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Leaving the island during the Covid-19 pandemic has been a distant dream for most, as international travel has all but stopped.
In a sign of the times, airline giant Ryanair has suspended all flights from Cork, Shannon and Knock for several weeks in response to a “total collapse in travel demand.”
With the hopes of much of the aviation industry now pending the introduction of a new traffic light system across the EU, we look at what the future of travel could look like in the coming months.
Wait, what happened to the green list?
The last of Ireland’s “green list” countries, which exempted arrivals to the Republic from quarantine for 14 days, was removed in early October as rates of the virus soared.
While the Irish government decided on the criteria that allowed certain countries to be included on its ‘green list’, the new system will see the same criteria set and followed across the EU.
How will the new system work?
The European Center for Disease Prevention and Control will publish and update a single map showing the risk levels of the virus across Europe.
It will do this using a traffic light system that will code the regions in green, orange, red or gray, depending on the level of the virus circulating there.
On the basis of this map, member states will decide to introduce certain restrictions, such as quarantine or testing, to travelers arriving from other areas.
What travel restrictions can you expect?
Member states have agreed that there will be no restrictions for travelers from green regions.
Travelers can expect restrictions to be imposed if they come from an orange or red region, and these will be decided by the member states themselves.
Restrictions could include proof of a negative test, the obligation to quarantine or complete a passenger locator form on arrival.
Does it mean that Ireland is no longer in control of its travel policy?
Each country will be free to decide its own measures for travelers under the system, such as the need for testing or isolation, but the European Commission has emphasized that the measures should be similar across the block.
The Commission also said that “in principle” countries should not prohibit the entry of people, but allow them to quarantine or undergo tests, a policy that the Republic has followed since the start of the pandemic.
How are the different colors assigned in the traffic light system?
Green = incidence rate of 14 days per 100,000 less than 25 and a positivity rate for all Covid-19 tests of less than 4 percent.
Orange = 14-day incidence rate per 100,000 greater than 15 but less than 50 and a positivity rate for all Covid-19 tests greater than 4 percent.
Red = 14-day incidence rate per 100,000 greater than 50 and a positivity rate for all Covid-19 tests of more than 4 percent.
Gray will be assigned to countries that have not provided sufficient data.
So what color will Ireland be?
Ireland currently has a virus incidence rate of 3XX per 100,000 inhabitants and a positivity rate of X from all Covid-19 tests, meaning it will be designated in red under the new system.
Should I book my flights if a country is green?
Not exactly: the government’s Living with Covid-19 plan says it will continue to discourage non-essential travel to and from other countries.
And what about Christmas?
The government said it has yet to make a decision on the issue of families returning home from abroad in December to celebrate Christmas, after medical director Dr. Tony Holohan said it was simply “too dangerous “for international travel at this time.
Minister Simon Harris has said that the government will examine the situation closer to the moment before issuing the advice.
Is anyone exempt from the travel restrictions?
Member states have agreed that those who have an essential reason to travel will not be required to self-quarantine, regardless of which region of color they come from in the EU.
This includes workers in “critical occupations” such as healthcare, transportation workers, patients who travel for medical reasons, students who travel abroad on a daily basis, and people who travel for imperative family or business reasons.
Which countries will the new system apply to?
The system will apply to all EU countries, as well as the UK during the Brexit transition period.
The map will also include Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway.
The largest countries on the map will also be broken down and color-coded by region to reflect the different levels of the virus circulating within them.
We’ve been talking about this for a while, when will it actually happen?
Most EU countries have agreed to adopt the system, and it will take effect in Ireland early next month, on November 8.
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