IRELAND'S MANDATORY Hotel Quarantine has now been in effect for over a week, and new countries have now been added to the scheme to help protect Ireland against the spread of Covid-19.
The measures initially affected travellers from 33 different countries designated as 'high risk' by the Irish government, and a further 26 countries have now been added to the list, effective from today.
Several European countries including Italy, France and Germany were recommended to be added to the list, as well as passengers from the United States, however the Department of Foreign Affairs objected due to the large number of Irish people living in these countries and the concern that adding these 'key countries' to the list could cause a strain on international relationships.
As of now, Austria remains the only European country on Ireland's mandatory hotel quarantine list, however this is subject to change.
Which new countries have been added to Ireland's Mandatory Hotel Quarantine list?
The countries newly added to the quarantine list are:
- Albania,
- Andorra,
- Aruba,
- Bahrain,
- Bonaire,
- Sint Eustatius and Saba,
- Ethiopia,
- Israel,
- Jordan,
- Kosovo,
- Kuwait,
- Lebanon,
- Moldova,
- Monaco,
- Montenegro,
- Nigeria,
- North Macedonia,
- Oman,
- Palestine,
- The Philippines,
- Puerto Rico,
- Qatar,
- Saint Lucia,
- San Marino,
- Serbia,
- Somalia,
- The Territory of the Wallis and Futuna Islands.
Which other countries are on Ireland's Mandatory Hotel Quarantine list?
When the scheme first came into effect on 26 March, the initial 33 countries on Ireland's Mandatory Hotel Quarantine list were:
- Angola,
- Austria,
- Argentina,
- Bolivia,
- Botswana,
- Burundi,
- Brazil,
- Cape Verde,
- Chile,
- Colombia,
- Democratic Republic of the Congo,
- Equador,
- French Guinea,
- Guyana,
- Lesotho,
- Malawi,
- Eswatini,
- Mauritius,
- Mozambique,
- Namibia,
- Panama,
- Paraguay,
- Peru,
- Rwanda,
- Suriname,
- South Africa,
- Seychelles,
- Tanzania,
- United Arab Emirates,
- Uruguay,
- Venezuela,
- Zambia,
- Zimbabwe
Will I be affected by Ireland's Mandatory Hotel Quarantine?
The mandatory hotel quarantine applies to all passengers who arrive into Ireland from the designated 59 countries, or for anyone who has been in any of these countries within 14 days of their arrival into Ireland.
This means if you fly from, for example, Brazil to Heathrow and then into Dublin Airport, you will still have to quarantine, as you have been in an affected area within 14 days of arriving into Ireland.
The hotel quarantine also applies to anyone, from any country, who does not present a negative Covid-19 PCR test on arrival into Ireland, even if they have not been in one of the 33 'high risk' countries.
But everyone-- regardless of which country they are travelling from-- must restrict their movements at a named premises for 14 days when they arrive into Ireland. A passenger location form must be filled out before you arrive in Ireland stating your contact details and where you will be staying, and this may be checked by gardaí during this time.
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