Iceland will embark on a stringent coronavirus screening and tracing regime when it reopens its borders on 15 June rather than enforcing a mandatory 14-day quarantine for arrivals.
Prime minister Katrin Jakobsdottir has confirmed all arrivals at Iceland’s only international airport, Keflavik, will instead be given the option of being screened for Covid-19.
After being tested at the airport, arrivals will go to their overnight accommodation to await the result – typically available the same day or within 24 hours. Any travellers with a Covid-free certificate will also be exempt from quarantine.
In addition, arrivals will be asked to download Covid-19 tracing app “Rakning C-19“ to help the country’s health authorities trace the origin of any transmissions.
Thordis Kolbrun Reykfjord Gylfadottir, Iceland’s minister of tourism, said: "When travellers return to Iceland, we want to have all mechanisms in place to safeguard them and the progress made in controlling the pandemic.
"Iceland’s strategy of large-scale testing, tracing and isolating, have proven effective so far. We want to build on that experience of creating a safe place for those who want a change of scenery after what has been a tough spring for all of us."
The country’s plans to reopen its borders on 15 June yet depend on cases of Covid-19 continuing to decline.