Recovered Covid patients offered quarantine-free travel

If you can prove you've had Covid, you may be able to skip quarantine.

We’ve had the staycation, and even the schoolcation, and maybe we’ve been tempted by a vaccination vacation. But the latest travel buzzword to be making waves is ‘immunotourism’.

Put simply, a handful of countries are now waiving quarantine for arrivals who can prove they’ve had Covid-19.

Eastern Europe is leading the way - earlier this month Estonia was the latest destination to offer quarantine exemption for recovered Covid patients, as well as for those who have received a vaccine.

On February 1, Estonia lifted its ten-day quarantine for those who tested positive for Covid and were cured less than six months ago and for those who have had a Covid vaccination within the last six months.

As proof, former Covid patients are asked to provide a doctor’s certificate stating that they are cured of Covid-19, as well as personal details, testing methodology, test result, testing time and location and the name and details of the testing institution.

Romania has a similar entrance requirement, but travellers must have recovered within the last 14 to 90 days.

Iceland is also accepting certificates proving previous Covid-19 infection. Travellers who can provide the necessary documentation are able to avoid Iceland’s double-testing and quarantine policy.

According to preliminary research results carried out between June and November last year by Public Health England, prior infection was found to provide up to 83% protection against reinfection. What’s more, it provided 94% protection against symptomatic Covid-19 for at least five months. In other words, protection that is similar to a vaccine.

Whether more countries follow this lead remains to be seen.