Holidaying in Europe will soon be much more straightforward.
If you’re fully vaccinated then you’ll soon be able to travel test-free to the European Union.
The EU is poised to approve a blueprint today (Tuesday, February 22) which will see fully inoculated adults from all non-EU countries welcomed with no Covid restrictions.
And children aged six to 18 years who have not received full vaccination will be allowed to travel with a negative PCR departure test.
European countries currently operate a variety of entry regulations, from requiring negative lateral flow tests on departure, to random testing on arrival, and sometimes no test requirements at all. This has been confusing for travellers attempting to enter the bloc and it’s hoped that a streamlined and simplified protocol will encourage holidaymakers to return to Europe.
Like Singapore, the EU will now be basing its entrance protocols on travellers’ personal vaccination status rather than the infection rate of the country from which they have departed.
Yesterday the British government announced it would be dropping all Covid restrictions. The only Covid travel regulation to remain in place is the Passenger Locator Form, which must still be filled out by those entering Britain. However, British transport secretary Grant Schapps indicated that this too could be phased out by Easter. According to the British government, the online form is to be “significantly simplified” in the coming weeks.
The travel industry has long been calling for travel restrictions to be lifted in order to reboot travel as the northern hemisphere summer holiday season approaches.
Unvaccinated travellers arriving in both the EU and Britain will continue to be subject to testing and quarantine.
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Singapore is set to welcome back all travellers this spring - but only as long as you're vaccinated.
The country's two-year shutdown ended this month as the land down under welcomes back holidaymakers.
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