Coronavirus: Executive discuss NI's quarantine regulations

Currently, anyone entering from outside the Common Travel Area must isolate for 14 days

The Stormont Executive has been meeting to discuss whether changes can be made to NI's quarantine regulations.

But it is understood advice forming part of the document from Health Minister Robin Swann has been amended.

A previous draft advised that travellers from the rest of the UK present "the greatest risk" of bringing Covid-19 into NI.

However BBC News NI has seen a revised version which does not include that specific wording.

The document now being considered by ministers states that "travellers from any country with a prevalence higher than NI using the UK government methodology will have somewhat increased risk of being infected".

However, there are still likely to be "more travellers to NI from the rest of the UK" than other countries, it adds.

Incidence and prevalence of the virus constantly change in all countries so any approach adopted by Stormont would need to be "revisited regularly", it says.

The international travel regulations were meant to be reviewed at Monday's executive meeting but it did not make the agenda

The paper from Mr Swann's department was formed following advice from the chief medical officer and chief scientific adviser.

Changes to England and Scotland's quarantine rules take effect on Friday.

The governments in London and Holyrood have agreed separate exemption lists for people arriving from more than 50 destinations that now pose a reduced risk from coronavirus.

It is not clear if Stormont ministers will agree to amend NI's international coronavirus regulations, despite calls from tourism and travel operators for air bridges to be announced.

Currently anyone entering NI from outside the Common Travel Area must isolate for 14 days.

The Common Travel Area covers the United Kingdom, Republic of Ireland, Isle of Man and the Channel Islands.

Northern Ireland's quarantine rules took effect on 8 June, with fines of up to £1,000 possible for those caught leaving isolation prematurely.

Stormont ministers were due to review the international travel regulations at Monday's executive meeting, but it did not make it on to the agenda.

Micheál Martin had been expected to make his first visit to Stormont since becoming taoiseach

Northern Ireland Secretary Brandon Lewis rejected suggestions of quarantine between UK nations to prevent the spread of coronavirus, arguing it would amount to a "breach" of the Common Travel Area.

The government's focus would be on implementing local lockdowns in cases of specific outbreaks, he added.

Taoiseach visit postponed

At Thursday's meeting, the executive is also expected to sign off on conditional plans for indoor weddings to be permitted in Northern Ireland from Friday.

They had also set out plans to allow indoor gyms and playgrounds to reopen from 10 July, which are set to be approved if the spread of the virus has remained low.

It had been anticipated that Micheál Martin would visit Stormont on Thursday for the first time since becoming taoiseach (Irish PM) last month, but that will now not take place.

It is believed plans for the visit had not been confirmed and Mr Martin is now expected to meet the first and deputy first ministers at some stage next week.

In the Republic of Ireland, official government advice against all non-essential travel is to remain in place until 20 July.

The Irish government had planned to publish a "green" list of countries.

However, concern about surges of the virus in other countries prompted health advice that those restrictions should remain in place.