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Update on Irish Covid-19 travel restrictions

 

 

This an update, on 27th January 2021, outlining the changes made by the Government in Ireland to meet the Covid-19 pandemic challenge.

 

 

Ireland was in Level 4 up to the Christmas 2020 period. The government relaxed restrictions for 10 days over the Christmas and New Year period. As a direct result of this, the Covid-19 cases in Ireland increased exponentially

 

Ireland was returned to level 5 lockdown on 4th January 2021.

 

Further restrictions on travel both in and out of Ireland were introduced by Government on 26th January 2021. The main changes were the stricter re-enforcement of the 5k radius from your primary residence rule. Also, instead of having an advisement not to travel, all   unnecessary travel both into and out of Ireland was made legally prohibited. At the time of writing, travel out of Ireland is only permitted for essential travellers, and all travellers into Ireland are now require to quarantine for 14 days after arrival. Irish citizens with a valid negative PCR test, on arrival into Ireland, may quarantine at their primary residence. All other travellers, even with a negative PCR test, have to quarantine at their own expense in designated hotels. Travellers from Portugal and South Africa, may now not travel to Ireland. It is envisaged that these restrictions will remain in place for an initial period of 2 months, with a review at the end of that period.

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There are 3 vaccines available worldwide since the start of January 2021, with another coming online in early February 2021.

There are 2 COVID-19 vaccines presently, licensed for use in Ireland. These are the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine and the Moderna vaccine. A number of other vaccines are in the final stages of licensing and approval.

JustRetired50Plus travel in a COVID-19 world

 

 

Context:-

We would regard ourselves as recreational travellers. Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, we have spent the last six months at home. During this time, we have had to cancel and reschedule, where possible, our foreign travel plans on four separate occasions. Pushing out holidays until 2021 from 2020 and travel vouchers are now the new norm.

We recently decided to travel to Santorini in Greece as a consequence of two factors:- (1) We could not recoup our prepaid hotel outlay via vouchers, into 2021 and (2) A new direct flight from Dublin to Santorini became available on the 17th of August (our previous flight arrangements had been cancelled by the respective airlines).

So as not to be seen as cavalier about travel, what follows is our attempt to encapsulate in a Pros & Cons format, our interpretation of our foreign travel planning and experience, such that it is, in our continuing new COVID-19 world. Should you also choose to travel, these various points can be used as an aide memoire, to inform your own travel strategy.

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An image of page 1 of our risk register during Covid.
An image of page 2 of our risk register during Covid.
An image of page 3 of our risk register during Covid.
An image of page 4 of our risk register during Covid.
An image of page 5 of risk register in Covid.
An image of page 5 of our risk register during Covid.
An image of page 6 of our risk register during Covid.

As the artificial insemination inspector told the farmer  ‘There is more to life than romance’.

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