I cant work out the travel restrictions between UK and Ireland

[postitgirl]

Do I need a PCR test to get into the republic? Do I need to quarantine? I keep reading the gov sites, and then at the end it says 'except Ireland or the Common Travel Area'. I don't understand!!!!!

It makes a massive difference if people are coming from the U.K. where the Indian variant is rapidly becoming dominant to the Republic of Ireland where vaccination levels are still relatively low

Well, it’s perfect legal to go from GB to NI and presumably that’s happening all the time.

It’s also perfectly legal to go from ROI to NI and vice versa and I know that’s happening all the time.

So transmission will happen anyway. Can people not join these dots?

@TheKeatingFive

It makes a massive difference if people are coming from the U.K. where the Indian variant is rapidly becoming dominant to the Republic of Ireland where vaccination levels are still relatively low

Well, it’s perfect legal to go from GB to NI and presumably that’s happening all the time.

It’s also perfectly legal to go from ROI to NI and vice versa and I know that’s happening all the time.

So transmission will happen anyway. Can people not join these dots?

So your view is as some transmission will happen that everyone should avoid quarantine rules to reduce transmission, fly in through the north and instead spread covid and this new variant as far and wide as possible what could possibly go wrong....

It’s just pragmatism. The border between ROI and UK generally is absolutely full of holes. There’s no appetite to tighten any of this, so it’s hardly surprising if quarantining isn’t taken seriously.

You've been asked not to

It’s perfectly legal. What’s your point?

your view is as some transmission will happen that everyone should avoid quarantine rules to reduce transmission, fly in through the north and instead spread covid and this new variant as far and wide as possible.
No one said everyone should avoid quarantine rules, there are no quarantine rules in the UK.
It is already happening.
There is a huge increase in cars crossing the border daily, young people travelling for a pub experience, 100's flying in daily.

@TheKeatingFive

It’s just pragmatism. The border between ROI and UK generally is absolutely full of holes. There’s no appetite to tighten any of this, so it’s hardly surprising if quarantining isn’t taken seriously.

Quarantine is taken seriously by people who care about not spreading covid everywhere to their families and society in general. People who don’t take quarantine seriously will be the reason why we end up back in a lockdown or having rapidly spreading covid before we get our vaccinated population high enough.

I don’t know why as someone living in Ireland you would be actively encouraging people to disrespect something that supposed to keep us safe.

I’m stuck in quarantine now for the full bank holiday as I’d to travel to the U.K. for an essential medical procedure. It has to be done. It should be done.

People who don’t take quarantine seriously will be the reason why we end up back in a lockdown or having rapidly spreading covid before we get our vaccinated population high enough.

I don’t think people quarantining or not quarantining will make a button of difference when there’s an open border with NI, which in turn has an open border with GB and thousands of people travelling across both, perfectly legally every day.

Haven't seen my parents since Christmas 2019. Hoping once I get my second shot at the end of July things will be a bit different and it won't be too long before I can make my way home.

Get so excited thinking about it.

It is already happening.
There is a huge increase in cars crossing the border daily, young people travelling for a pub experience, 100's flying in daily.

Exactly. Are people blind to what happening right in front of them?

And to those posters looking to fly over to see family I should say quarantine is not that bad. If you are visiting family members you can quarantine with them - they’ll just need to do it with you and not be out and about.

I have a relative planning to come over and stay with my gran. They’re both vaccinated. Will spend the first 5 days of her visit enjoying time with each other at my gran’s house after so long apart then she will get her free covid test and head out to see the rest of the family. She also has peace of mind of knowing when she flies over she has a negative covid test. It’s not too much to ask and keeps cases down in Ireland.

@seashells11

I’ve travelled a few times from London to Ireland, following the rules each time. I’ve said the visits were to visit ill elderly family members (which is true) as well as family support (to give my mum a break from her caring responsibilities). The Gardi have never had a difficulty with this.

We rent accommodation to isolate and have shown this (and been asked to evidence it and received phone calls to check we were obeying quarantine). Pre test before travel (PCR), and HSE test on day 5 after to release.

As a family, we have had COVID and are fully vaccinated but I’ve never been asked this/it doesn’t change the rules. There is still a requirement to isolate.

The rules in Ireland are relaxing and people are becoming much more flexible about travel. I’ve been stopped in the English reg car a few times but as soon as I explain I’m not on holiday, nobody has asked anything further - that being said I expect my Irish accent helps! We did have a few comments from neighbors etc. but as long as I’ve reassured people that we’ve followed quarantine rules, there’s been no difficulty.

@TheKeatingFive

People who don’t take quarantine seriously will be the reason why we end up back in a lockdown or having rapidly spreading covid before we get our vaccinated population high enough.

I don’t think people quarantining or not quarantining will make a button of difference when there’s an open border with NI, which in turn has an open border with GB and thousands of people travelling across both, perfectly legally every day.

Jesus Christ @TheKeatingFive have you no common sense at all?

Person 1 - goes to U.K., comes home and quarantines, gets positive test, continues to quarantine until no longer infected with covid. Infects no one else. No impact.

Person 2 - goes to U.K., comes home, doesn’t quarantine. Is positive for covid. Spreads covid to family members and friends, who spread it to family members and friends and schools and work colleagues, causes local outbreak and increase in cases of very virulent Indian variant to spread across the country.

Can you see now how quarantining can quite clearly make ‘a button of difference’ now???? Hope this helps.

Should clarify - you can quarantine with family, but none of mine would have the space for us to do so.

Also no pcr’s etc. needed to return from Ireland to the UK. So it’s only one way.

My point, rather obviously, is that even though it is legal, it is against guidelines

What guidelines is it against?

The Irish government explicitly stated that when they lifted county limits, that applied to the whole island.

So that’s what’s I’m struggling with.

@MissingCoffeeandWine fair play. No one is saying you can’t come visit your relatives. Just need to do it without putting others at risk.

I wish more people were like you.

Can you see now how quarantining can quite clearly make ‘a button of difference’ now???? Hope this helps.

And the thousand of people, crossing borders every day, perfectly legally, have just escaped your notice?

Just because no-one can stop you crossing it doesn't mean you should.

I’m still waiting for the ‘guidelines’ that say I’m not supposed to cross the border.

@TheKeatingFive where are you off to up north this weekend? Maybe I’ll ditch my quarantine and come stay in the same place, ask to sit near everyone and cough on people. After all according to you there’s no issues with that? No problem at all?

It's not about crossing the border into NI, it's about sneaking through the north to get to GB and beyond, getting away without having to do a PCR test and filling in your locator form on the way back. It's not about the normal GB-NI flows, it's about all the people from the republic using the open border to pull a fast one. As you know.

www.dfa.ie/travel/travel-advice/coronavirus/general-covid-19-travel-advisory/

There is a Government Advisory in operation against all non-essential international travel.

While strong advice remains to avoid non-essential international travel, if you must travel to Ireland from GB, you must take the following steps:

From Saturday 9 January, any passengers arriving into Ireland whose journey originated in Great Britain are required to present a negative / ‘not detected ‘result from a pre-departure COVID-19 Reverse Transcription Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) test taken within 72 hours before their arrival in Ireland (a UK Government list of private providers of tests is available here. The test result presented must show that the test conducted was a RT-PCR test, as Antigen or other test types do not meet the requirements. P

How ironic that an advanced search of @TheKeatingFive shows her giving out and complaining about lockdowns -while she now tries her best to ensure we’re back in lockdown sooner rather than later trying to persuade people not to bother with quarantine when they fly in.

I flew into Dublin from UK on Sunday.

I had a negative PCR test on Thursday. Was asked for it at the airport in London and on arrival in Dublin. Completed the Passenger Location form online and had to show the email receipt on arrival in Dublin.

I’m currently quarantined at my Dad’s house although got to go out this morning! It’s Day 5 so I got to go for my COVID test.

Tests this end are free and you can book through a drive through or walk in centre.

I’ve had a couple of texts from the HSE with info what to do about quarantine and how to book tests.

Also had a text from Gov.ie checking I’m still at the same address.

I’ve come as my father has cancer and isn’t doing well although still having treatment.

I’m perfectly legally (and within guidelines) going to see my parents.

You can do what you like, but as there’ll be plane/boat travel coming over from GB all the time I don’t think it’ll be making any big statements.