Health bosses in Northern Ireland have confirmed that the nation will join England and Wales in easing international travel testing measures for fully-vaccinated arrivals.
The Department of Health is to relax rules put in place to prevent the spread of Omicron from this weekend, mirroring prime minister Boris Johnson’s announcement on Wednesday.
Fully-vaccinated passengers and under-18s will no longer need to take a pre-departure test or self-isolate on arrival.
They will be required to test upon arrival but that can be either a lateral flow tests (LFD) or PCR test, the Department of Health said.
It reminded travellers that NHS Test and Trace tests could not be used for international journeys and that LFDs must been purchased from a private provider.
“Anyone with a positive lateral flow test will be required to book a free confirmatory PCR test and isolate,” it said.
“If the subsequent mandatory confirmatory PCR is negative, then the isolation period can end.”
Wales “reluctantly” followed the UK government’s lead on Wednesday, announcing that it would remove testing requirements.
However, health minister Eluned Morgan said the devolved nation’s government “continued to advise against all but essential travel at this time”.
Scotland’s health secretary Humza Yousaf told BBC Good Morning Scotland that MSPs would be notified about any changes in the country later on Thursday (January 6).
“It’s obviously important that we update parliament first and foremost,” he said.