TRAVELLERS from Northern Ireland on holiday in Spain have spoken of their surprise and confusion after being told they must now quarantine for a fortnight when they return.
The measures came into effect from midnight on Saturday, when Spain was removed from a list of countries exempt from self-isolation rules.
Penalties for breaches include a fine of £1,000 and potentially also apply if people fly into Dublin and then head north.
The Irish government had already left Spain off a list of 'safe countries' published last week.
Health minister Robin Swann said that the sudden decision to remove Spain from the exempt list "was not taken lightly".
"I have spoken with my counterparts across the UK and we agree that the recent upsurge in new positive cases in different parts of Spain are a cause for concern.
Read More: Quarantine for travel from Spain: what does it mean?
"I will continue to monitor the situation in Spain and other countries, and make the changes to the regulations when necessary."
In regards to sanctions for breaches, the Department of Health pointed to advice on the NI Direct website which states that "you may be fined £60 if you refuse to provide passenger information on arrival, £1,000 if you leave the location where you are self-isolating without reasonable excuse, or you could face further action".
"It also applies regardless of how you have arrived in Northern Ireland – directly, via Ireland, or via another UK region."
Among the restrictions, people returning from Spain and other affected countries "cannot go out to work, school or visit public areas" and "should not go shopping".
Quarantined travellers are required to "only use public transport if you've no other option", wear a face mask if doing so and ask others to deliver groceries or medication.
"Note that this list is continually under review and countries could be removed from it at short notice due to increases in their infection rates or falls in the infection rates in the UK," the guidance adds.
The decision on Spain was taken after warnings that a second wave of coronavirus cases could be hitting the country following a recent surge in new cases.
Holidaymakers arriving and flying out from Belfast yesterday expressed their shock at the news, with those planning trips in coming days also left assessing the implications.
Belfast woman Lauren Spence, who is due to return home today, said she was "quite confused about it all".
"We have felt very safe and secure here. It seems strange to us when we have kept ourselves to ourselves that we are then having to self-isolate upon our return," she told the BBC.
Scott McFarland, from Lurgan, only arrived in Alicante on Saturday, hours before the rules were changed.
He said there should have been "a few days' grace".
"They were prepared to give a month of grace for the enforcement of wearing masks in shops in Northern Ireland," he said.
"Twelve hours notice of 'get home before midnight', it's a bit much."
SDLP MLA Colin McGrath said the news had come as a "shock" but he hoped that people would comply with the new regulations.
"They will now have to make arrangements regarding work and other domestic matters and prepare for 14 days of isolation. I hope that testing will be made available quickly for these people so a quick result will enable them to return to work sooner," he said.
The change brings Northern Ireland into line with the Republic, although questions remain over the ability to track people arriving into one part of the island and crossing the border into the other.
On Friday it was reported that health minister Robin Swann had written to his southern counterpart, Stephen Donnelly, to outline concerns about data sharing.
Sinn Féin junior minister Declan Kearney said a joined-up approach is needed.
"It is illogical for the information gathered from passengers arriving at southern airports and then potentially travelling into the six counties not to be exchanged between agencies on a north/south basis," he said.
"There is an obvious need to introduce universalised travel locator forms with unfettered sharing of that information among and between the administrations with responsibility for England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland, north and south."
