Tourists coming to Ireland must provide proof of negative Covid-19 test under new proposal
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Tourists coming to Ireland must provide proof of negative Covid-19 test under new proposal

PEOPLE travelling to Ireland will have to provide proof of a negative coronavirus test under new proposals currently being considered by the Government.

If the plans are put in place, passengers will be expected to have had tests for Covid-19 prior to their journey, and will be asked to present evidence of a negative result on arrival.

Those who fail to do so will be asked to quarantine for a period of 14 days.

Passengers who provide negative test results won't have to quarantine, but they will have to still adhere to  public health measures as per the Living with Covid plan laid out by the Government, according to the Irish Independent.

Questions have been raised though over whether Ireland could provide tests for travellers arriving without a negative test, but the National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET) has expressed concerns over a 'rapid-testing' method.

The process is not only expensive, but also more unreliable than proper laboratory testing, and could result in passengers being misdiagnosed.

The proposals are only being considered by the Government for the moment, and it's thought that they'd only be put in place should the Covid-19 situation in the country worsen considerably over the coming weeks.

According to the Central Statistics Office (CSO), overseas visitors to Ireland increased by nearly 60% in between July and August.

Over 360,00 travellers arrived in Ireland in August, compared with 227,300 the month before.