Covid travel rules to be removed in NI on Friday

From Friday, unvaccinated travellers arriving in NI will no longer have to fill out a passenger locator form

All travel restrictions for international arrivals to Northern Ireland will be removed on Friday.

The decision brings Northern Ireland in line with the rest of the UK and removes the distinction between vaccinated and unvaccinated arrivals.

Current rules for travelling to Northern Ireland depend on vaccination status.

From 18 March, unvaccinated travellers arriving here will no longer have to fill out a passenger locator form.

They also will not be required to take a pre-departure Covid-19 test or pay to book a post-arrival PCR test.

Managed hotel quarantines will also be fully stood down by the end of March.

International travel measures have been temporarily suspended for travellers from Ukraine and Russia due to the current crisis in Ukraine.

Mass Covid-19 testing

Meanwhile, the Department of Health has said a review of Covid-19 testing in Northern Ireland is "ongoing".

The UK government is planning to bring free mass testing to an end in England from 1 April.

Covid-19 tests have been available for free during the pandemic

The Stormont department said no changes to testing would take place until the review was complete.

"Testing will continue to play an important role in our response to the pandemic," a department spokesman told BBC News NI.

In February, Health Minister Robin Swann said he would not be rushed into taking decisions on rules over the use of free mass testing in Northern Ireland.