The Health Protection (Coronavirus, International Travel) (2021 Consolidation) (Amendment No. 9) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2021

Statutory Rules of Northern Ireland

2021 No. 312

Public Health

The Health Protection (Coronavirus, International Travel) (2021 Consolidation) (Amendment No. 9) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2021

Made

26th November 2021

Coming into operation

at 4.00 p.m. on 26th November 2021

The Department of Health(1) makes the following Regulations in exercise of the powers conferred by sections 25B and 25F of the Public Health Act (Northern Ireland) 1967(2).

Citation, commencement and interpretation

1.—(1) These Regulations may be cited as the Health Protection (Coronavirus, International Travel) (2021 Consolidation) (Amendment No. 9) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2021.

(2) These Regulations come into operation at 4.00 p.m. on 26th November 2021.

(3) An amendment made by these Regulations does not apply in relation to a person arriving in Northern Ireland before the coming into operation of the provision containing the amendment.

(4) In these Regulations “the principal Regulations” means the Health Protection (Coronavirus, International Travel) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2021(3).

Amendment of the principal Regulations

2.  The principal Regulations are amended as mentioned in regulations 3 to 6.

Prohibition on arrival of aircraft into Northern Ireland

3.  In regulation 17, after paragraph 3(c), insert—

“(4) Regulation 7(2)(c) of the Health Protection (Coronavirus, International Travel, Operator Liability and Information to Passengers) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2021 does not apply in the period starting at 4.00 p.m. on 26th November 2021 and ending on 4.00 a.m. on 28th November 2021(4).”.

Amendment of Schedule 1

4.  In Schedule 1 (Red list countries)—

(a) omit “No countries are currently listed for the purposes of this Schedule”, and;

(b) in alphabetical order, insert “Botswana”, “Eswatini”, “Lesotho”, “Malawi”, “Mozambique”, “Namibia”, “South Africa” and “Zimbabwe”.

Amendment of Schedule 7

5.  In Schedule 7 (Managed isolation)—

(a) in paragraph 1, renumber the existing text as sub-paragraph (1);

(b) in sub-paragraph (1)(a), as so renumbered, at the end, insert “or, if paragraph 1A applies, arrangements to stay in a private residence or other place where P is able to self-isolate (“arranged accommodation”)”;

(c) after sub-paragraph (1), insert—

“(2) A reference in this Schedule to the designated accommodation includes a reference to arranged accommodation referred to in sub-paragraph (1)(a).”;

(d) after paragraph 1, insert—

“1A.   This paragraph applies where P arrives in Northern Ireland between 4.00 p.m. on 26th November 2021 and 4 a.m. on 28th November 2021—

(a) from a red list country or territory, or

(b) having at any time in the period beginning with the 10th day before the date of P’s arrival in Northern Ireland departed from or transited through a red list country or territory.”;

(e) in paragraph 12—

(i) in sub-paragraph (1) after “balcony” insert “subject to sub-paragraph (3)”;

(ii) after sub-paragraph (2), insert—

“(3) Where paragraph 1A applies, and P is staying in arranged accommodation, the place referred to in paragraphs 1 to 11 is to be treated as including bathroom and toilet facilities where those facilities are not included in the room in the arranged accommodation in which P is staying.”.

Amendment of Schedule 8

6.  In Schedule 8 (Prohibition on arrival of aircraft and vessels), in paragraph 1—

(a) omit “No countries or territories are specified in this paragraph”, and;

(b) in alphabetical order, insert “Botswana”, “Eswatini”, “Lesotho”, “Malawi”, “Mozambique”, “Namibia”, “South Africa” and “Zimbabwe”.

Sealed with the Official Seal of the Department of Health on 26th November 2021

(L.S.)

Dr Lourda Geoghegan

A senior officer of the Department of Health

EXPLANATORY NOTE

(This note is not part of the Regulations)

These Regulations amend the Health Protection (Coronavirus, International Travel) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2021 (“the principal Regulations”).

They add Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa and Zimbabwe to Schedule 1 (Red list countries), amend Schedule 7 in respect of those people arriving from, or transiting through, a red list country between 4.00 p.m. on Friday 26th November 2021 and 4.00 a.m. on Sunday 28th November 2021 to self-isolate in their homes or other suitable places as though they were in accommodation designated by the Department of Health, and amend Schedule 8 (Prohibition on arrival of aircraft and vessels) to prevent aircraft and ships from the red list countries arriving in Northern Ireland except in limited circumstances.

No impact assessment has been prepared for these Regulations.

(1)

2016 c. 5 (N.I.), s. 1(5).

(2)

1967 c. 36 (N.I.).

(3)

S.R. 2021 No. 99 as amended by S.R. 2021 Nos. 108, 121, 132, 154, 189, 213, 214, 218, 225, 230, 241, 262, 278, 282, 284 and 293.

(4)

S.R. 2021 No. 102 as amended by S.R. 2021 Nos. 189, 213, 214, 225, 230, 262, 278, 282 and 301.