Likely That More Quarantine Hotels Will Need To Be Opened

It was planned that a new quarantine hotel at Barónsstígur would open today but, due to construction work, it has not worked out.

Gylfi Þór Þorsteinsson, director of the Red Cross epidemic centers, says that although the hotel by Þórunnartún will probably meet demand today, it is likely that more hotels will be needed in the future.

Plenty room at the inn

There are about 70 rooms now available at the quarantine hotel in Þórunnartún and it is estimated that the hotel will be able to receive all the passengers who arrive in the country today.

“We will hopefully be able to use Þórunnartún today, but it is still clear that we need to start thinking about opening more places,” says Gylfi in a conversation with Fréttablaðið.

Eight planes arrive in the country today, slightly more than usual, but there are fewer passengers on board than expected.

Plenty places spare

The Red Cross has a spare building on Rauðarárstígur that can be used if the quarantine hotel in Þórunnartún fills up.

“If it were to happen tonight, for example, that these 70 rooms would be filled, then we have a plan B, but then we would just have to go down the list at Sjúkratryggingar Íslands and find suitable housing,” Gylfi adds.

A new regulation on quarantine hotels entered into force last Friday. The regulation made clearer requirements for conditions for quarantine.

Asked about the outdoor activities of guests staying at the hotel, Gylfi says that they are still waiting for a final answer from the Ministry of Health. “Given the houses we have, it is difficult to allow outdoor activities, but it will be done in some way, it seems to me. But it is just being implemented.”

Note: Due to the effect the Coronavirus is having on tourism in Iceland, it’s become increasingly difficult for the Grapevine to survive. If you enjoy our content and want to help the Grapevine’s journalists do things like eat and pay rent, please consider joining our High Five Club.

You can also check out our shop, loaded with books, apparel and other cool merch, that you can buy and have delivered right to your door.

Also you can get regular news from Iceland—including the latest notifications on eruptions, as soon as they happen—by signing up to our newsletter.