Ireland adds PH to list of countries subject to mandatory quarantine

FILE PHOTO: Military members wait to escort passengers from designated quarantine buses arriving at Crowne Plaza Dublin Airport Hotel, as Ireland introduces hotel quarantine programme for ‘high-risk’ countries’ travellers, in Dublin, Ireland March 26, 2021. REUTERS/Clodagh Kilcoyne

DUBLIN — The Irish government on Thursday added 26 countries, including the Philippines, to a list of states subject to mandatory hotel quarantine on arrival because of the coronavirus, but did not include additional countries from the European Union or the United States.

According to a report in the Irish Independent newspaper, the government had been advised by the Chief Medical Officer to add 43 countries including the United States, France, Germany and Italy to a list of jurisdictions subject to 12-day hotel quarantine on arrival.

A decision regarding “additional states will be considered in advance of the next Government meeting” said the Minister for Health and the Minister for Foreign Affairs in a joint statement.

Aside from the Philippines, the states added on Thursday are: Albania, Andorra, Aruba, Bahrain, Bonaire, Saint Eustatius and Saba, Ethiopia, Israel, Jordan, Kosovo, Kuwait, Lebanon, Moldova, Monaco, Montenegro, Nigeria, North Macedonia, Oman, Palestine, Puerto Rico, Qatar, Saint Lucia, San Marino, Serbia, Somalia and Wallis and Futuna Islands.

Ireland has some of the strictest travel restrictions in the European Union and last week followed England in bringing in hotel quarantine for arrivals of people from countries deemed “high risk” or those without a negative COVID-19 test.

Including the new additions, there are 58 countries on the “designated States” list, most of which are in the Middle-East, Africa, Central and South America.

Austria is currently the only EU member on the list.

Arrivals must quarantine for up to 14 days in a hotel room or can leave after 10 if they test negative for COVID-19.

Travelers from newly-added states will have to book accommodation for mandatory hotel quarantine if they intend to arrive in Ireland after 4 am on April 6.

The Republic of Mauritius was removed from the list.