{"id":19599,"date":"2021-02-03T09:33:43","date_gmt":"2021-02-03T13:33:43","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/irishexaminerusa.com\/wp\/?p=19599"},"modified":"2021-05-02T10:26:14","modified_gmt":"2021-05-02T14:26:14","slug":"coveney-defends-irelands-international-travel-policies-during-pandemic","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/irishexaminerusa.com\/wp\/?p=19599","title":{"rendered":"Coveney Defends Ireland’s International Travel Policies During Pandemic"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Photo: Fabrizio Bensch\/Reuters\/Pool\/dpa<\/figcaption><\/figure>The Foreign Affairs Minister has defended the country\u2019s handling of international travel during the pandemic.<\/p>\n

Simon Coveney said that the Government\u2019s measures have had a \u201chuge impact\u201d on curbing the spread of the virus from international travelers.<\/p>\n

He said that the number of people passing through the country\u2019s airports is 3 per cent of the numbers compared to last January.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo it\u2019s 97 per cent down and (it is) continuing to fall,\u201d Mr Coveney said.<\/p>\n

The Government is to introduce new measures around travel, including mandatory quarantine at a designated facility for people who arrive in Ireland without a negative PCR test taken in the past 72 hours.<\/p>\n

Travelers arriving into Ireland without a negative test could face a fine of 2,500 euros or a six-month prison sentence.<\/p>\n

Mr Coveney said the Government recognized that further restrictions were needed on people arriving into the country.<\/p>\n

\u201cSome of that mandatory quarantine has to happen in State-run facilities where people are required to effectively be in a hotel for 14 days, by law,\u201d he told RTE Morning Ireland.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe political decision to do that has only taken place in the last couple of weeks, and there is primary legislation required for elements of that and I hope that opposition parties will support Government now in getting that legislation through quickly.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf the D\u00e1il cooperates on that, there is no reason why it can\u2019t be done very quickly in terms of the primary legislation, specifically required for that mandatory quarantine.\u201d<\/p>\n

Mr Coveney also said there is a difference between quarantine and self-isolation, saying there is some limited flexibility around quarantine.<\/p>\n

But he said that it was up to the Government to clearly define that.<\/p>\n

\u201cQuarantine means they have to stay in their home, and the difference between that and self-isolation is; self-isolation you have to lock yourself in your room and separate yourself from the rest of the household which in quarantine is slightly different to that,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n

\u201cQuarantining at home, you restrict your movement to your home.\u201d<\/p>\n

On Tuesday, Ireland reported a record 101 Covid-19 deaths, the highest number in a single day since the pandemic began.<\/p>\n

An additional 879 new cases of the virus were also confirmed on Tuesday.<\/p>\n

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