Irish tourists without a booster are being reminded their vaccine certs may soon expire in the eyes of countries such as Spain.
Changes came in earlier this month with all countries in the EU adopting a strategy in which Covid certs have a nine-month expiry date.
That means if you got your vaccine in May of last year and have yet to get the booster, your cert may not let you into Spain in the coming days.
Anyone hoping to travel later in the summer could also be stuck with August travellers needing to be vaccinated after October 2021.
As well as all this, all EU passengers must fill out an online Health Control Form within 48 hours before travel, declaring any known history of exposure to Covid and giving contact details.
Here's your quick guide to all you need to know;
Vaccination
For most passengers, proof of vaccination within the new expiry guidelines is mandatory.
Those who have received their initial round of vaccination will have 270 days to travel on their cert from the day of the final dose.
However, anyone who has received a booster jab or an additional dose won’t be subject to the expiry rules.
There has been no indication that this will be eased ahead of the summer season, and so each passenger will have to check the rules for entering their individual destination in order to check if there is leeway for the unvaccinated.
Those who are vaccinated are also advised to check the expiry timeframe on their vaccine certs before travel to avoid disappointment.
Covid cert
Most European countries have eased the rules around the need for a vaccination or recovery cert for indoor activities at this point.
However, depending on the Covid situation as the months go on, some may opt to reintroduce this measure to slow any spread.
The latest agreement among EU countries features an 'emergency brake' clause that allows any region to reintroduce measures like added testing and quarantine periods if the Covid situation gets out of hand again.
At the moment, you still need your cert to eat or drink indoors in the following countries:
- Belgium
- Cyprus
- France
- Italy
- Luxembourg
- Portugal
Masks
Similarly, there are plenty of destinations that have lifted the requirement to wear masks outdoors.
However, most places still require people to wear a face covering on public transport, and at certain indoor venues, and in retail and hospitality settings.
Some hotspots also will require masks at certain types of large gatherings, so keeping an eye at the ever-changing situation will be key this summer season.
