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10th Dec 2021

Passengers arriving from UK told to take antigen tests every day for 5 days

Jade Hayden

Travel measures have been updated.

Passengers arriving from the UK have been advised to take antigen tests every day for 5 days from the first day of their arrival.

The government has said that those travelling to Ireland from the UK must complete daily antigen tests from day 1 of their arrival for 5 days.

If they receive a positive antigen test result they must self isolate and seek a PCR test.

This updated travel advice comes following an increase in cases of the Omicron variant in Ireland, and is an  “additional precaution” to slow down the spread of the virus.

The new rules “emphasise that everyone should take account of their overall health, their vaccine status, and the spread of Omicron in other countries before they decide to travel.”

The Taoiseach Micheál Martin told the Tonight Show that the UK is affected because of the high numbers of people who will be travelling from there this month ahead of the festive season.

This comes after travel measures were updated to ensure that all passengers have either a professional negative PCR test or antigen test before entering Ireland. 

Concerns have also been raised in recent weeks regarding the availability of PCR tests. HSE Chief Paul Reid said last month that he was seeking extra capacity for testing as demand continues to rise.

Topics:

covid,news