Vaccinated people arriving into the country from overseas will not have to get a clear Covid-19 test from midnight tonight.
Since early December, when the threat of the Omicron variant emerged, all arriving passengers have needed either a negative PCR test or a negative antigen test, regardless of vaccination status.
As the Irish Times reports, this requirement is now being removed following Cabinet approval on Wednesday and from tomorrow, the situation that applied before December 6th returns.
This means that vaccinated people with a valid Digital Covid Certificate or another valid proof of recent infection or vaccination will not need a test. Unvaccinated people will need a “not detected” PCR test result taken within 72 hours of their arrival into Ireland.
The measure was applied to slow the arrival of Omicron into the country to the greatest extent possible – with the near total dominance of the variant, it is understood it was no longer seen as valid.
📢 Digital COVID Certs will be updated soon to reflect your additional vaccine.
The EU is applying a maximum 9 mth validity to certs based on a completed primary vaccination course.
You can also request a DCC of Recovery if you've recovered in the last 6months via online portal pic.twitter.com/VtGHkOHOqRAdvertisement— Stephen Donnelly (@DonnellyStephen) January 5, 2022
Meanwhile, Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly said updated Digital Covid Certificates would begin to be issued later this week to those who have received booster vaccines.
The European Commission set a nine-month expiry period for the certificates for travel purposes in December, meaning that people will need to get a booster shot to keep their vaccination status valid.
He said on Twitter people could also request via an online portal a certificate of recovery if they have recovered from Covid-19 in the last six months.
Elsewhere, Green Party leader Eamon Ryan has said he thinks Ireland can get through the current wave of infection without resorting to further restrictions. While the changeable situation with Covid-19 was such that one could “never say never”, Mr Ryan said the changed behaviour of the population would control the virus.
“I think the measures we introduced just before Christmas are the right ones, the Irish people have been really sensible, people have restricted their movements and their level of socialisation.
