The mandatory two-week quarantine period for travellers entering the country could be removed at the end of the month, RÚV reports.
Under the current proposal, travellers arriving at Keflavik Airport from June 15th will have three options: be screened for COVID-19, present a health certificate confirming they have tested negative for the virus in the country of origin or be quarantined for two weeks. Those who opt to be screened will receive results on the same day and will be required to download the COVID-19 tracking app.
Þórólfur told RÚV that he believes these changes could be brought in earlier than June 15th, possibly as soon as late May/early June, provided that the health authorities’ preparations go according to plan.
Þórólfur went on to stress that the final decision rests with the government.
The proposal to screen visitors at the airport was the idea deCODE CEO, Kári Stefánsson. At a meeting of the COVID-19 advisory committee he suggested the country use its large testing capacity to ease travel restrictions. According to Kjarninn, he recommended that the public health service carries out the screenings, but said that deCODE would step in if required.
The project’s cost is currently being assessed and it is not yet known whether visitors will have to pay to be screened for the virus.
It’s worth noting that there are no plans to lift the ban on travel into the country from regions outside the Schengen zone, UK and EFTA countries earlier than June 15th. This is a decision made by the European Council, who have set June 15th as the tentative date for allowing non-Schengen citizens into the region again, but that may be subject to change.
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