{"id":11334,"date":"2021-04-13T17:05:15","date_gmt":"2021-04-13T16:05:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cassandravoices.com\/?p=11334"},"modified":"2021-04-13T17:05:15","modified_gmt":"2021-04-13T16:05:15","slug":"mandatory-hotel-quarantine-alienates-immigrant-communities","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/casswp.eutonom.eu\/index.php\/2021\/04\/13\/mandatory-hotel-quarantine-alienates-immigrant-communities\/","title":{"rendered":"Mandatory Hotel Quarantine Alienates Immigrant Communities"},"content":{"rendered":"

Never before have I felt so far from my country of origin as when I heard that Italy would be added to the list of countries from which arrivals are mandated to enter a hotel quarantine<\/a> <\/span>for twelve days on arrival in Ireland. Now any trip to my family will cost almost two grand, and that\u2019s before accounting for the flights and numerous tests.<\/span><\/p>\n

That\u2019s quite a spike in price compared to the few hundred euro I needed prior to April 15th<\/sup>. In pure economic terms, it further diminishes the purchasing power of a particular section of immigrants, as well as Irish citizens living abroad; even if only for a particular item, such as the opportunity to visit loved ones occasionally, and to return for a short stay in case of an emergency.<\/p>\n

For many of us, living from pay cheque to pay cheque, the inflated price of the hotel stay is a serious impediment to reaching one\u2019s country of origin; and that\u2019s without considering the dread we feel about spending almost two weeks under hotel arrest, without even access to a kitchen. I wonder how healthy it is to eat takeaway food for twelve days in a row?<\/p>\n

One may argue that the measure is a proportionate response to a public health emergency and that the right to travel abroad does not come before the right of a country to remain Covid free. But this ignores whether we test negative on arrival and show no symptoms and, more broadly, the rights of European citizens living in another member state.<\/p>\n

Under Article 45 of the charter of the fundamental rights of the European Union<\/a><\/span>, as citizens we enjoy a right to freedom of movement. Every citizen of the Union has the right to move and reside freely within each member states\u2019 territory. There has to be a very compelling (and proportionate) reason for this right to be withdrawn.<\/p>\n