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THE GOVERNMENT IS to allow fully vaccinated people to be exempt from staying in mandatory hotel quarantine, and will instead quarantine at home.
Pending legal changes that will be necessary, the change will come into effect in the coming days.
The announcement comes after calls from vaccinated Israeli citizens to be exempt, and after political support was shown for the measure – with Minister for Higher Education Simon Harris saying that it was “illogical” that fully vaccinated people would need to quarantine in hotels.
At the NPHET briefing this evening, Acting Chief Medical Officer Dr Ronan Glynn was asked if NPHET was happy with fully vaccinated people being exempt from mandatory hotel quarantine. He said:
Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly said in a statement this evening: “The Government decision last week was for a rapid review to be conducted. I have now received advice from the Acting Chief Medical Officer, which I have accepted.”
Donnelly told RTÉ’s Prime Time that he received advice from Glynn at around 7.30pm.
“Legal regulations will now be required to exempt fully vaccinated people from Mandatory Hotel Quarantine and allow them complete home quarantine,” Donnelly said.
Minister Stephen Donnelly also announced that an increase to capacity in the hotel quarantine system is to come on line from this Saturday.
It comes after the Minister announced on Tuesday night that the booking system would be ‘paused’, to allow for a ramp up in the system. Countries including the US, Canada, France and Italy were included on the ‘category 2′ list from 4am today.
An additional 305 rooms, two days ahead of schedule, will be ready to start taking bookings for those arriving Saturday 17 April onwards, adding to the original 650.
The government’s website for making bookings in the mandatory hotel quarantine system will come back online from “late this evening”, the Minister stated.
Additional capacity has been added to the Mandatory Hotel Quarantine system this evening - bookings can now be made for arrival on Saturday & beyond in case you know anyone trying to book https://t.co/zStJUdB8wZ
— Michael McGrath (@mmcgrathtd) April 15, 2021
To date, 18 people in mandatory hotel quarantine have tested positive for Covid-19, of which four involve probable variants of concern.
The Minister said: “I welcome the intensive efforts made by both officials in my Department and the Tifco Hotel Group to bring about this increased capacity. Mandatory hotel quarantine is a very important public health measure and ensures we continue to have the strongest border biosecurity measures in Europe.”
Questioning from the European Commission
In response to questions that the mandatory hotel quarantine violate EU laws around freedom of movement, and reports from the Irish Times that the European Commission is in touch Irish authorities to raise some of its concerns, Donnelly told RTÉ’s Prime Time that the Commission is “wrong”.
“If the Commission is telling me as Minister for Health that we should act contrary to the public health advice, which I have a lot of faith in, and that we should let people in from identified variant-of-concern countries with no impediments, that’s something that I simply [reject].”
When asked if the Commission is wrong, Donnelly said that based on his legal advice, and in his opinion “yes”.
“What’s fundamental is that we protect the people living in this country from Covid and from variants, and I make no apologies to the Commission, to the Italian ambassador [who called MHQ "selective and discriminatory"] or to anybody else, for putting in place the measures that we believe, and our public health teams believe, are the right measures to keep people in this country safe. That’s what we’ve done.”
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Thought they could still transmit covid-19 though?
@Jimmy Halpin: like in the film 12 Monkies?
@Jimmy Halpin: ah here…..I intend on traveling when I can and even though I’m fully vaccinated I will get tested before I fly and 5 days on arrival…..the chances of spreading Covid?! Pretty much zero! My mum is also vaccinated and I haven’t seen her in 2 years. Stop blaming the people who will do everything in their power to be careful…..
@Jimmy Halpin:
almost zero according to Professor Luke O Neill. We can’t stay afraid forever! We need to live, open up our economy to people who are vaccinated, have had Covid already, or have had negative PCR tests. There is always risk in life. Covid will always be here in some form or another. We need to accept this and get on with living. Death has always been part of life, why is it we are only afraid of it since Covid arrived???
@Jimmy Halpin: yep
@Jimmy Halpin:
Yep and so can the those of who are here already
@Margaret Henry: Avoidable death needs to be …. avoided?
@Joe Griffin: better take all cars off the roads so, better still nobody leave their house ever.
@Jimmy Halpin: rtfa
@Margaret Henry: I’ve had Covid and I moving back to Ireland in May and I’m fully vaccinated and I’ll have a negative test before I arrive. I don’t think I’m a risk to anybody. I don’t mind quarantining I just don’t want to pay for it!
@Margaret Henry: unbelievable. So now you want to “live with Covid”. Frankly, I hope it destroys the human race.
@Jimmy Halpin: Exactly
A. If the test WORKS:
Quarantine until a negative result is returned, then release the individual.
B. If the test DOES NOT WORK:
Stop using PCR “cases” to drive public policy which is smashing public health, society and the economy.
A or B….. it can’t be both.
Anyone buying or selling vaccine certs.. get your certs here !
@Jon Shannow: HaHa…. You couldn’t write the script …. !! The old and vulnerable that we’ve been ‘protecting’ for the last year, by putting our lives on pause & closing down the economy, can clear off on holidays and leave us here …. Magic…!!
@Martin Galvin: yawn
@Jon Shannow: I’m going into the brown envelope business
Donnelly is running scared now as the EU Commission is asking hard questions and the Italian ambassador had made a formal complaint. I can see the EU countries being off the list by this time next week.
@Brían Ó Tuathail: discrimination of non vaccinated people is exactly THE thing that the EU wants to tackle and avoid with the vaccine passport. Good work Italy, I wished my home country, France, which simingly has a lot of power in the EU did something… maybe they do and we don’t know about it
@Brían Ó Tuathail: agree, but they should never have been there in the first place. Donnelly lost the run of himself and now will thankfully make a U turn. I’m all for keeping us safe but proportionately.
With neglecting to adequately research the countries on and off this list Ireland Inc. risks losing its reputation for being an educated and progressive European country.
@Brían Ó Tuathail: let’s hope so. My husband is based in Italy. Our daughter is 12. We have always respected quarantine. Last trip incurred €650 in PCR tests. No prob – happy to do it. And yet now we have no access to him. Ireland is destroying basic EU civil liberties
Only fair, otherwise vaccines are not worth it
@LaoisWeather: apart from the fact they stop you getting the virus?
@Sean Murnin: That’s the weird thing …. They don’t.
@LaoisWeather: extremely unfair and discriminatory! It would be acceptable is vaccines were mandatory and if everyone had a chance to get it!
@Martin Galvin: There’s nothing weird about it if you try a little bit to understand: A) what vaccines are, or B) the fact that you’re not equipped to understand what vaccines are.
“Omg you know they don’t even stop you getting it? I mean I’m not an antivaxxer, but…”
@JusticeForJoe: You’re correct …. None of the past year has been weird, but I’ll take a chance on your indecipherable comment and go with choice A) ….. Did I get the answer right ….?
@Martin Galvin: What the vaccine does is basically train your body to deal with the virus if you get it. It’s also known to reduce transmissibility but there’s no guarantee with that. It’s main job is to protect you from its worst effects.
*Its
@JusticeForJoe: actually I know someone that got the vaccine…and then got covid!!!
@Laura Halpenny: Thankfully/hopefully the person you know is much better equipped to deal with it now than they otherwise would’ve been and won’t end up in hospital on a ventilator. I look forward to us getting the majority of people in that position and just hope that happens before the virus mutates significantly enough to become a problem for the vaccines.
@Laura Halpenny: I’m not sure why the comment that someone else posted, pointing out that you don’t seem to have read what I said, was deleted. It shouldn’t have been. What did you think I said??
I’m not in favour of hotel quarantine at all, but they introduced it by claiming there was a risk of vaccines not being effective against some variants. If they are now exempting those who have been vaccinated, what is the point of it?
@Paul O’Hare: let’s put life on hold forever shall we?!……so it’s the vaccinated that will spread it?! So if I’m vaccinated and get tested before and after I fly….visit my mother who is also vaccinated? …..I will spread Covid???? Really?!
@Claire Enright: read my first line: “I’m not in favour of hotel quarantine at all”
I don’t think anyone should be subject to mandatory hotel quarantine, regardless of whether or not they have been vaccinated
@Paul O’Hare: ok apologies….I’m just very passionate about this subject as I haven’t been able to see my family in a very long time!
Brilliant news
@Liam Mc Meel: Not really, they can still carry covid and bring variants into the country. Makes no sense.
@Seán Ó Briain: it would make more sense to quarantine positive cases or close contacts if you really want to reduce covid. But that doesn’t suit the joe Duffy brigade who have demonised travel
@Seán Ó Briain: I think very little chance of carrying it if you vaccinated according to Luke O Neil.Doesn’t seem fair to be vaccinated and still have to quarantine.
The only issue could be if vaccine doesn’t stop all new strains then we have a problem.
@Seán Ó Briain: transmission of Covid in Israel practically zero… Pfizer stating that their vaccine is preventing transmission in the US. Cases tumbling in UK as over 40s now being offered vaccines.
We will get there eventually when Glynn, Nolan and Henry get their minds beyond last January.
@Seán Ó Briain: so when does it end ? What you think is the exit strategy to this?
@Liam Mc Meel: see http://www.niac.ie so u still get infected just like flu jab
So there can still carry Covid into the community. Great news
@Brian Shea: see my comment above
@Claire Enright: what about your comment. You can still transmit the virus if you’re vaccinated.
@Mossy Quito: no point I arguing about this…I’m now free to travel as a vaccinated person and also visit my vaccinated mother! …chances of spreading Covid after testing….much much zero!
@Brian Shea: We will be quarantining at home (in my case the one room) for 14 days not gallivanting around the ‘community’. Makes more sense to ‘lock up’ the 305 who have tested positive today. At least they are definitely positive, whereas I have a very slim chance if everyone has a negative test on the plane, coming from a country that has a low case load.
This mandatory quarantine for eu countries will be scrapped within days. It is unconstitutional and the EU know it. I for one will not be entering any hotel after travel. Just try stop me!
@Paul Dolan: well there’s still a fine for attempting to leave the country without a valid reason… pretty sure that’s unconstitutional given that the treaty of rome which incorporates freedom of movement is recognized within our constitution.
The fact they won’t defend any of the MHQ court challenges shows they know they are on dodgy ground with regard to Irish citizens being detained if they are vaccinated or have a series of clear PCR tests.
@Derdaly: out of the 18 positive cases found in the MQH, 1 is staff and 17 are passengers that arrived with no tests. No cases in the passengers that arrived with a negative test. That’s says it all!
EU commission isn’t happy so this will be wrapped up shortly enough I’d say. There’s been that many amendments and back downs that they might as well just scrap it.
I thought the whole idea of MHQ was to prevent new variants, that aren’t stopped by the vaccine, from coming into the country?
And onto the next question – what about young children traveling with fully vaccinated adults?
The vaccine only protects the person who is vaccinated….so if there’s no quarantine for incoming vaccinated people, they could have COVID and are protected…….as they themselves are vaccinated but what about all the people they will meet who aren’t vaccinated and are not protected….this does not make sense
@Louise Kehoe: Totally agree Louise. I’m giving up at this stage. They really are making it up as they go.
@Louise Kehoe: This comment does not make sense. Do you understand how vaccinations work?
Even though they can still carry it into the community and can transmit it to the majority of the Irish population who don’t yet have the vaccine?
Finally great news for Irish coming home from countries like US and Israël.
That then should include those who have had Covid
So if I’m fully vaccinated can I travel outside 20KM and my county. Why not then!!??
I wonder if it’s any vaccine or just ones in use in Ireland
@Eimear O’Brien: good question
@Eimear O’Brien: very good question.
The Chinese sinovac and sputnik are extremely inferior to the vaccines in use here.
3% efficacy after the first dose of sinovac compared to 76% for astrazeneca.
@John Murphy: where are those facts from?
Sinofarm has 74% efficacy post second dose.
That’s why the Chinese government used it to vaccinate the entire Chinese population
But anyone with 20km of Dublin Airport can leave the country, anyone outside of that will be asked where are you going?
The vaccine only protects the person who is vaccinated….so if there’s no quarantine for incoming vaccinated people, they could have COVID and are protected…….as they themselves are vaccinated but what about all the people they will meet who aren’t vaccinated and are not protected….this does not make sense
@Louise Kehoe: there is quarantine… they just have to do it at home instead of paying to stay in a hotel.
Pathetic from Donnelly and Glynn. PCR should suffice. If you’re vaccinated you can still get AND transmit covid. Brainless decision. Then again, it’s Ireland and nothing surprises me.
@BRIAN MCCARTHY: if your fully vaccinated and can still get and transmit covid why are they making us get the vaccine its bloody madness they don’t seem to have a clue
2 for 5 the Coveh certs
Always behind the curve – wasn’t this obvious from the outset?? When they spoke of exemptions around the discussion table- wouldn’t this have come up. I appreciate they’re all overworked but they’ve had a year to plan for this
Finally! Some forward thinking!
The vaccine only protects the person who is vaccinated….so if there’s no quarantine for incoming vaccinated people, they could have COVID and are protected…….as they themselves are vaccinated but what about all the people they will meet who aren’t vaccinated and are not protected….this does not make sense
Or here’s a taught , what about people with a negative PCR test?
The vaccine only protects the person who is vaccinated….so if there’s no quarantine for incoming vaccinated people, they could have COVID and are protected…….as they themselves are vaccinated but what about all the people they will meet who aren’t vaccinated and are not protected….this does not make sense
@Louise Kehoe: Could you repeat that again, didn’t quite catch it the first time?!
@Simon Connolly: I hear ya, and it’s probably the worst comment on the whole article
I’d say that Lad Donnelly has Harris on quick dial…..
The vaccine only protects the person who is vaccinated….so if there’s no quarantine for incoming vaccinated people, they could have COVID and are protected…….as they themselves are vaccinated but what about all the people they will meet who aren’t vaccinated and are not protected….this does not make sense
Just because you’re vaccinated it hasn’t been proven as to if you can still be a carrier of the virus
So with this new policy in mind , why not allow fully vaccinated Irish people travel within their own country, considering these people entering Ireland traveled a few hundred kms.
It’s too early to tell if a vaccinated person can still transmit covid19. We just don’t know. So there is no logic behind this reason. It’s risky and dangerous.
We need our lives back which means we need our country back the mandatory quarantine offers us a chance to get our lives back and if you really want to come into Ireland you still can
Look at Thailand Singapore etc
About time!
The sand castle of nonsense is crumbling.
Let’s hope for the summer, we’ll be free to go anywhere
The vaccine only protects the person who is vaccinated….so if there’s no quarantine for incoming vaccinated people, they could have COVID and are protected…….as they themselves are vaccinated but what about all the people they will meet who aren’t vaccinated and are not protected….this does not make sense
2 people come home to Ireland, both could be carrying the virus. One can stay at home and the other must pay to stay in a hotel.
Sense = None
Explanation = None
The whole thing is a con!!!!!!!!!!
The vaccine only protects the person who is vaccinated….so if there’s no quarantine for incoming vaccinated people, they could have COVID and are protected…….as they themselves are vaccinated but what about all the people they will meet who aren’t vaccinated and are not protected….this does not make sense
@Louise Kehoe: if you’re vaccinated and have a negative test, you are not a danger to anyone. Statistically speaking. Positive cases walking around no bother are the issue
@Dave Harris: defo defo!!!!!
@Louise Kehoe: Sorry could you repeat that….I didnt catch it the first time or the fifth!
Seriously though I totally agree with you. The vaccinated will be like a superior race killing off the rest of us.
Ah I suppose it makes sense. It’s not fair to force quarantine upon fully vaccinated people.
Certainly it’s better than what we had before, it was far to lax.
Glad Donnelly was able to correct the EU Commission. Where would we be without him?! .Anyone ever look into the Tifco Hotel Group and who their directors are?!
Question for Simon Harris. Which vaccine has been shown to prevent the catching or spreading of covid by those vaccinated with it??
Aaaand this is how the third wave will comprise of the Brazil/SA variant or some other new mutation that vaccines do not work against. Great.
The vaccine only protects the person who is vaccinated….so if there’s no quarantine for incoming vaccinated people, they could have COVID and are protected…….as they themselves are vaccinated but what about all the people they will meet who aren’t vaccinated and are not protected….this does not make sense
Quarantine at home would only apply to people who have a home here….what about other vaccinated individuals
You’d really question now the logic in all this. It absolutely makes no sense at all. What a backwards run nation we are. It took us a full year for strict quarantining laws. Without vaccination, oh travel away, open doors, with vaccination eh we might let you quarantine at home now. They can honestly go kiss my backside at this stage . I’ve done **** all the last year . The people most vulnerable should be all done in a month or so, after that up *****!
Quarantine at home would only apply to people who have a home here….what about other vaccinated individuals
Back to square one !
And it won’t stop the point of law challenges, neither the transmission of the covid which is the reason for mandatory hotel quarantine when coming from regions at the time of high level of transmission.
If people vaccinated is exempt from hotel quarantine, any person who is awaiting for being vaccined can challenge the inequality, the cost is a lost so unless the government pays the hotels … anyone can successfully challenge it, the other ground is the fundamental human right of presumption of innocence, a person who has successfully not acquire the covid for over a year, it should be the best guarantee for their self quarantine elsewhere without vigilance
What happens with those not vaccinated who have got the covid, there are at the same level of immunization that those vaccined. However in this group there are the people most reckless and most likely to ignore everything
So we are back to square one
Quarantine at home would only apply to people who have a home here….what about other vaccinated individuals
Quarantine at home would only apply to people who have a home here….what about other vaccinated individuals
Quarantine at home would only apply to people who have a home here….what about other vaccinated individuals
@Bernie McArdle: Bernie you’ve caught whatever Louise Keble has.
Someone is going to make good money with providing realistic vaccination cards falsifications … there should be checks at point of entry … testing if there is agreement between the vaccination card and the actual immunization of the person
Good for protect the community and good for the sciences
I thought even if your vaccinated you are still a carrier and is that not the issue with overseas travel – we do not want to be carrying the virus over and back?
@Emily Barton: That’s debatable
A little under a year and they still cant get it right. No foresight even knowing the numbets of arrivals in airports and they vould not arrange enough cspacity and lets ge honest its probably only golf pros and rugby teams coming here because we hold very few other major sporting events here.
How long do they have to quarantine at home?
have your say