Covid-19: Infectious disease expert says some countries safe for international travel

Dr Jack Lambert, specialist in infectious disease at the Mater hospital, Dublin has said that if people observe the appropriate safety guidelines then it is safe to travel.

The government needs to come up with practical solutions he told RTÉ radio’s Morning Ireland.

People have stayed home for three to four months and there is still Covid in the community and there are some cases as a result of travel.

Dr Lambert said that he would not recommend travelling to Florida or a trip to Disneyland because Covid was rampant, but he would go to Iceland, Slovenia or Greece which he said were safer than any city centre in Ireland.

“This is a long term problem, we need quick decisions.” Dr Lambert pointed out that it took weeks for the government to come up with the restrictions.

Decisions were needed from the experts in the best time period, to make recommendations, he said.

The EU had a list of countries that are safe, that have been vetted and “Ireland is going to think about it.

The consequences are economic losses to everybody.” Dr Lambert said he disagreed with the chief medical officer Dr Tony Holohan who had called on people not to holiday abroad.

“I think we should go along with the best expert opinion. I’m not suggesting opening the borders and do nothing. I’m calling on them to come up with a plan the same as the rest of the world.”

The rest of the world had imposed regulations with regard to face masks on public transport, but that had not happened in Ireland.

“Things can be done proactively, we don’t need to wait months and months.”

There are calls for the Government to make a clear decision on whether the Irish public can travel overseas or not this summer.

The Chief Medical Officer has asked the public not to go abroad but the Government recently said foreign travel may be possible to certain countries which had the virus under control.