The Overseas Situation Report Friday 28 January 2022
by Mike Evans
“I can’t change the direction of the wind, but I can adjust my sails to always reach my destination.”
– Jimmy Dean
Welcome to this Friday’s Overseas Report which details information and verified facts which will be of interest to our followers regarding how Covid 19 is impacting our lives and the lives of people across the world.
In this report we are looking at the latest news regarding travelling during these covid times. In a period where the omicron variant is moving around the world very quickly, we bring you the details of what countries in Europe are doing to facilitate travel in and around Europe.
Europe has recorded 9,629,074 new COVID-19 cases in the last seven days, the majority of which are Omicron cases, data by the World Health Organisation (WHO) show. European Union Member States top the table as the European countries with the highest number of cases. Yet, despite the numbers, some EU and Schengen Area countries are already facilitating restrictions by removing some measures which were imposed at the end of November 2021, when the existence of the Omicron virus variant was first detected in southern Africa.
Since January 21, Sweden has removed the obligation to test pre-departure for incoming travellers from EU countries who are vaccinated against COVID-19.
“Travellers are no longer considered to represent a particular risk that would affect the spread of the Omicron variant in Sweden. For this reason, the specific requirement for a negative COVID-19 result from a test conducted within 48 hours of arrival to Sweden is no longer considered to be a proportional measure, according to a request from the Public Health Agency of Sweden,” the Swedish Ministry of Justice explained in a press release announcing the decision.
Thus, since Friday, travellers are only obliged to present either an EU Digital COVID Certificate, a vaccination certificate, a recovery certificate, or a test within 72 hours of arrival.
Near Neighbours, Norway have announced that the country will end its mandatory quarantine requirement that currently applies to unvaccinated travellers who reach the country as well as to close contacts of infected persons. According to a press release issued by the Norwegian Ministry of Health, the decision to end the quarantine requirement was taken since the country thinks that this measure is no longer necessary to control the spread of the virus.
The Norwegian National Institute of Public Health has pointed out that travellers who don’t hold a vaccination certificate make up only 7 per cent of the total number of persons who entered the country. Meanwhile, 4 percent of them have been cases of infection.
Therefore, since the quarantine rule currently has little to no significance when it comes to halting the spread of the virus, starting from tomorrow, January 26, all unvaccinated and unrecovered travellers will be permitted entry to Norway without having to follow the quarantine requirement. Nonetheless, it has been emphasised that travellers who haven’t been vaccinated or recovered from the virus are still required to take a pre-entry test.
In contrast, travellers who have received all the required vaccine doses, as well as those who have recovered from the COVID-19 disease, are not required to follow any additional entry rules.
In addition, the lifting of the quarantine requirement applies to close contacts of infected persons, too. This means that all those who have had close contact with an infected person will no longer be required to follow the self-isolation rule provided that they undergo daily tests. Even though the quarantine requirement will soon be officially removed, the authorities have highlighted that they can introduce self-isolation rules again if the COVID-19 situation worsens or if a new variant starts circulating.
Since January 22, Switzerland has also removed the pre-departure testing requirement for travellers who have been vaccinated against COVID or recovered from the virus in the last 270 days. Those unrecovered and unvaccinated remain subject to the requirement. Yet, they will no longer be obliged to test once more between the fourth and seventh day.
“However, due to limited testing capacity, travellers will no longer be required to take follow-up tests four to seven days after arriving, meaning that the ‘3G’ rule applies to enter Switzerland,” the Swiss Federal Council explains.
The Austrian authorities, on the other hand, have finally removed the United Kingdom, Denmark, the Netherlands, and Norway from the list of virus variant countries. From Monday, January 24, 2022, travellers from these four countries will be eligible to enter Austria if they have received a booster shot or have been administered two vaccines and present negative results of a PCR test taken within 72 hours before arrival in Austria. Those who have recently recovered from COVID-19 and present negative results of a PCR test taken within 72 hours before arrival are also permitted to enter, as well as those who have recovered from COVID-19 and have at least one vaccine taken.
Another country that is set to facilitate travel restrictions by the end of the month is Finland, which intends to remove internal border controls on January 31.
The decision has been taken based on the opinion of the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare, which asserts that travel has not played a significant role in the development of the epidemic in Finland. The same also claims that internal border control can no longer be justified on public health grounds.
Later, on March 1, Cyprus intends to remove all travel restrictions for vaccinated travellers, including here those with booster shots.
Other EU and Schengen countries have facilitated travel rules in other ways, some of them by shortening the period for which incoming travellers from risk areas should quarantine upon arrival. Among the countries that have taken such measures are Estonia, Iceland, Switzerland, and more. From January 24, Cyprus will also shorten quarantine from 14 to ten days.
The Danish government has announced the end of domestic restrictions imposed due to Coronavirus, as the country no longer categorises the virus as a socially critical disease. The new rules will enter force on February 1, and, according to them, several restrictions such as wearing a face mask, presenting the vaccination certificate to enter leisure facilities, and following a curfew restriction will no longer apply.
In addition, the requirement for travellers to present a post-arrival test and undergo mandatory quarantine will also be lifted.
According to a press release issued by Health Ministry, “The Epidemic Commission has recommended that the stricter requirement for testing prior to entry into Denmark expires after January 31, but that the previous general entry restrictions that applied before the introduction of the stricter temporary requirements continue from February 1 and provisionally until February 28, 2022.” However, some of the requirements for entry will continue applying, at least until the end of February, as the government is determining the new, facilitated entry rules. At present, it is believed that a requirement of presenting a pre-departure test will remain effective, especially for travellers who haven’t been vaccinated or previously infected with COVID-19.
“The government is awaiting an answer on whether the parliamentary parties support it,” The Danish Health Minister Magnus Heunicke said for entry requirement laws imposed on travellers. At present, Danish authorities impose some of the most complicated entry rules for travellers, as there are several countries’ categorisations.
Travellers from the EU who have been infected with the virus 11 to 180 days before travelling are exempted from any requirement, while the rest must perform a PCR test within 72 hours of departure or 48 hours for rapid antigen test users. The testing requirement applies even to fully vaccinated travellers. A similar rule applies to travellers from risk countries, except that permanent residents and citizens of Denmark are required to take a test either before or within 24 hours of arrival. However, arrivals from high-risk countries, including permanent residents and citizens of Denmark, are obliged to undergo ten-day isolation and provide a test taken within the timeframe as previously mentioned, if they haven’t previously been infected with COVID-19. While fully vaccinated travellers are exempted from quarantine requirements, they are subject to the testing requirement.
In other words, unvaccinated and unrecovered travellers must get tested and quarantined for ten days in Denmark, with the possibility of ending the isolation time by performing a PCR test at least six days after arrival.
Meanwhile, The Dutch authorities have announced that starting from February 2, more facilitated entry rules will apply to persons travelling from high-risk areas. According to the latest data published by the Ministry of Health of the Netherlands, incoming travellers who have received a booster shot at least seven days before arrival will be exempt from the quarantine rule.
From February 2, 2022, travellers with a booster shot are not required to be quarantined if the traveller received the booster shot at least seven days before the trip to the Netherlands,” the statement of the Ministry reads.
This means that all persons who have completed their primary vaccination and who received an additional dose will no longer have to follow strict entry rules.
On the other hand, unvaccinated travellers, as well as those who haven’t received an additional dose, will continue to be subject to the ten-day quarantine requirement unless they are part of the exemption list.
To be eligible to enter the Netherlands under facilitated rules, travellers from high-risk areas who have received a booster shot must complete a quarantine statement. The statement can be filled out online.
Once the form is completed, travellers will receive a digital confirmation, which then must be provided to the responsible authorities. Those who are unable to fill out the digital format can download a printable form and then fill it out manually.
In addition, everyone must show their vaccination certificate. Travellers from EU/Schengen Area countries can currently travel to the Netherlands if they hold a valid vaccination certificate. In contrast, third-country travellers must also provide a negative COVID-19 test result, regardless of their vaccination status.
Apart from the above-mentioned new entry rule, the Netherlands is also expected to shorten the validity of the vaccination certificates from February 1. It has been revealed that the validity will be shortened from 12 to nine months.
This means that if the rule gets approved, the Dutch authorities will accept only vaccination passes that indicate that the holder has received its last dose within the last 270 days. Those who have been vaccinated more than nine months ago will have to receive a booster shot for their pass to be accepted when reaching the Netherlands.
As part of our service to our followers we will keep posting updates for travel throughout Europe when we receive them onto our Facebook page.
Until the next time Stay Safe.
Total Cases Worldwide – 363,876,024
Total Deaths Worldwide – 5,647,753
Total Recovered Worldwide – 287,962,523
Total Active Cases Worldwide – 70,265,748 (19% of the total cases)
Total Closed Cases Worldwide – 293,610,276
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