ANYONE flying into Ireland without proof of a negative Covid-19 test could be placed into mandatory quarantine.
The Irish government is reportedly considering the move in an attempt to slow the spread of coronavirus, particularly by trying to reduce the amount of cases that are brought into the country from abroad.
Anyone flying into Ireland who cannot provide proof of a negative Covid-19 test from within the last 72 hours could be sent to a designated quarantine location, such as a hotel, for 14 days, or until they can provide a negative result.
Cabinet are under increased pressure to introduce tougher measures, and while Tánaiste Leo Varadkar played down the notion of mandatory quarantine this morning, it's understood that the EU are considering implementing a ban on non-essential travel between member states.
On Tuesday, Cabinet will be meeting with the National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET) to discuss extending Level 5 restrictions, with an end to lockdown set to be pushed back well into February.
Hospitals are under severe pressure across the country, with almost all major facilities currently operating at close to full capacity.
According to the Irish Times, a Government source said that "nothing is being ruled out" in relation to the tightening of restrictions.
There are growing concerns about the new mutant strains of Covid-19 currently spreading rapidly across the world, including the UK variant - which is understood to be 70% more transmissible than the original strain - as well as variants from South Africa and Brazil.
Taoiseach Micheál Martin told the Irish Times: "There's a lot of concern about the variants across the member states, people are really worried about it."
