The HSE's Chief Clinical Officer Dr Colm Henry has said that the new advice for all arrivals from Britain since 8 December to self-isolate is "painful" but necessary.
Dr Henry said the 14-day isolation advice means that anyone who came to Ireland from England, Scotland or Wales from 11 December onwards should eat Christmas dinner alone in their room.
This follows the decision by the HSE yesterday to upgrade restriction requirements for people entering Ireland from Britain with the new strain of the virus raising fears of increased transmission.
Around 30,000 people have travelled to Ireland from Britain since 8 December.
Dr Henry said there will be enhanced surveillance of these passengers who will be contacted and advised of the latest public health advice.
The previous advice to these passengers was to restrict their movements for 14 days, but due to the new Covid-19 variant in England, they are now being advised to self-isolate.
Dr Henry said this meant "staying in their room at all times", unless they had to leave for "essential purposes".
"We know how painful this is for people who have waited so long to come home" he said, but added that the action was necessary to "ensure you are not the agent of transmission of this new strain".
Dr Henry also revealed that positive coronavirus cases originating in Britain have been identified in Ireland and the National Virus Reference Laboratory will carry out genomic sequencing on them to see if the new variant has arrived in the country.
He said capacity to do sequencing in Ireland is being built up.
The Health Service Executive's Chief Clinical Officer has said the new advice for all arrivals from Britain since 8 December to self-isolate is "painful" but necessary | https://t.co/JafaHB8oKZ pic.twitter.com/24fJ0lg1Ft
— RTÉ News (@rtenews) December 23, 2020
The assumption is that the new strain is already here due to the "extraordinary growth in the transmission of the virus, beyond the worst predictions" in recent days, he said.
Taoiseach Micheál Martin told RTÉ's Today With Claire Byrne: "Most infectious disease experts are telling me it's inconceivable that the variant is not here already – we have to act as if it is here."
He admitted it was a "huge ask" and "very, very difficult" for self-isolating people to spend Christmas in their room but "that is the public health advice".
Mr Martin said international travellers to Ireland transiting through the UK have to self-isolate after they arrive into the country, over concerns about the new Covid-19 variant.
On reports of people travelling to the Republic of Ireland from Britain through Belfast, the Taoiseach said: "We have to advise people that this could all potentially lead to the spread of the virus.
"We need to avoid that at all costs because that puts those most vulnerable to the virus at risk."
The ban on travel from Britain to Ireland will be reassessed on 31 December. Asked about people travelling home through Northern Ireland, Mr Martin said there is "not a whole lot we can do about that".
As the upward trend in Covid-19 cases continues, businesses and families are preparing for the imposition of tighter restrictions from Christmas Eve.
The country will return to Level 5 restrictions with adjustments between 24 December and 12 January.
Restaurants and gastro pubs, as well as hair and beauty salons, will close tomorrow, Christmas Eve.
Up until St Stephen's Day, visits from up to two other households will be permitted. No new inter-county travel will be allowed after 26 December.
If you've arrived into the RoI from Great Britain since 8 December, you should:
— HSE Ireland (@HSELive) December 22, 2020
➡️self-isolate (stay in your room) for 14 days from the date you arrived
➡️phone a GP to get a COVID-19 test 5 days after you arrived
Please visit: https://t.co/EYwGU55czQ #COVID19 #StaySafe pic.twitter.com/fKViloOlrG
This evening, the Department of Health confirmed 938 more cases of Covid-19 and 13 further deaths.
The number of people in ICU is 25, down three from yesterday.
