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International travel will be easier for some countries after a government decision that will allow Covid-19 testing for passengers passing through Dublin Airport in a few days.
The Cabinet has also agreed that arrivals from EU “red” countries after midnight on November 29 will not have to restrict their movements for the full 14 days if they produce a negative test at least five days after arrival.
Passengers using Dublin Airport will be able to undergo pre-flight testing for coronavirus after Cabinet approved a planning exemption for a private testing facility at the airport.
The new airport tests will allow Irish travelers to go to regions classified as “orange” under the EU traffic light system for international travel where, if they have a negative test, they will not be asked to restrict their movements for 14 days.
A spokesman for the state airport operator DAA said it would be possible to have a test facility up and running at Dublin airport in a matter of days.
Two Covid-19 test centers have already been opened at Cork and Shannon airports.
The government has said travel from the United States will be kept under review.
The National Public Health Emergency Team (Nphet) reported another 16 additional coronavirus-related deaths on Tuesday, including 14 that occurred this month and an additional 270 cases.
Meanwhile, the government also approved an additional 48 million euro package to support the aviation sector ahead of what ministers were told would be a difficult winter season for airlines.
The funding is in addition to the money already announced as part of the 2021 Budget.
The new support includes € 22 million in additional funding for Cork and Shannon airports and an additional € 21 million for the Regional Airports Program, benefiting Knock, Kerry and Donegal airports.
Separately, it emerged that the state health regulator questioned the Health Department last month about why residents of some nursing homes, where staff tested positive for Covid-19, were not being tested.
Hiqa Chief Inspector Mary Dunnion called for the testing program to be repeated for nursing home residents or, if not, a more consistent approach to testing if positive cases are detected among staff.
She told a department official that not all nursing homes where staff tested positive for the disease have had their residents tested.
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