Ireland Announces Worldwide Lockdown Again

Ireland being the paradise for tourists across the world has initiated a 3rd-time lockdown which extends until April 5th. An upsurge of the recent variant of the virus has induced this sudden decision which has upset travelers worldwide.

Prime Minister Micheal Martin extended the current ongoing lockdown till April 5th which was slated to end by March 5th. These new lockdown restrictions include the closure of every public service including restaurants, pubs, and gyms to name a few. This step seems to be in action until there is a decent decline in the number of cases. The vaccination drive which is going in full swing is also said to continue in the lockdown with all the restrictions followed intact by the locals.

This has left travelers who are aiming for Ireland vacations with the change of plans. Although Ireland tourism has been hell-bent on monitoring and validating the situation to perfection, this recent flash of news has shattered the hopes of Ireland vacations completely.

Elaboration of Lockdown and its steps:

A group of officials from Irish Government Advisory unanimously decided against non-essential international travels in the wake of an increase in the number of cases. Though the recent limitation comes as a little shocking for the tourists, this is termed as a short-term restriction by the Irish Government. People from South Africa or South America who want to embark on Ireland vacations have to cancel their plans due to the sudden suspension of international travel in Ireland. The justice department also has laid a complete curtailment in the clearance, and the issue of Visa applications for travelers who are on the lookout for Ireland vacations. 

As effective from February 4th, 2021, travelers who enter the island would be subjected to quarantine without any exemptions. The concessions seem to be offered to very limited cases which deal with people who have serious needs like the death of a family member or involved in government duties.

Countries that are classified as quarantine category:

People who want to score Ireland vacations from tier 2 countries will have to go through a compulsory 14-day quarantine on entering the island without fail, or any glitches. The countries which have been listed under this Category 2 are Angola, Austria, Brazil, Mauritius, Namibia, Rwanda, Seychelles, South Africa, Dubai, Zambia, and Zimbabwe, etc. Any travelers who land in Ireland would have to go through the grind of 14-day quarantine without fail. Even travelers, in pursuit of Ireland vacations, who have stepped into the above countries for transit purposes would not be exempted from this quarantine protocol.

People who don’t belong to the above countries can embark on Ireland vacations provided they carry a negative COVID-19 result which does not extend 5 days before landing. They would also be subjected to quarantine in their respective destinations which may last less than 14 days depending on their respective health condition.

All travelers who venture out on Ireland vacations are mandated to fill a COVID-19 locator form. They are also supposed to possess a negative PCR test which is not taken before 72 hours of their landing. They would have to go through a validation even before boarding their flights in case they are landing in Ireland.

Quarantine requirements:

People who embark on Ireland vacations will have to stall their plans until 14 days from their landing date without fail. The passenger locator form which will be issued to travelers would entail information about their landing address. This is the address they should quarantine themselves for the specified timeline. This leaves tourists who set out for Ireland vacations with very little choice to execute their itineraries or tourist visits.

This rule even applies to travelers from North Ireland and people arriving from outside common travel areas. So this ensures that travelers with Ireland vacations in their mind would have to subject themselves to a compulsory 10-day quarantine without any possible leeway that favors them.

This triggers travelers across the world to shelve or reconsider their plans about Ireland vacations. Even though the country promises to open some outdoor tourist attractions to the benefit of tourists, the 10-day quarantine period trumps their vacation plans considerably.

The tourism business has plummeted down to a larger extent with this wake of the news. Private tourism departments which have promoted Ireland tourism to date have suffered a slight decline in their funds. People who have been on the lookout for Ireland vacations or tourism updates on the island should stay connected with the sites. 

Recent news or fresh information regarding tourism and restrictions can be gathered from the above sites which work as a guide for tourists who set out for Ireland vacations. Even updates about the number of COVID-19 cases, or safety guidelines can be tracked with the help of these sites.