INFECTION RISKS ASSOCIATED with the widespread movement of people back to Ireland for Christmas would be a recipe for disaster, experts have warned. 

Dr Gabriel Scally said he agreed with Tánaiste Leo Varadkar’s assessment that it was too early for people to consider booking flights home for the festive period.

Dr Scally, who is president of epidemiology and public health at the Royal Society of Medicine, said some travellers who did return would not experience “much of a Christmas” due to the need to comply with self-isolation restrictions depending on where they had arrived from.

“I really don’t think travel should be on the agenda this Christmas,” he told RTÉ Radio One’s This Week programme.

“And I hope people stick to that because we know this virus travels very well and having people flowing in and out of countries and through airports and all the other travel that involves is a recipe for disaster.”

Last week Varadkar warned people not to book flights home to Ireland for Christmas.

He told the Dáil that it is “too soon” to make travel arrangements.

“We’re not in a position at this point to advise people that it’s safe to come home for Christmas and I know that’s a tough message,” he said.

Last week the Government said that people travelling to Ireland from “red” listed regions will no longer have to restrict their movements once they receive a negative Covid-19 test after arrival. The test must be taken five days after they return to return.

Under the new traffic light system, the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control will publish a weekly map of the EU using a three-stage colour system (green, orange and red) to indicate the level of risk in each area.

Those new travel rules, which are due to come into effect from midnight on November 29, had raised hopes for many families that a Christmas reunion would be possible.

The Government has recently given the green light to allow Covid-19 testing for passengers travelling through DAA airports in Dublin and Cork.

Passengers will be able to get a test before and after their flight at private testing facilities. Tests are expected to cost between €100 and €200.

But planing on returning to Ireland for the festive period has been criticised by experts. Chief Medical Officer Tony Holohan said flying home for Christmas was not essential.

“We think people should avoid non-essential travel and continue to do so for the foreseeable future,” Dr Holohan said at NPHET’s Thursday night press briefing. 

Taoiseach Micheál Martin said his government would give people notice “before the end of November” of what the plans for the Christmas period will be “so that people can make preparations”.

Passport stamp

Meanwhile, Fianna Fáil MEP Billy Kelleher has called on the Department of Foreign Affairs to initiate negotiations at EU, and WHO, level on developing a passport “Covid Stamp” to demonstrate vaccination against the virus.

The Ireland South MEP made the call as it became clear that vulnerable populations would start to receive a vaccine in late 2020 and early 2021.

He said Ireland needs a standardised system where travellers can demonstrate that they have received the vaccine, and are therefore not required to self-isolate or quarantine upon entering different countries.

“At present, the WHO issues the Carte Jaune – Yellow Card to show that vaccinations against certain communicable diseases, such as the Yellow Fever virus, have been administered,” Kelleher said.

With reporting by Garreth MacNamee