Ireland’s Covid situation was brought under enough control back in early March to allow for the easing of all recommended measures.
After two years of uncertainty around travel, this summer thousands of families will be planning their trips abroad for the first time in years.
Health officials are now voicing their concern over a new strain of Omicron which is a mix of the existing BA.1 and BA.2 variants and is likely much more contagious.
READ MORE: Key symptoms to watch for as new Covid variant 'Omicron XE' arrives in Ireland
Some are querying online whether or not this is going to hamper their plans of finally heading to sunnier coasts without the fear of not being able to get back home with changing restrictions.
At this point, the alarm has not been raised by the government, nor have any new measures been mentioned.
There is however one rule associated with the new and highly transmissible variant that could ruin summer plans, and that is the need to self-isolate if you contract it in the days coming up to your trip.
The Department of Health’s advice remains the same for those who have symptoms of Covid-19: “If you are experiencing symptoms of Covid-19, it is important to self-isolate, even if you are fully vaccinated and boosted.”
As well as this, some countries this summer will still be requiring the need for a negative Covid test upon entry, so if you are infected before your travels, you will have no choice but to stay put.
Luke O'Neill, a professor of immunology at Trinity College Dublin, said he believes that the next Covid surge won’t hit Ireland until the autumn when he thinks Covid cases will soar once again.
Despite the fear of a jump in cases, he says with vaccination and boosters constantly being rolled out, the public will be vastly more protected against the effects of the illness as opposed to previous waves of infection.
"There's no doubt there will be a surge in the autumn and then we're going to have a lot more cases again and that's a concern," he told Pat Kenny last week.
"It's all about preparedness now really.
The big question is, what will this hybrid do? Will it be more infectious?
"There's some evidence it is even more infectious than BA.2, that's initial data.”
Meanwhile, Professor Kingston Mills says the Omicron XE variant could be up to 20% more transmissible than the Omicron BA.2 virus.
He said there is preliminary data in the UK "where they've had over 1,000 cases of this XE variant" that shows it may be more transmissible than BA.2 by up to 20%.
He said there is a worry that when people become infected with the new variant, it can still cause very severe illness, "especially if a person hasn’t been vaccinated.”
Therefore health officials will have to constantly be on the lookout for these new strains, ensuring they don’t get out of hand within the community as the summer months approach.
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