Ireland, Other Nations “Jump the Shark” on COVID-19 Travel Restrictions

Ireland’s COVID-19 travel restrictions have gotten ridiculous, now that the government has cut its ‘green list’ to include just 7 countries. This post was written before Ireland cut its green list further, to zero countries.

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There’s an infamous moment in the classic TV show Happy Days. The sitcom about teenage life in the 50s had seemingly run out of ideas. Because they wrote an episode in which Arthur “Fonzie” Fonzarelli accepted the challenge to jump over a shark. It was a watershed (or water skiing) moment for the coolest guy on the show. And yes, he wore his leather jacket out on the water.

Everything about the scene was ridiculous. If you could point to one moment that signaled Happy Days was about done, that was it. Thus, a new catchphrase was born: “jump the shark.”

Jumping The Shark

The phrase was initially applied to TV shows. But “jump the shark” can be broadly applied to almost anything once it goes too far and can’t be taken seriously anymore.

That’s where I’m at with Ireland’s latest travel restrictions. I believe its government has jumped the shark. On Monday, they announced an updated ‘green list’ for quarantine-free travel. Just 7 countries appear on it.

Seven!

That’s seven countries from which Ireland allows quarantine-free travel. Arrivals from everywhere else (except Northern Ireland) must self-isolate for two weeks. The rule applies to residents of Ireland and visitors alike. That’s two weeks without going out, without going to work, and without using public transportation. Outdoor activity is restricted to exercising alone.

That might make sense if the remaining countries had higher rates of infection. But according to the New York Times, more than 175 are reporting lower rates of infection than Ireland (as of 9/23/2020). Sure, not all those countries report accurate numbers. But surely, we trust the numbers from New Zealand, right? Nope, Kiwis who visit Ireland are required to quarantine for two weeks.

Green List Countries

Ireland’s COVID-19 travel restrictions apply to nearly every country on Earth. The exceptions are the seven nations listed on the government’s very short green list:

• Cyprus
• Finland
• Germany
• Iceland
• Latvia
• Lithuania
• Poland

Travelers arriving from any of those countries will NOT be required to self-isolate upon arrival. They should simply take “normal precautions.”

UPDATE: It gets worse! On October 12, 2020, Ireland reduced its green list down to… zero. There are no countries on the green list. But on November 8th, the nation plans to implement Europe’s new traffic light system. More on that here.

The List is Smaller Than It Looks

If a green list with 7 countries seems ridiculously small, it’s actually smaller in practice. The green list does not take into account any restrictions on travel to those countries. For example, Latvia requires visitors from Ireland to self-isolate for 10 days upon arrival in that country. That’s because Ireland has a case rate higher than what Latvia currently allows for quarantine-free travel. So if you live in Ireland, you’re probably not going to Latvia on holiday.

It’s the same story with Finland.

Irish visitors to Cyprus must test negative for COVID-19 before leaving, or test upon arrival.

In practice, residents of Ireland have almost nowhere to go. They face quarantine when they travel and/or when they return to Ireland. And in fact, many of the countries to which the Government restricts travel are safer from COVID-19 than Ireland itself.

A Global Problem

Ireland’s COVID-19 restrictions on travel are a microcosm of a much bigger issue. Since the coronavirus pandemic began, nations across the globe have banned travel from beyond their borders. The bans made sense at first. We didn’t have enough information on the virus, but we knew some countries were experiencing high rates of infection. No country would want a potentially deadly virus to reach its shores.

But that was before we truly understood just how effective masks could be.

Masks Work

Let me repeat that: Masks work to slow the spread of coronavirus. Their use, probably more than anything else, has allowed the world to go back to work and get out once again.

I feel comfortable in nearly any situation when I’m wearing a mask! I don’t always feel that way without one. Several months after the pandemic began, we have learned how to protect ourselves. Wash your hands frequently. Avoid touching your face. Maintain social distance where you can. Cover your coughs and sneezes.

And wear a mask.

Testing/Contact Tracing

Many countries have come to their senses. Travel is slowly reopening, and testing is what’s driving it. In our definitive guide to the places Americans can visit, you’ll find many countries that allow travel but require negative COVID-19 PCR tests from their guests. I’ve previously explained why that’s the better, more equitable solution.

A negative test for Covid-19 is no guarantee that someone is free of the virus. But neither is a person’s address. There is no fail proof method of detecting coronavirus. But I’d argue testing is the better option, and more fair to those who’ve been responsible about safety during this time. Plus, no one wants to fail this test and ruin their vacation.

Final Thoughts

Many nations have overzealous COVID-19 restrictions. The United States, for example, currently bans visitors from Europe, China, Iran, Ireland, the United Kingdom and Brazil. But as of today (9/23/2020), none of those areas have higher rates of COVID-19 infection than the United States. Spain and France are the only two European countries with a higher COVID-19 infection rate than the USA.

Ireland’s COVID-19 travel restrictions just happen to be a lot worse than most. So bad that Irish airline Ryanair posted a phony job opening to mock the restrictions.

But they’ve also seriously asked the Irish Government to “explain the science” behind its green list.

It’s a fair question. And to be honest, Ryanair could have been a lot more brutal. Because the UK actually allows visitors from about 50 countries across the globe without quarantine. Ryanair chose to compare just the European countries. The Irish list of seven European countries is the complete list. There are no more.

We’re a long way from getting back to normal in our travel lives. My wife and I have scheduled a trip to Belize in February. We’re planning to take the required COVID-19 PCR tests beforehand, assuming it’s easier to get results than it is now. We’ve actually traveled a lot domestically this year, and we’ve been safe. We’ve worn masks and kept others safe, too.

One of the places we visited — the San Juan Islands in Washington State — has strong safety protocols in place. After visiting, I kept checking the COVID-19 numbers for San Juan County. All good. We didn’t bring COVID-19 to them, despite our arrival from a high risk state.

I admit, it helps reduce the risk to others when you’re coming from an area with a low incidence of Covid-19. But most coronavirus prevention measures are simple and enforceable. Enforce the rules that keep people safe, but let’s re-open the world to safe travel.