Dublin: In-bound travellers to Ireland will no longer need a Covid-19 test as of Thursday if they are fully vaccinated against or have recovered from the disease, according to the government. Those who do not meet the new regulations must show a negative result of a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test done within 72 hours of arriving in Ireland, according to sources citing the government.

According to the announcement, fully vaccinated or recovered travellers entering Ireland will just need to produce proof of a valid Digital Covid Certificate or other appropriate proof of vaccination or recovery status from Thursday.

In reaction to the development of the Omicron variant, travellers flying to Ireland required to submit valid confirmation of a negative antigen test result taken within 48 hours or a PCR test done within 72 hours before arrival. Because Omicron has become a dominant form in Ireland, and the old policy had a minimal influence on the transmission of the virus, Prime Minister Micheal Martin told local media that the government has withdrawn the requirement for vaccinated or recovered patients.

On Wednesday, the Department of Health announced an additional 17,656 confirmed cases of Covid-19, increasing the total number of confirmed cases in Ireland to 884,855. This indicates that over 18% of Ireland's population has been infected with the disease.

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