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Covid-19 Pandemic

Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 28 April 2021

Wednesday, 28 April 2021

Questions (914, 941, 945, 947, 954, 963, 981, 982, 983, 984, 988, 1002, 1003, 1004, 1005, 1041, 1069, 1078, 1083, 1087)

Michael Lowry

Question:

914. Deputy Michael Lowry asked the Minister for Health if he is considering exemptions from mandatory hotel quarantine for persons who have been fully vaccinated against Covid-19 with Russian and Chinese manufactured vaccines; if the matter has been discussed with NPHET; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21386/21]

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David Cullinane

Question:

941. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health if consideration has been given to recognising on the basis of currently existing evidence some as-of-yet non-approved Covid-19 vaccines which are being administered in other states for exemption from mandatory hotel quarantine or if the evidence does not support this; if the HPRA has analysed the evidence of the effectiveness of these vaccines not in the context of approval for use here but in the context of reducing transmission and in considering exemptions from hotel quarantine; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21478/21]

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Pádraig O'Sullivan

Question:

945. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health if a vaccine (details supplied) will be added to the list of approved vaccines for home quarantine; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21498/21]

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David Stanton

Question:

947. Deputy David Stanton asked the Minister for Health the position regarding the recognition of the vaccination of persons who have been fully vaccinated with a vaccine (details supplied) and who plan to enter the State; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21501/21]

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Brendan Griffin

Question:

954. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Health if a vaccine (details supplied) will be accepted as a vaccine to exempt visitors from mandatory hotel quarantine; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21535/21]

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Paul Kehoe

Question:

963. Deputy Paul Kehoe asked the Minister for Health if he will consider an exemption from mandatory hotel quarantine for a traveller from Abu Dhabi who has been fully vaccinated with a vaccine (details supplied), provides a not-detected PCR test and provides an antibody test proving sufficient immunity against Covid-19; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21590/21]

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Kathleen Funchion

Question:

981. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Health if his Department is considering allowing international travellers that have a vaccine (details supplied) an exemption from hotel quarantine. [21670/21]

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Seán Sherlock

Question:

982. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Health if he will address a matter raised in correspondence (details supplied) regarding a Covid-19 vaccine; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21672/21]

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Seán Sherlock

Question:

983. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Health if he will address a matter raised in correspondence (details supplied) regarding a vaccine. [21674/21]

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Neale Richmond

Question:

984. Deputy Neale Richmond asked the Minister for Health if he has considered expanding the exemptions from mandatory hotel quarantine to include those that are fully vaccinated but not from vaccines that are approved by the European Medicines Agency; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21682/21]

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Brendan Smith

Question:

988. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Health if persons travelling home to Ireland that have been fully vaccinated with a vaccine other than those approved to date in the European Union and have clear tests pre-departure and on arrival in Ireland will be exempt from mandatory hotel quarantine; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21688/21]

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Catherine Murphy

Question:

1002. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to Irish educators based in Abu Dhabi that have received Covid-19 vaccines and wish to avail of a waiver from mandatory hotel quarantine; and the progress he has made to date to introduce a reciprocal travel arrangement with other states in this regard. [21751/21]

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Catherine Murphy

Question:

1003. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Health the position in respect of Irish citizens that have received vaccines abroad and their requirement to go into mandatory hotel quarantine; and the rationale for this requirement. [21752/21]

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Cathal Crowe

Question:

1004. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Health his plans to remove the necessity to undertake a hotel quarantine upon arrival in Ireland for Irish citizens living in the United Arab Emirates that have been fully vaccinated with a vaccine (details supplied). [21755/21]

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Danny Healy-Rae

Question:

1005. Deputy Danny Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health if a vaccine (details supplied) will be added to the list of vaccines already considered for exemption to the mandatory hotel quarantine given the efficacy of this vaccine is at approx. 73%; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21766/21]

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Holly Cairns

Question:

1041. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Health if persons that have received a vaccine (details supplied) will have to mandatory quarantine if they are arriving form a country on the quarantine list; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22022/21]

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Mattie McGrath

Question:

1069. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Health the reason those who have been fully vaccinated against Covid-19 with an alternative vaccine (details supplied) to those currently available in the EU are obliged to undertake mandatory hotel quarantine; the reason they will not be accepted in Ireland if these vaccines which have been approved by their country of residence and are approved by the WHO; if he has evidence that such vaccines do not work to suggest that they are not being accepted in the exclusions to mandatory hotel quarantine; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22124/21]

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Niamh Smyth

Question:

1078. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Health if a person (details supplied) can enter Ireland without having to quarantine; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22201/21]

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Steven Matthews

Question:

1083. Deputy Steven Matthews asked the Minister for Health the position regarding Irish citizens returning home after residing abroad who received a non-EMA approved Covid-19 vaccine (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22226/21]

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Joe Carey

Question:

1087. Deputy Joe Carey asked the Minister for Health the work ongoing to recognise the Covid-19 vaccine sinopharm as an approved vaccine; the timeframe with regard to same; if approved, if persons in receipt of the vaccine will be eligible to avoid mandatory hotel quarantine; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22240/21]

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Written answers

I propose to take Questions Nos. 914, 941, 945, 947, 954, 963, 981 to 984, inclusive, 988, 1002 to 1005, inclusive, 1041, 1069, 1078, 1083 and 1087 together.

Mandatory hotel quarantine has been introduced as one element of Ireland’s public health measures to combat the transmission of COVID-19 variants of concern.

The Health Act 1947, as amended, provides that all persons arriving in Ireland from a designated state, or having travelled through a designated state in the previous 14 days, are required to undergo mandatory quarantine in a designated facility unless they are an exempted traveller under the Act. All applicable travellers must reserve and pay for a place in mandatory hotel quarantine.

The Health (Amendment) Act 2021 identifies those who are exempt from mandatory hotel quarantine and a full list of exemptions can be accessed on gov.ie/quarantine.

The provisions of the Act also allow for travellers to request a review of decisions relating to their quarantine; however this can only be undertaken once quarantine has begun.

The Government continues to evaluate wider policy on international travel as informed by the epidemiological situation and public health advice.

As of 17th April, passengers who are fully vaccinated and have the documents to confirm this are no longer required to complete mandatory hotel quarantine on arrival in Ireland. Dependents, including children, will also be exempted from the requirement to complete mandatory hotel quarantine in this instance.

Please note that the 4 EMA approved vaccines currently accepted have specific definitions for when a person would be considered fully vaccinated.

The following table sets out the definition of ‘fully vaccinated’;

Type of Vaccine

You are regarded as fully vaccinated after

Pfizer-BioNtech

7 days after 2nd dose

Moderna

14 days after 2nd dose

Oxford-AstraZeneca

15 days after 2nd dose

Johnson & Johnson/Janssen

14 days after single dose

Passengers who are fully vaccinated and exempt from hotel quarantine are still subject to other travel restrictions, such as the need to provide a negative pre-departure PCR test and complete a period of self-quarantine at home or wherever specified in their passenger locator form.

Covid 19 vaccines can only be approved and used if they comply with all the requirements of quality, safety and efficacy set out in the EU pharmaceutical legislation. No vaccine will be used until Market Authorisation from the European Medicines Agency (EMA) is obtained and any authorised vaccine will be subject to ongoing monitoring in Ireland by the Health Product Regulatory Authority (HPRA).

At present, neither the Sinopharm or Gam-COVID-Vac Covid-19 vaccines have received EMA approval.

Neither I as Minister for Health nor my Department have a role in decisions relating to whether individual persons must enter mandatory quarantine or whether individual persons are exempted travellers. All such decisions are to be determined in accordance with the provisions of the Act.

The Government continues to advise against all non-essential international travel.

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