Covid restrictions abroad: updates & observations

[MikeWM]

Again, more proof travel measures are pointless (beyond banning travel altogether, which is obviously harmful):

Vaccination, Masks, Two Weeks of Quarantine and Three Negative Tests Fail to Keep Covid Off Island – The Daily Sceptic

All 54 passengers on the flight were fully vaccinated, masked, tested negative three times, had been in quarantine for two weeks and were put in quarantine with more testing on arrival. Two thirds caught the virus.

dailysceptic.org

This one is a great story because - along with the similar Antarctic base stories from both 2020 and 2021 - it shows rather well that pretty much all measures, not just travel measures, are useless.

 

[kristiang85]

I think I'll be avoiding Cambodia for a while...

 

[LAX54]

SWEDEN to remove ALL restrictions in the next few days, same as Denmark.

 

[Mag_seven]

SWEDEN to remove ALL restrictions in the next few days, same as Denmark.

Hopefully this will start a European "domino effect"

 

[joncombe]

Hopefully this will start a European "domino effect"

Norway has removed all quarantine and testing requirements for fully vaccinated travellers too. I believe this was also announced yesterday.

 

[greyman42]

I think I'll be avoiding Cambodia for a while...

Going to somewhere like Cambodia is just asking for trouble.

 

[kristiang85]

Going to somewhere like Cambodia is just asking for trouble.

I went a while back, and it is an absolutely wonderful place (if a bit intense at times). But I would highly recommend it.

But seeing that video... let's just say going back there isn't in my immediate travel plans!

 

[Watershed]

Does anyone know whether there's any sort of "waiting period" after you get your booster, before it's accepted by the likes of France, Italy and other European countries which require boosters for travel etc.?

I want to have the booster at the last possible moment for my upcoming trip (obviously not literally the day before), because it's clear to me that even the booster will only have a limited period of validity.

 

[VauxhallandI]

We’ve just been invited to a wedding in Spain in July and I’m dreading the heat and the masks already.

 

[island]

Does anyone know whether there's any sort of "waiting period" after you get your booster, before it's accepted by the likes of France, Italy and other European countries which require boosters for travel etc.?

I want to have the booster at the last possible moment for my upcoming trip (obviously not literally the day before), because it's clear to me that even the booster will only have a limited period of validity.

7 clear days for France.

 

[Butts]

We’ve just been invited to a wedding in Spain in July and I’m dreading the heat and the masks already.

Mask rules are being liberalised shortly for some circumstances and by the time you go will probably have disappeared (hopefully )

 

[Watershed]

7 clear days for France.

Thanks. And is proof of being boostered required to fly out of France or 'merely' for entry and domestic purposes? My return flight is from Basel Mulhouse airport, which I believe is technically in France...

 

[nw1]

We’ve just been invited to a wedding in Spain in July and I’m dreading the heat and the masks already.

I would imagine that by July (five months time) the mask requirement in Spain would have been lifted. (Sorry, I see that @Butts has made the same point).

 

[Cdd89]

And is proof of being boostered required to fly out of France or 'merely' for entry and domestic purposes

I’m not confident, but I think it is required, and the same for Eurostar; in line with domestic requirements. With exceptions and a testing alternative for essential travel.

I haven't been through France during a period while the UK ditched its testing requirements (the UK requirement masked the French requirement!), so I'm not sure if this is the case in practice. You might want to wait for more definitive advice.

 

[Watershed]

I’m not confident, but I think it is required, and the same for Eurostar; in line with domestic requirements. With exceptions and a testing alternative for essential travel.

I haven't been through France during a period while the UK ditched its testing requirements (the UK requirement masked the French requirement!), so I'm not sure if this is the case in practice. You might want to wait for more definitive advice.

Right, well that's a total pain but there we go.

 

[yorkie]

In just over 2 weeks time I am travelling to Switzerland via Paris (Eurostar and TGV); as things currently stand I would need to do a test to enter France (despite being fully vaccinated and boosted). I am hoping that requirement is going to be abandoned before my trip...

 

[Cdd89]

I am hoping that requirement is going to be abandoned before my trip...

I am in the same position. I booked over a month ago and felt fairly confident they’d be gone by two weeks from now, given that France has precedent for ditching them.

At one week to go, I guess I’ll shell out. Luckily it can be a cheap unsupervised test, so in truth only a minor inconvenience.

It would be nice at some point for there to be no testing requirements on either side for France!

 

[westv]

Hopefully this will start a European "domino effect"

Which hopefully won't be reversed at a moments notice.

 

[Berliner]

I am in Spain now and it's a breeze to enter the country with just a PLF needed if you're Vaccinated. That said, for those of you who are anti mask, it is not for you as there a mandatory mask mandate in all areas inside and out, with no exemptions other than for children and, from what I understand, if you're doing actual strenuous exercise. There is near 100% compliance indoors and outdoors that only drops to about 80-90% compliance.

The mandate for wearing them outside is being scrapped next week though.

 

[Class 466]

I wonder how long it'll be before it no longer matters whether you've been jabbed or not to travel again, this can't surely be a permanent thing for all eternity.

 

[kristiang85]

Well I'm going to Belgium twice next week and the week after, and they still seem to have the insane requirements in place.

- A pre departure PCR 72hrs before arrival or antigen test 24hrs before arrival.
- Proof of vaccination
- Passenger locator form filled out
- An arrival PCR test and a requirement to quarantine until the result arrives, which for the station tests is 24-36hrs. Alternatively a rapid test is €109, which I'll probably have to go for as both trips are only 3 days long.

The idiotic thing is that surrounding EU countries seem exempt from this, even though their rates (and indeed Belgium's!) are higher.

So I'm going to be shelling out around £230 for two weekends worth of testing despite being triple jabbed and having proof of natural immunity too. It's nonsense.

 

[Eyersey468]

I wonder how long it'll be before it no longer matters whether you've been jabbed or not to travel again, this can't surely be a permanent thing for all eternity.

I would hope not but suppose it depends on the country

 

[Berliner]

I wonder how long it'll be before it no longer matters whether you've been jabbed or not to travel again, this can't surely be a permanent thing for all eternity.

Much like the yellow fever vaccine, it will be down to individual countries to decide, so no one can really answer that. I suspect being vaccinated against Covid will be a requirement for most travel until around 2025 though. But it's not just that, I've noticed some travel insurance companies mandate that you're vaccinated before they will sell you a policy. Airlines, cruise ships, tour agencies, even hotels, could, as private companies, insist on vaccination for use of their services. I suspect there won't be an outright ban on the non vaccinated traveling, maybe to some places, but it will be harder for them, testing being the main requirement, and as many countries wind that down it may become increasingly difficult or expensive to get a test. The unvaccinated will also likely be the first to face more restrictions if they come back again, such as more testing, isolation etc.

 

[westv]

I am in Spain now and it's a breeze to enter the country with just a PLF needed if you're Vaccinated. That said, for those of you who are anti mask, it is not for you as there a mandatory mask mandate in all areas inside and out, with no exemptions other than for children and, from what I understand, if you're doing actual strenuous exercise. There is near 100% compliance indoors and outdoors that only drops to about 80-90% compliance.

The mandate for wearing them outside is being scrapped next week though.

That's one of the things that has put me off travelling abroad - the thought of having to wear a mask almost all day.

 

[island]

Thanks. And is proof of being boostered required to fly out of France or 'merely' for entry and domestic purposes? My return flight is from Basel Mulhouse airport, which I believe is technically in France...

In principle you need to have a valid vaccine pass to board “long distance public transport” in France.

 

[kristiang85]

In principle you need to have a valid vaccine pass to board “long distance public transport” in France.

In principle yes, but I did quite a bit of TGV travel late last year and not once was I asked for my pass sanitaire.

Then again, even in hospitality outlets I can probably count on one hand how many times I was asked (and I eat and drink a lot!).

 

[nw1]

Much like the yellow fever vaccine, it will be down to individual countries to decide, so no one can really answer that. I suspect being vaccinated against Covid will be a requirement for most travel until around 2025 though.

Why such a long time frame, given Covid is already becoming less dangerous?

 

[kristiang85]

I think if a few countries decide to drop the requirement to be vaccinated, the rest will quickly follow.

We can't keep boosting everybody for free forver, so anybody who isn't in a vulnerable group or willing to pay will just go to countries without the requirement.

 

[Berliner]

Why such a long time frame, given Covid is already becoming less dangerous?

It's my opinion. Some Governments aren't really keen to open up again, so I don't see it being a free for all travel wise for a few years. Some countries will move on quickly, some already have, but we still have other countries mandating vaccines AND testing and some still wanting quarentine even with both and some not even opening up to anyone regardless of their status. We are a long way off 2019 normality.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 6 Feb 2022 ==

That's one of the things that has put me off travelling abroad - the thought of having to wear a mask almost all day.

Wearing a mask hasn't ruined my holiday one bit and it's the least of my worries. I'd rather wear one and get away and see something new than sit in the UK. Spain is completely normal, crowds, restaurants, venues etc...just with a mask. It's a tiny price to pay to enjoy myself again.

 

[kristiang85]

It's my opinion. Some Governments aren't really keen to open up again, so I don't see it being a free for all travel wise for a few years. Some countries will move on quickly, some already have, but we still have other countries mandating vaccines AND testing and some still wanting quarentine even with both and some not even opening up to anyone regardless of their status. We are a long way off 2019 normality.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 6 Feb 2022 ==

Anywhere with an economy that is propped up by a large tourist or business travel industry will have to open up sooner rather than later.

Wearing a mask hasn't ruined my holiday one bit and it's the least of my worries. I'd rather wear one and get away and see something new than sit in the UK. Spain is completely normal, crowds, restaurants, venues etc...just with a mask. It's a tiny price to pay to enjoy myself again.

Unfortunately I agree with this - I despise masks with every fibre of my being, but they aren't going to stop me travelling.