Image copyright
AFP
Currently, anyone entering from outside the Common Travel Area must isolate for 14 days
People arriving in Northern Ireland from more than 50 countries including France, Spain, Germany and Italy will soon no longer need to quarantine.
The Stormont Executive agreed the changes after a review of the travel regulations.
Currently anyone entering Northern Ireland from outside the Common Travel Area must isolate for 14 days.
It brings NI into line with England and Scotland, where travel relaxations take effect tomorrow (Friday).
The executive said there will be “no self-isolation requirement for those travelling to Northern Ireland from low to medium risk countries”.
The Department of Health says the new travel regulations are likely to be laid down in the Assembly tonight and it’s expected they will take effect tomorrow.
- Where can I take a foreign holiday this summer?
- Who’s exempt from the quarantine rules?
The Common Travel Area covers the United Kingdom, Republic of Ireland, Isle of Man and the Channel Islands.
Northern Ireland’s quarantine rules took effect on 8 June, with fines of up to £1,000 possible for those caught leaving isolation prematurely.
The restrictions came into place in early June in a bid to stop coronavirus entering the country as the number of cases was falling.
When do places reopen?
10 July: Indoor fitness studios and gyms, bingo halls and amusement arcades, outdoor leisure playgrounds and cinemas can reopen. Indoor weddings and baptisms can be held in places of worship, as well as marriage and civil partnership services in local government offices and other venues
11 July: Horse racing and outdoor equestrian competitions and outdoor competitive games and sporting events can resume for grassroots and professional sport, but no spectators are allowed
16 July: Libraries can reopen with social distancing measures in place
17 July: Indoor sport and leisure facilities can reopen, including skating rinks and leisure facilities, however swimming pools are excluded
Amended briefing
The changes in the quarantine regulations come in the wake of a document given to the Health Minister Robin Swann which advised that travellers from the rest of the UK present “the greatest risk” of bringing Covid-19 into Northern Ireland.
But the BBC understands that advice from the executive’s chief medical officer and chief scientific adviser, was later amended to remove that wording.
First Minister Arlene Foster dismissed suggestions that the original advice had been watered down.
“As with all leaks you should be careful of the date on the paper, that was an older paper never discussed at the executive, things change – these things only cover travel outside of the Common Travel Area – these regulations were never going to apply in any event to UK travel,” she told a press conference in County Fermanagh.
“The absolute risk of people entering Northern Ireland from the rest of the UK has gone down dramatically.
“The chief medical officer wanted to make us aware of that today,” she said.
Image copyright
EPA
There are 50 countries on the ‘low to medium risk’ countries which no longer require a 14 day quarantine period
Mrs Foster also said the Chief Medical Officer Dr Michael McBride was working with his counterparts across the UK to learn lessons regarding outbreaks of the virus in areas of England, where local lockdowns have had to be imposed.
Earlier Northern Ireland Secretary Brandon Lewis rejected suggestions of quarantine between UK nations to prevent the spread of coronavirus, arguing it would amount to a “breach” of the Common Travel Area.
The government’s focus would be on implementing local lockdowns in cases of specific outbreaks, he added.
Re-opening dates brought forward
Ministers also agreed at Thursday’s meeting to bring forward some more changes to the lockdown restrictions.
From Friday 10 July, bingo halls and amusement arcades can open along with cinemas.
They were not due to open until 29 July.
The Executive also agreed that outdoor horse racing and equestrian competitions can resume from 11 July with only those needed for the event being able to attend.
Image copyright
Rawpixel
Cinemas, bingo halls and amusement arcades can now open on Friday
Outdoor competitive games and sporting events can also start again from Saturday.
This covers both grass roots and professional competitive games and events but no spectators will be allowed.
The executive has also brought forward the date for leisure centres to reopen.
They were due to open on 7 August but now they have been told they can reopen from 17 July, along with indoor sports courts, soft play areas and skating rinks.
However, it does not include swimming pools.
Image copyright
PA Media
Micheál Martin had been expected to make his first visit to Stormont since becoming taoiseach
Taoiseach visit postponed
The first minister also said Taoiseach (Irish PM) Micheál Martin will visit Stormont next Thursday.
Mrs Foster said she did not want to get into speculation about why the trip, which was originally reported to take place today, had been postponed.
She said she wanted to work with Mr Martin on “matters of mutual concern” and how they could work together to protect both Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland from coronavirus.
In the Republic of Ireland, official government advice against all non-essential travel is to remain in place until 20 July.
The Irish government had planned to publish a “green” list of countries.
However, concern about surges of the virus in other countries prompted health advice that those restrictions should remain in place.