Nphet: Mandatory quarantine should be introduced for travellers into Ireland

Dr Ronan Glynn told the Oireachtas health committee that there should be as few people as possible coming into the country for non-essential reasons over the coming months.

Mandatory quarantine should be introduced for people coming into Ireland, the deputy chief medical officer said.

Dr Ronan Glynn told the Oireachtas health committee that there should be as few people as possible coming into the country for non-essential reasons over the coming months.

He said: “Our advice is there, it’s published. We previously asked for mandatory quarantines and recently we asked for an added element of discretion as it applies to travel to be removed, insofar as is possible.

“What we want is a situation where non-essential travel is reduced to the greatest extent possible.” 

He added: “The discretionary elements of travel need to be addressed to the greatest extent possible.

“Mandatory quarantine is one way in which that can be done, but there may be other ways that that can be done that I’m not privy to, from a health perspective.”