DUBLIN, Nov 26 (Reuters) - Ireland is considering restarting
its mandatory hotel quarantine regime after it told residents to
avoid non-essential travel to seven southern African countries
due to concerns over a new COVID-19 variant, its health minister
said on Friday.
While Ireland has no direct flights to Botswana, Eswatini,
Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa and Zimbabwe, it
urged all Irish residents there to return as soon as possible
and quarantine at home for 10 days upon their arrival.
"I've had advice from the chief medical officer to say it
(mandatory hotel quarantine) is something we should consider,"
Stephen Donnelly told national broadcaster RTE, saying he would
bring legislation before parliament early next week to enable
the regime to resume after it was stood down in late September.
(Reporting by Padraic Halpin, Editing by William Maclean)