Dr. Tony Holohan says island is ‘behaving as one’ in terms of COVID-19 disease when quizzed about cross-border movement

Dr. Holohan noted incidence rates of SARS-CoV-2 were ‘broadly similar’ in both jurisdictions on the island. He was asked about the open border by Fine Gael T.D. Colm Brophy during a briefing of the Oireachtas Special Committee on COVID-19 Response.

Deputy Brophy asked why the medical advice was insisting on a 14-day quarantine period for people visiting Ireland from overseas.

“As long as that remains in place Ireland is an effective lockdown zone as regards reopening for tourism, the commercial life of the leisure industry, etc. It has significant implications. It seems to many a displaced point that one has NI with an open border with people going back and forth as we all want but people are landing in Dublin Airport faced with a 14-day lockdown, which effectively will kill our tourist industry. What is the medical advice that underpins the advice to Government on that?” he asked.

Dr. Holohan, in his response, said the COVID-19 disease was following similar patterns across Ireland.

“It is public health advice. It relates to our assessment in relation to the potential incubation period of this virus. There is pretty much international consensus on 14 days.

“Few countries are at variance with that particular measure. It is to try and ensure that we limit travel from overseas and have people coming in who do not spend a period of time.

“The reason it does not exist for travel on the island is that our assessment is that, in broad terms, the island is behaving as one from a disease point of view. In Northern Ireland, the incidence is broadly similar.”

The CMO said it was too early to say when the quarantine period could be lifted.

“It is simply too early to make an assessment, given - even on the island of Great Britain and in many other European countries let alone the United States and the rest of the world - the state of infection of how long we need to have that in place.”