The corona situation remains dynamic because of the delta mutation and the slow vaccination rate among young people throughout the EU. Although the European Commission has provided uniform rules for vaccinated, convalescent and tested people with the digital health certificate, unvaccinated holidaymakers in particular must expect restrictions in the coming weeks and months.
Basically: Do not panic and inform yourself well before departure. The tour operator, the travel agency and the hotel on site can help. You can usually find all contact details on your travel booking.
The situation in Spain is still critical – is the travel warning coming soon?
Spain now has a 7-day incidence of 258. Just over a week ago it barely passed the 200 mark (199 new infections per 100,000 inhabitants). Worrying for vacationers: Mallorca, Menorca, Cabrera, Ibiza and Formentera now have a very high 7-day incidence. The Balearic Islands stand at 196. For comparison: A week ago the Balearic Islands had an average incidence of 145.
If the number of new infections continues to rise, the first travel warning for the popular holiday destination threatens in a week at the latest. The Federal Foreign Office classifies high-risk areas with a 7-day incidence of over 200 as high-incidence areas. As a rule, warnings are issued against tourist trips to these regions.
FOCUS Online prophesies: The travel warning could already apply this weekend, especially for Barcelona.
Unvaccinated people then have to be quarantined for ten days when they return to Germany. A rapid antigen test can reduce the isolation to five days. Vaccinated and convalescents need their proof of entry and exit. In extreme cases, provisional spontaneous rapid antigen tests could be carried out at the airport.
And holidaymakers also have to expect restrictions on site. Due to the high incidence, Spanish authorities are switching to lockdown mode. Nightlife is currently restricted by curfew in many regions of the country. In Barcelona, all restaurants, bars and pubs must close at 0.30 a.m. with immediate effect. There are also night curfews in Valencia, Benicassim and Gandia.
Greece tightened rules from July 15th
Unvaccinated people can enter Germany with a negative rapid antigen test or PCR test without any problems, but those who are not vaccinated must expect local restrictions.
In restaurants, amusement parks, theaters or cinemas, operators have to decide in advance whether they want to serve only vaccinated guests or also unvaccinated guests.
Tourists recognize the establishments that are only open to vaccinated and convalescent people by the green “Covid-Free” seal. Vaccinated and convalescent persons should be able to take their evidence (digital or paper) with them and show them. Unvaccinated people, on the other hand, have to stay outside.
When businesses serve unvaccinated, recovered and vaccinated guests, the possible occupancy inside and outside is reduced. The tables must be far apart and the evidence must be checked at the entrance. To sit at an indoor or outdoor table, unvaccinated people must present a negative PCR or rapid test. Tourists recognize such establishments by the # covid19 seal, which is held in an orange-blue color. Controversial: Vaccinated and convalescents are separated from each other in the areas.
The first hotels on Crete, Rhodes and Kos told FOCUS Online that they provide information material at the reception and that tourist regions preferably serve all holidaymakers (unvaccinated, recovered and vaccinated).
FOCUS Online advises: Unvaccinated people should keep their negative PCR or rapid test on arrival in Greece. It could be requested again at the hotel when checking in. It is also advisable to reserve a table for breakfast, lunch or dinner in advance. Due to the limited number of tables, companies can quickly be booked out.
Chaos around Malta vacation
Malta also shows how dynamic the situation is at the moment. The holiday island, which received over 72,000 visitors from Germany in the Corona year 2020, had imposed a strict entry ban for unvaccinated people on Wednesday. As FOCUS Online found out, hundreds of German vacationers then canceled trips to Malta.
A few hours before the new entry requirements should apply, the government in Valletta apparently rowed back under pressure from the European Commission and neighboring Italy. The background was students and pupils from Italy who were on the island and apparently were not allowed to leave Malta even though they tested negative, Italian media report. Including about “Il Giorno“,”Corriera della Sera“and the news channel”Sky TG24The government in Rome protested, the EU Commission stepped in and Malta rowed back.
Unvaccinated people now have to enter a 14-day “mandatory” quarantine, as it was said on Tuesday evening.
Slovakia tightened rules on entry
In Slovakia, too, tougher rules have been in effect since July 9th: anyone who has not been vaccinated or has not recovered needs a negative PCR test immediately upon arrival and must be in quarantine.
Norway, on the other hand, divides countries into green and orange / red zones. Germany is a “green zone”, so German citizens can enter and leave the country without any problems. But Norway is looking closely at the incidence development. EU countries such as Andorra, Ireland, Latvia, Luxembourg, Monaco, the Netherlands, Portugal and Spain were defined as “risk areas”. Anyone who comes from these countries unvaccinated must present a PCR test and adhere to a ten-day quarantine.
The situation is dynamic and many EU countries are already talking about mandatory vaccination. This is the case in France, Greece and Cyprus, for example. Anyone who wants to travel unvaccinated in summer could face closed borders.
Curfew and strict exit rules in Portugal
Portugal is a high incidence area because the Corona situation there is critical. Unvaccinated people have to be quarantined when they return to Germany. Can leave this with a negative test from the fifth day. Vaccinated and convalescents could be asked to do random rapid antigen tests on landing.
In Portugal itself, there are curfews between 11 p.m. and 5 a.m. in many places. In the capital, Lisbon, for example, people are not allowed to take to the streets without a valid reason.
Croatia – an area particularly hard hit
Restaurants are allowed to serve guests inside, with the exception of cafes without food, which are only allowed to serve outside. It is also not permitted to serve guests who are not seated at tables.
The cafetiers in Dubrovnik quarrel with the authorities because they are not allowed to serve those guests who like to make themselves comfortable on the baroque stairs of the old town.
The coastal region of Zadar is considered a risk area. At the moment, holidaymakers “only” have to show a negative test, their vaccination certificate or proof of recovery when they return to Germany.
What documents do I need when traveling?
Depending on the holiday destination, travelers need:
- their identity card or passport.
- Travelers need a mandatory entry form, which is for example in Greece, Ireland, Italy, Croatia, Malta, Norway, Portugal, in the Slovakia, in Slovenia, Spain, Czech Republic or Cyprus the case.
- It is also important to have a mandatory health certificate, such as in France or the Netherlands.
- Vaccinated persons need proof that a Covid-19 vaccination is complete (14 days after the second or necessary individual vaccination). Travelers have to either scan the proof in digitally via the CovPass app and at the same time have it with them in paper form (vaccination certificate or yellow vaccination card).
- Those who have recovered need their positive PCR test, which shows the past infection. The document must state the date of issue, the test procedure, the name of the laboratory, contact details, the name of the person tested and, in some countries, his date of birth. Other documents such as a quarantine confirmation are not valid in many holiday countries.
- Unvaccinated and non-convalescents need a negative rapid antigen test or only a negative PCR test, depending on the country of travel.
- In addition, vacationers should always take their European health card with them.
What applies to the return journey?
When returning to Germany, vacationers need:
- their identity card or passport
- Travelers from high-risk and high-incidence areas need an entry form, which You can fill in here.
- Vaccinated persons need proof that a Covid-19 vaccination is complete (14 days after the second or necessary individual vaccination). Travelers have to either scan the proof in digitally via the CovPass app and at the same time have it with them in paper form (vaccination certificate or yellow vaccination card).
- Those who have recovered need their positive PCR test, which shows the past infection. The document must state the date of issue, the test procedure, the name of the laboratory, contact details and the name of the person tested.
- Unvaccinated people need a negative rapid antigen test or a negative PCR test.
- If they come from high-incidence areas, returnees have to go into a 10-day quarantine. A shortening to five days is possible with a negative test result after arrival.
For German citizens who come from risk areas (currently in the EU Portugal and Cyprus), a random test on arrival by means of an antigen rapid test also applies.
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