It comes a day after UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson delayed the easing of lockdown restrictions in England for four-weeks to 19 July.
Those unvaccinated and arriving into Ireland from the UK will now have to produce a negative PCR test result on day five and day 10 of self-isolation before being allowed to conclude their quarantine period.
Meanwhile, those fully vaccinated can be released from quarantine after five days of isolation if they can produce a negative PCR test at this point.
Those who do not take a PCR test must isolate for 14 days.
Self-quarantine does not have to take place at a hotel, and can be at the person's home or wherever they are staying during their visit.
Travellers from Ireland to Britain will not face these restrictions and children under 11 do not need a test.
But the Department of Health said the legal requirement to self-isolate will also apply to people arriving in Northern Ireland from Britain who then travel on to the Republic.
Taoiseach Micheál Martin said the measures were being introduced as the Delta variant "has increased in prevalence in the UK".
"I think it makes sense that we continue to monitor this, which we will take public health advice as we move along, but so far the reopening has gone well in Ireland," he said.
It comes as international travel from Ireland is set to resume from 19 July.
Under the previous rules, people arriving in Ireland from Britain had to provide a negative PCR test result and then self-isolate at home, but could leave isolation after five days with a second negative PCR test.
Live COVID updates from the UK and around the world
Travellers from Ireland to Britain face no such restrictions.
Irish Transport Minister Eamon Ryan said the "cautious" move was to hold back the spread of the Delta variant, the dominant coronavirus variant in Britain, until the Irish vaccination programme further rolls out.
"The more we can delay its spread," he told RTE Radio. "The better protection we'll have."
The presence of the Delta variant has been confirmed in Ireland, but at a much lower incidence level than in Britain.
The Irish government has serious concerns that the strain, which is at least 60% more transmissible than the original Alpha variant, could take hold and jeopardise plans for a wider reopening of society on 5 July.
Follow the Daily podcast on
Speaking on Monday, deputy chief medical officer Dr Ronan Glynn urged people who are not yet vaccinated to remain vigilant.
"One thing that we're particularly concerned about is the Delta variant, and what impact that may have over the coming weeks," he told Beat 102-103.
"We're very keen for people, particularly people who have not been vaccinated, continue to follow the basic messages so that we don't run into trouble over the coming weeks."
Tuesday brought an additional 283 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Ireland, the Department of Health said.
There were 60 people in hospitals with the disease, of whom 23 are in intensive care units.