New Covid travel rules could help people coming home for Christmas
Picture Dan Cork Airport Linehan
People arriving into Ireland from EU red zone countries will be free to move around if cleared by Covid-19 test after just five days, the Government has decided.
In a move seen as highly significant ahead of the traditional Christmas homecoming, from midnight on Sunday November 29, arrivals from an EU red region will not be expected to restrict movements for up to 14 days as has been the case.
Following receipt of a negative/not-detected result from a Covid-19 PCR test taken a minimum of five days after arrival in Ireland, people who have arrived here will be free to move around in line with prevailing restrictions at the time.
The Government has said this provision will also be available to arrivals from orange regions who may not have availed of a pre-departure test.
Under the latest guidelines brought to Cabinet by Transport Minister Eamon Ryan, passengers arriving from EU green regions are not required to restrict their movement but should adhere to the generally applicable public health measures.
The government has made clear the 14-day limit does not apply: where travellers have an essential function or need; or are an arrival from an EU orange region subject to the person having a negative/not-detected result from a Covid-19 PCR test taken no more than three days before the day of departure.
It said the approach to third countries, notably the US, will be kept under review – for the present, arrivals from third countries will be treated on the same basis as arrivals from red/grey regions, including exemptions from advice to restrict movements for the purpose of performing an essential function.
The proposed measures for arrivals from orange, red and grey regions, once implemented, will be reviewed fortnightly.
In keeping with the EU-wide traffic light travel system, a country will be in the green zone if the 14-day notification rate is lower than 25 cases per 100 000 and the test positivity rate below 4%.
They will be orange if the 14-day notification rate is lower than 50 cases per 100 000 but the test positivity rate is 4% or higher or, if the 14-day notification rate is between 25 and 150 cases per 100 000 and the test positivity rate is below 4%.
They will be red if the 14-day notification rate is 50 cases per 100 000 or higher and the test positivity rate is 4% or higher or if the 14-day notification rate is higher than 150 cases per 100 000
And they will grey if there is insufficient information or if the testing rate is lower than 300 cases per 100 000.