The Department of Health has made a Statutory Rule entitled "The Health Protection (Coronavirus, International Travel, Operator Liability and Information to Passengers) (Amendment No. 8) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2021", (S.R. 2021 No. 282) which came into operation at 4.00 am on 11 October 2021.

This rule amends the Health Protection (Coronavirus, International Travel) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2021 (S.R. 2021 No.99) ("the principal Regulations") and the Health Protection (Coronavirus, International Travel, Operator Liability and Information to Passengers) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2021 (S.R. 2021 No. 102) ("the Operator Liability Regulations").

It amends the principal Regulations to enable the EU Digital Covid Certificate to be a mechanism for providing proof of a negative pre-departure test. It removes countries from Schedule 1 of the principal Regulations, red list countries, and adds to the list of countries which are “relevant countries” meaning that persons who receive vaccines in those countries can count as an “eligible arrival” for the purposes of the principal Regulations.

Schedule 4 of the principal Regulations is amended to introduce new exempt categories: non-UK police officers, who can self-isolate if coming from a red-list country (rather than entering managed quarantine service) and can claim an exemption from self-isolation when undertaking the exempt activity; and Seasonal poultry workers, who can claim an exemption from self-isolation when undertaking the exempt activity.

Technical amendments to existing exemptions in Schedule 4 in relation to the film and high end TV productions exemption to widen the existing exemption and reinstate the criteria in place during 2020, and to amend the exemption for Diplomats and members of their family, removing the requirement to self-isolate.

The Operator Liability Regulations are amended to include a provision to enable the EU Digital Covid Certificate to be used as a means of providing proof of negative pre-departure test status.

The rule may be purchased from the Stationery office at www.tsoshop.co.uk or by contacting TSO Customer Services on 0333 202 5070, or viewed online at http://www.legislation.gov.uk/nisr