Compassion urged as Varadkar warns not to book flights home for Christmas

Nphet will meet on November 26 to determine what advice it will issue to Government regarding a possible end to level 5 restrictions. Their advice will include recommendations for travel. File picture: Sasko Lazarov/RollingNews.ie

Families dreaming of a return home for Christmas with loved ones have been left devastated as the Tánaiste warned people not to book flights amid fears of a renewed spread of Covid-19.

The surprise comment sparked distress among those planning to return in the coming weeks and prompted calls for clarity.

However, medical officials backed Leo Varadkar's comments, classing flights home for Christmas as "non-essential travel".

Chief medical officer, Dr Tony Holohan, said he "fully understands" people's disappointment and, indeed, the impact on the aviation sector, but added that “the fact is that unnecessary travel represents an unnecessary risk”.

Philip Nolan, chair of the National Public Health Emergency Team’s (Nphet) epidemiological modelling group, added: “We can’t downplay the dangers of international travel.”  

“Where did the virus come from? International travel. How did it spread? International travel,” Prof Nolan said. 

“Travel is a risk."

Earlier, asked about travel over the Christmas period, HSE chief Paul Reid said it is "too early to call".

"From a HSE perspective, we would be reluctant to look anywhere beyond December 1 at this point in time."

Leo Varadkar told the Dáil that it is "too soon" for people to book flights home for Christmas. Picture:Gareth Chaney/Collins

Nphet will meet on November 26 to determine what advice it will issue to Government regarding a possible end to level 5 restrictions, Dr Holohan confirmed. Their advice will include recommendations for travel and the hospitality sector. 

It comes as one additional Covid-19-related death and 395 new cases were confirmed, including 132 in Dublin, 31 in Cork, and 27 each in Donegal, Limerick, and Galway.

Mr Varadkar told the Dáil that it is "too soon" for people to book flights home for Christmas.

I know that is difficult, and I know it is tough. Christmas is six weeks away and it is too soon for people to be booking flights to come home.

"Certainly we’re not in the position at this point to advise people that it’s safe to come home for Christmas," he said.

His advice was issued despite new rules due to come into effect at the end of the month which would allow anyone to come home and cut their isolation period for five days if they receive a negative PCR test.

Sinn Féin's Darren O'Rourke called for "common sense" and "compassion". 

He said the Government must recognise that many people will want to come home for Christmas and that a balance must be struck "between public health advice and the reality of the experience that people have had over the year and their expectations for Christmas".

Ryanair condemned the Tánaiste's Dáil statement and said the EU traffic light system already gives people the certainty they need to book flights.

Social Democrats co-leader, Róisín Shortall asked if the Government has factored international travel into modelling for a potential increase in Covid-19 infection levels over the Christmas period.

"We need to know if there is adequate capacity in the tracing system to be able to respond to an inevitable spike in positive results," she said.

Ryanair condemned the Tánaiste's Dáil statement and said the EU traffic light system already gives people the certainty they need to book flights.

"Aviation is a critical part of national infrastructure and the Tánaiste, who is responsible for job creation, should be supporting the traffic light system instead of undermining it," the airline said in a statement.