The Department of Health has made a Statutory Rule entitled "The Health Protection (Coronavirus, International Travel) (Amendment No. 25) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2020", (S.R. 2020 No. 326) which came into operation at 4.00 am on 12 December 2020.

This rule amends the Health Protection (Coronavirus, International Travel) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2020 (“The principal Regulations”), to amend the self-isolation period of 14 days to 10 days, to add additional sectoral exemptions, the elite sportspersons exemption is amended to allow for new signings to use the exemption and new exemptions are added for certain workers engaged in television production and properly accredited journalists.

Regulation 8 of the principal Regulations is amended and new regulations 8A, 8B, 8C and 8D are inserted to give effect to the enforcement of fixed penalty notices issued under regulation 7. Botswana and Saudi Arabia are included within the list of countries and territories in Schedule 3 to the principal Regulations exempt from the requirement in regulation 4 of those Regulations to self-isolate for 10 days after arrival in Northern Ireland.

The Canary Islands are omitted from the list of countries and territories in Schedule 3 to the principal Regulations exempt from the requirement in regulation 4 of those Regulations to self-isolate for 10 days after arrival in Northern Ireland.

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