Opinion

Clear process needed to ensure quarantine compliance

Overseas travel has been one of the most fraught issues of the pandemic with the industry severely impacted and passenger numbers falling dramatically as governments try to limit transmission of coronavirus from other countries.

Those that have opted to holiday abroad have faced huge uncertainty with quarantines imposed at very short notice, leaving plans in chaos and people scrambling to return home before the deadline or else face a 14 day self isolation.

A further complicating factor has been the difference in approach between Northern Ireland and the Republic in terms of the countries that are named on the green list, which do not require quarantine, and those that do.

As we know, it is important that we have a system in place to track and trace those who have been potentially exposed to the virus, helping to reduce spread and keep transmission rates down, thereby protecting the wider community.

Just how rigorous this process is in relation to air passengers returning to the north has been thrown into question after it emerged that health officials here do not hold key information about those returning from coronavirus hotspots.

In the Republic, the Department of Justice has data detailing the number of passengers from non-green list countries and how many had been contacted to check their compliance with Covid-19 regulations.

However, in the north, the situation is much less clear cut and although the health minister Robin Swann announces which countries are on the green list for Northern Ireland, the Department of Health has no involvement in the tracking and verification of those in quarantine.

Similarly, the Public Health Agency, which runs the north's track and trace contact centre, is not involved in the collection or collating of data.

We are told that the details contained in the passenger locator form are held by the Home Office (Border Force) which shares information about those needing to self-isolate with Public Health England.

A more streamlined process may be needed but ultimately this is about ensuring that those travelling from high risk areas are complying with the self-isolation regulations and our local authorities have a firm grasp on what is a crucial issue affecting public health.