Iceland Temporarily Tightens Border Controls
The Icelandic authorities have announced that the country will tighten the border controls temporarily in a bid to prevent the number of COVID-19 cases from increasing in the country.
According to a press release issued by the Government, the decision was taken in order to enable easing as many domestic restrictions as possible, regardless of the extensive spread of the pandemic in other countries.
“Vaccination in Iceland is well-aimed, and as the proportion of vaccinated people increases, conditions are created for relaxing restrictions, both domestically and at the border,” Iceland’s Government statement reads.
The Minister of Health will submit a report to the national parliament of Iceland to revise the current Epidemiological Control Act that consists of the preconditions for the measures that are currently effective, AtoZSerwisePlus.com reports.
The Act establishes that from April 22 to June 30, all persons entering Iceland from a country where the COVID-19 infection rate is more than 1,000 infections per 100,000 inhabitants must undergo a test at the border, self-isolate for five days, and undergo another test at the end of the self-isolation period.
The ones who cannot stay in a home quarantine are required to isolate at an epidemiological centre, free of charge.
If anyone breaks the rules of self-isolation, the epidemiologist can require them to complete their self-isolation in another place.
Furthermore, the Minister of Justice will be authorised by the Government to ban all non-essential travel from high-risk areas, based on the proposal of the Chief Epidemiologist.
The rules on providing vaccination certificates at the border will remain unchanged at least until June 1. On the other hand, all persons entering from a country with a low risk of the Coronavirus will be subject to less strict rules.
Additionally, since April 6, travellers from third countries are allowed to enter Iceland for non-essential purposes if they prove that they have been vaccinated or recovered from the virus.
Moreover, on Wednesday, the Government announced that the country would borrow 16,000 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine from Norway, following an agreement between the two countries.
The vaccines are expected to arrive in Iceland this weekend and be distributed during the last week of April. In regards to this, the Chief Epidemiologist has suggested that individuals over the age of 60 should be given priority.
Previously, AtoZSerwisPlus.com reported that around 4,800 tourists entered Iceland during the period April 1 – 15, from which 1,106 presented COVID-19 travel certificates, including a vaccination certificate, a certificate of a previous infection, or a certificate confirming antibodies.
