COVID-19: Changes to quarantine rules

The Minister of Health has amended the rules on quarantine in line with the recommendations of the Director of Public Health. The changes are based on professional assessment and the nation's good vaccination status. „We need to keep society running as much as possible, whether we look to the schools, social services or various business activities, and as things stand, these are vital responses.“ says Willum Þór Þórsson, Minister of Health. The regulation on the change has already come into force.

See the announcement on the website of the Cabinet Office. 

The changes relax the restrictions on individuals who need to quarantine if they are triple-vaccinated against Covid. Around 160,000 people are now triple-vaccinated, and it is therefore clear that the changed quarantine rules will completely change the situation. The same applies to individuals who have recovered from a confirmed infection and are double-vaccinated. The Chief Medical Officer points out that according to recent studies from the UK and Denmark, a booster dose (three vaccine doses in total) significantly reduces the risk of transmission, especially from the delta variant of the coronavirus. A booster dose also significantly reduces the risk of infection from Omicron, although Covid-19 vaccination generally provides less protection against Omicron than Delta.

Amended quarantine rules apply to:

• a) individuals who are triple-vaccinated and received their last jab more than 14 days before being exposed to the infection
• b) individuals who have recovered from a confirmed Covid infection and are also double-vaccinated, provided they received their second jab more than 14 days before being exposed.

The amended rules provide that the person concerned is:

• permitted to seek work or to go to school and access essential services, such as healthcare, to go to grocery shops and pharmacies, and to use public transport,
• It is forbidden to attend public gatherings. or places where more than 20 people gather, except in the context mentioned above,
• Required to wear a mask when interacting with everyone, except for those considered to be in close contact, and the requirement to wear a face covering also applies even if it is possible to maintain a two-metre distance.,
• Visiting healthcare facilities is prohibited., including nursing homes, unless with the special permission of the relevant institution,
• Should avoid contact for individuals who are at an increased risk of serious illness if they contract Covid-19.

The restrictions under the above-mentioned rules do not end until the result of the PCR test taken on the fifth day of quarantine is available. If a person develops symptoms of infection at any point during this five-day period, they must undergo a PCR test without delay. The quarantine period is never shorter than five days.

The regulation was published in the Official Gazette on the afternoon of 7 January 2022 and has already come into force, applying to all individuals subject to quarantine upon its entry into force.

• The regulation
• Guidance from the Chief Medical Officer

The accompanying image accompanies a notice on the website of the Cabinet Office. 

Regarding the length of quarantine and the obligations of the parties

• The length of quarantine is determined in accordance with paragraph 1 of Article 4 of the regulation.
  about quarantine and isolation and public health measures at Iceland's borders due to
  COVID-19, as amended, No. 1240/2021. The first indent states that all
  Anyone who suspects they have been in contact with a person with COVID-19 should go.
  in quarantine for 5 days from the last time they were in contact with an infected individual who
  They are released with a negative PCR test result.
• Sub-paragraph 3 of paragraph 1 of Article 4 provides that a person shall reside
  a person in quarantine without maintaining full separation from a person in
  isolation; quarantine, however, shall never be lifted until the day after it is lifted
  the isolation of the individual concerned following a negative test result
  from the PCR test of the person in quarantine.
• The length of quarantine therefore varies depending on whether
  a person shares a household with, or is in contact with, an infected person or practises
  complete separation.
• The duties of individuals in quarantine are governed by Article 5.
  of the regulation and Article 5a, but the latter provision applies to those who are
  triple-vaccinated or double-vaccinated and have had COVID-19, after further
  the provisions of the regulation.