Mr. Fintan Towey:

The protocols on the management of passengers during aviation journeys include a series of measures to be taken by airlines, airports and passengers. There is a very heavy burden on passengers to observe all the good practices for preventing the spread of the virus, with which we are all familiar.

As in society generally, we are very largely dependent on individuals taking responsibility in that respect. We have looked at the question of whether additional tests or controls at airports might be helpful in controlling the spread of the virus. Obviously, we have to be guided by the expert public health advice in that regard. Our colleagues have looked at these possibilities, not only terminal screening, that is, temperature controls, but also other tests for the virus that might be conducted at either the point of departure or the point of arrival. While it is entirely understandable that people believe that if it were possible to have a conclusive test on arrival, that would be a measure we could take to improve safety, in fact the public health advice is that the type of testing available does not provide that level of assurance. The view of public health experts is that the case for introducing measures of that kind is quite marginal. One of the difficulties is that tests can produce false negative results, and they then create a false sense of security and increase the risk of virus transmission. These things are evolving all the time. We are watching them very carefully and collaborating carefully with our colleagues, our public health experts.