New testing and self-isolation requirements for incoming travellers, including healthcare workers, to Ireland from Great Britain, South Africa and Brazil
These requirements have been put in place in an effort to prevent and limit spread of variant COVID-19 in Ireland.
A. Anyone who has travelled from Great Britain, South Africa or Brazil to Ireland in the past 14 days is now advised to immediately:
- self-isolate for a period of 14 days from the date of arrival into Ireland and
- Refer yourself for a COVID-19 test in the public system, which can be arranged by your GP. If you don’t have a GP, ring any GP and they can arrange this for you.
- Arrange for this test to be done 5 days after your arrival in Ireland or as soon as possible after that date.
- A “not detected” test does not affect your requirement to remain in self-isolation for the duration of the 14-day period.
- If you have already had a test done in a private clinic or through a private laboratory, you need to complete the 14 days of self-isolation, regardless of the result of test carried out privately. You should also organise a test in a public laboratory with your GP
- For people coming Great Britain, South Africa or Brazil, this “self-isolate” advice is a stricter form of advice than the standard “restrict movements” advice that would otherwise apply to persons coming from overseas.
- If you develop any symptoms suggestive of COVID-19 at any stage, irrespective of previous testing, phone your GP or HSE Live at 1850 241 850 and alert them of your recent travel overseas from Great Britain, South Africa or Brazil.
- If you have COVID-19, your contacts will also be tested for COVID-19 and will be required to self-isolate
B. If you are a Healthcare worker and have travelled to Ireland from South Africa or Brazil in the last 28 days:
- You need to be tested (regardless of when in this 28-day period you travelled to Ireland) – this is arranged either by your GP or your occupational health department
- You need to have completed 14 days self-isolation before working in a health care environment.