Updated: 23/12/2021
If you test positive for COVID-19, then you will be placed under mandatory quarantine by the Public Health Authority. You must remain indoors within your accommodation. During this period of mandatory quarantine, you are not allowed to leave your residence, and no visitors are allowed to meet you. You should self-monitor yourself and take your temperature twice a day.
Quarantine Requirements when COVID Positive
The standard isolation period is of 14 days from the date of the swab. the date of the swab refers to the date the swab was taken and is considered Day 0. You must start counting days in isolation from the following day. If you are fully vaccinated with a booster dose, no longer showing symptoms and test negative, then the mandatory isolation period is reduced to 10 days
This is enforceable by law. Failure to observe this obligation will result in fines of €10,000 each time a person is found to be in breach of quarantine.
Quarantine for members of the same household as a COVID positive person
All members within your household or accommodation will also be placed under mandatory quarantine. This period of mandatory quarantine may be reset if another member of the household tests positive for Covid-19 during the quarantine period.
The standard quarantine period is of 14 days from the date of a swab of a positive case. However, if you are fully vaccinated with a booster dose, no longer showing symptoms and test negative, then the mandatory isolation period is reduced to 10 days.
This is enforceable by law. Failure to observe this obligation will result in fines of €10,000 each time a person is found to be in breach of quarantine.
Quarantine Requirements for Close Contacts
There are two types of close contacts:
- Primary contacts, who are those persons that came into direct contact with a person that tested positive for COVID
- Secondary contacts, who are those persons that came into contact with the primary contacts.
If you are a primary contact but do not live with that person, then you will be required to self-isolate for a period of 14 days. If you do end up testing positive for COVID-19 then you will need to remain in mandatory quarantine until cleared by the Public Health Authorities. Your household members will also need to quarantine.
If you are fully vaccinated and have taken the booster, then you are eligible for early release from quarantine. In order to end quarantine early as a primary contact, you would not have tested positive for COVID. A swab test needs to be performed on the 7th day from the exposure to the positive person and must result in a negative. If a negative result is obtained on Day 7, then you may leave quarantine at midnight.
Your household members are eligible for exemption from quarantine if they are in possession of a valid vaccine certificate with a booster.
Secondary contacts who have received their booster dose (and 14 days have passed since getting it) do not need to quarantine at all.
This is enforceable by law. People breaking the mandatory quarantine will be fined €3,000 each time a person is found to be in breach of quarantine.
Before taking the test you should self-isolate, and continue to do so until the moment you receive your test result. If you test negative, continue to self-isolate for a further 24 hours. If you test positive you must obey the instructions of the Public Health Authority.
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