We’re all going on a summer holiday, the song goes, but that might not be the case for all of us. Alas, Covid is on the rise again.
While last year we had a traffic light system for navigating travel, currently most places remain open. But you might need to check your desired destination to see what their rules are and if you need to be vaccinated or do a Covid test.
You’ll also need to get clued up on face masks. Italy, for example, only accepts n95 face masks for travel.
Here’s what you need to know about the Covid situation in your fave holiday destinations.
Where are coronavirus cases rising?
Many European countries are seeing an increase in infections. Greece, Spain, France and Germany are among those with a higher count of infected peoples, as well as further destinations such as Morocco, Tunisia and the Caribbean islands.
In Greece, there were 11,700 cases last week, mostly among those aged 18-24. These are found to be highest in tourist hot spots. The islands of Corfu, Cephalonia and Zakynthos have seen the highest numbers, while authorities are also closely monitoring the situation in Crete, Mykonos, Paras, Rhodes, and Kos.
Greece has removed most of its restrictions including face masks but could bring them back depending on transmissions.
Spain – a very popular destination for Brits – is seeing similar patterns. Cases are up by 60% compared to the beginning of the year. The most infected islands include Majorca, Ibiza, Menorca and Formentera.
Currently, people in Spain don’t need to self-isolate if infected, but people are still expected to wear face masks in public.
France has also seen an 80% increase in the last two weeks. Portugal and Italy have also seen a surge, with the former requiring people to be vaccinated and wear masks, and the latter encouraging people to stay home if they have symptoms.
Can you travel if you have Covid?
At the moment, there are no UK requirements to test for Covid before you fly (but other countries might require that you to test before or upon arrival).
The general consensus is that if you have Covid and have active symptoms, you should not be flying.
EasyJet says if you have symptoms you should not travel or go to the airport. If you would like to fly at a later date, you can change your booking up to two hours before departure through Manage Bookings but change fees will apply. This also applies to other airlines.
What if you get Covid while you’re away?
Though the UK does not require people to self-isolate if they’re infected, it is not necessarily the case for other countries.
In Italy, if you are tested and the result is positive, you must immediately self-isolate in your accommodation and call your regional hotline.
For Greece, if you test positive for Covid-19 while in the country you must self-isolate for five days from the date of the positive test result. You may leave self-isolation after five days if you are no longer experiencing symptoms, otherwise you should continue to self-isolate.
If you test positive for Covid-19 in Portugal, you will have to self-isolate. If you’re in mainland Portugal, you’ll have to self-isolate at your own expense for at least seven days.
If you test positive for Covid-19 in France and you’re fully vaccinated (including a booster) or if you’ve had Covid-19 in the last four months, you must self-isolate for seven days from the day on which you first develop symptoms, or seven days from the date of the positive test result.
However, in Spain, you are not required to self-isolate if you have mild or no symptoms but you should wear a mask and avoid crowded spaces.
Where can I buy Covid tests?
Covid tests are no longer free in the UK, with some exceptions such as care home residents, NHS staff, or people who work in high-risk settings. But for everybody else, you can now pick them up at Boots, Lloyds pharmacy or any other pharmacy.
If you’re abroad, you can ask your hotel if they offer Covid tests or where the nearest site to do or buy a test is. In Portugal, you can buy Covid tests at the supermarket.
In Spain there are testing centres all around the country and prices for antigen tests are no more than €2.94. For Italy, you can book these tests online.
You can also find tests at most pharmacies in France. Look out for the sign dépistage du Covid (Covid testing) or test Covid-19 in the window and if the sign adds sans rendez-vous then you can get the test on a walk-in basis.