Discussions around adding more EU countries to the hotel quarantine list are expected to resume this week.
The Government officially added twenty-six countries this morning.
Those include Israel, Palestine and Andorra, the full list is here.
However Ministers were divided last week, when they discussed possibly including the US and some EU nations.
They decided against adding America, Italy, Germany and France in the end.
Public health expert Dr Gabriel Scally believes all incoming passengers should face hotel quarantine.
"They should go through a managed isolation process, that's the fairest way to do it."
"It's also the safest way to do it," he added.
"You can't half-do quarantine measures."
Trying to compromise with this virus is what gets countries into trouble. Half measures just aren’t worth it. Do it properly or don’t do it at all. https://t.co/P4FPAYmYSf
— Niall Conroy (@NICU_doc_salone) April 5, 2021
New Variants Pose Serious Risk
UCC Professor Gerry Killeen agrees that "even 80% baked" hotel quarantine is "totally pointless."
He says it's like living in a paper house, and deciding the "acceptable level" of sparks that can fly in your window.
He's afraid just one case of one variant that is beyond what public health staff have answers for.
"The day might come when to look to someone like me." he says.
"But I just don't have solutions up my sleeve."
