Enhanced travel rules for seven ‘high risk’ countries lifted

Enhanced travel restrictions applying to people arriving in Ireland from seven "high risk" countries linked to the Omicron variant have been lifted.

Since late November international arrivals who had been in the so-called "scheduled states" of Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa and Zimbabwe had been required to present a negative pre-departure Covid test prior to arrival in Ireland and to complete post-arrival testing and home quarantine.

On Wednesday, as the pace of Omicron continued to accelerate in Ireland, the Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly announced these measures were no longer in place.

"All passengers arriving from overseas will now be subject to the same requirements for travel to Ireland. Overseas passengers to Ireland are required to show proof of a negative/not-detected Covid-19 test result," the Department of Health said in a statement.

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“A passenger with proof of vaccination or recovery can show either a negative PCR test result taken within 72 hours prior to arrival or a negative antigen test result taken within 48 hours prior to arrival.”

Other universal measures include that passengers without proof of vaccination or recovery must show a negative PCR test result taken within 72 hours of arrival.

Passengers to Ireland who arrive without a negative or not-detected Covid test result are required to home quarantine and take a PCR test within 36 hours of arrival.

The department said all travel measures will be kept under constant review.