Stricter Quarantine Rules to Take Effect in Iceland Tomorrow

A new regulation regarding quarantine and testing for COVID-19 at the border, issued by the minister of health, will take effect in Iceland tomorrow, Tuesday.

The regulation makes it mandatory for passengers arriving from high-risk COVID-19 areas, as defined by the regulation, to stay at a quarantine facility or quarantine hotel while waiting for the results of their second coronavirus test.  Icelandic authorities will regularly issue a list of high-risk countries, to be updated as needed.

Passengers arriving from areas where the 14-day infection rate is 700 or more cases per 100,000 must without exception quarantine at a quarantine facility while waiting for the results of their second coronavirus test. The second test is conducted five days after arrival.

Passengers arriving from areas where the 14-day infection rate is 500-699 cases per 100,000 inhabitants must quarantine at a quarantine facility unless the chief epidemiologist grants an exemption. Such an exemption must be applied for at least two days prior to arrival in Iceland.

Those arriving from areas where the 14-day infection rate is below 500 cases per 100,000 may quarantine at a facility of their own choosing provided it fulfills the requirements of the chief epidemiologist for home quarantine.

For more information, see the government website.

At present, countries or areas with an infection rate of 700 or more, or about which information is unavailable, are the following: 

Andorra

Bahrain

Bermuda

Curaçao

France

the Netherlands

Croatia

Cyprus

Lithuania

Poland

Puerto Rico

San Marino

Sweden

Turkey

Hungary

Uruguay

Countries or areas with a 14-day infection rate of 500-699 per 100,000 inhabitants are the following:

Argentina

Aruba

Bosnia and Herzegovina

Bulgaria

Chile

Estonia

Greece

Italy

Liechtenstein

North-Macedonia

Rumania

Serbia

Seychelles Islands

Slovenia

mainland Spain

the Czech Republic

This list will be in effect through May 6. The government will then reassess the list as needed.