Some Irish holidaymakers will be left disappointed as Covid-19 infection remains rife in the community amid the summer wave as the BA.4 and BA.5 strains spread.
If you have any upcoming trips, now is the time to start being particularly vigilant when in busy places as catching the virus could put an end to your travel plans.
Although Covid-19 restrictions are virtually non-existent in Ireland at the moment, people are still encouraged to abide by public health advice - which includes an isolation period once symptoms begin.
According to the existing rules for those suffering from Covid-19, you should start to self-isolate as soon as you develop any known symptoms or get a positive antigen test result.
How long you need to self-isolate depends on the results of your test. If you get a positive result from an at-home test or a professionally administered PCR you need to self-isolate (stay in your room) for 7 full days. You can stop isolating after 7 days if you have had no symptoms for the last 48 hours.
When you stop self-isolating, you need to take extra care for another 3 days to reduce the risk of passing Covid-19, however, after your 7 days of quarantine, you can go back to your normal activities.
However, you should should still:
- limit close contact with other people outside your household
- wear a face covering
- avoid contact with anyone who is at higher risk of severe illness from COVID-19
- work from home unless it is essential to go to work in person
Be especially careful in places that are:
- crowded
- enclosed
- poorly ventilated
- hard to avoid close contact with people
If you’re looking for ways to prevent catching the virus ahead of your holidays, the HSE says you should:
- get a COVID-19 vaccine and booster dose when it's available to you
- keep at least 2 metres (around 6 feet) away from people you do not live with
- wash your hands properly and often
- wear a face mask in crowded places outdoors and when you move around in public indoor spaces
- cover coughs or sneezes with a tissue or your sleeve - put used tissues into a bin and wash your hands
- meet people outdoors where possible
- try to avoid crowded places where you cannot keep a distance from people - there's a greater risk of infection in crowded and enclosed places
- check that visitors to your home or workplace do not have symptoms of COVID-19, colds, or flu
- let fresh air into your home by opening windows, doors, and air vents as much as possible when you have visitors
- clean objects and surfaces that other people touch
And you should not:
- touch your eyes, nose or mouth if your hands are not clean
- share objects that touch your mouth, for example, bottles or cups
- shake hands or make close contact with other people, if possible
- wear gloves instead of washing your hands - your hands can get contaminated when you take them off
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