Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 24 June 2021
412. Deputy Francis Noel Duffy asked the Minister for Health if he will consider accepting proof of vaccination from Irish citizens returning to Ireland who have received vaccinations (details supplied) in order to waive mandatory hotel quarantine in which such citizens have the capacity to quarantine and self-isolate at home; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26332/21]
View answer442. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Health if he will consider including persons that are fully vaccinated with a vaccine (details supplied) to the list of those exempt from mandatory hotel quarantine; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26404/21]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 412 and 442 together.
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 |
Fully vaccinated travellers are still required to have a negative pre-departure RT-PCR test and complete a period of self-quarantine at home or wherever specified in their passenger locator form.
Ireland supports the EU Procurement Process, the purpose of which is to secure safe and efficacious vaccines for EU citizens.
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).
The delivery of vaccines under APAs that the Commission has negotiated on behalf of Member States are predicated upon a CMA being obtained from the Commission (on the basis of a positive recommendation being awarded by the EMA).
The awarding of a CMA provides a high level of assurance that a vaccine has undergone rigorous testing and has met the requirements of the independent regulatory process as regards demonstrating its safety and efficacy.
Neither the Sinopharm nor the Sputnik vaccines have been awarded a CMA to date.
