Suddenly it looks like an almost normal summer travel season is possible.
If you have already booked or are about to do so - you should bear this in mind.
The long-awaited summer vacation is imminent.
In line with this, the number of infections is falling in large parts of Europe.
Popular holiday countries have relaxed their entry rules in order to attract tourists again.
Nothing seems to stand in the way of a comparatively carefree travel season.
However, there are a few things that holidaymakers should keep in mind.
1. Keep an eye on the corona location of the holiday destination
Despite falling incidences, travelers should know how high the
risk of infection is at the holiday destination
.
Information on this is provided by the Robert Koch Institute (RKI), which differentiates between risk areas, high incidence areas and virus variant areas.
In Europe, there is currently a trend towards fewer and fewer countries being risk areas.
On July 1, the general travel warning for risk areas, which had previously had a deterrent effect, also falls.
This changes little for those wishing to travel.
The tiresome quarantine requirement for travelers returning from risk areas was lifted in May.
2. Read the entry regulations of the holiday destination carefully
If you are drawn to another European country, you have to check which requirements the respective travel country makes for entry. “The travel advice from the German Foreign Office is best for this,” says Karolina Wojtal from the European Consumer Center in Germany. There, travelers can find out which
conditions apply
to those who have been
fully vaccinated
, those who have
recovered from Covid 19 disease and who have been tested
. And what type of corona test is required: is a rapid antigen test sufficient or does it have to be a PCR test that requires more preliminary processing?
There are also
instructions on
how
to register
, which is required by many countries.
"Many people forget that," reports Anke Budde, Vice President of the Alliance of Independent Travel Companies (asr).
“There are countries like Portugal where you can do that quickly at the departure airport.
In Greece, for example, this has to be done 24 hours before the start of the journey.
Otherwise there is a risk of a fine, ”explains the travel agency owner.
Families should find out whether their children need the negative test.
3. Carefully check the information on the vaccination status
Many countries
now exempt holidaymakers from the obligation
to test if they have been fully vaccinated or have demonstrably recovered from Corona.
Vaccinated or convalescent people can now travel to the popular foreign destination of Spain without any further requirements.
In Greece and Austria, too, these people no longer have to present a test.
In Italy, however, the test is still compulsory.
It is important to emphasize
fully vaccinated
: This means that at least 14 days must have passed after the second vaccination (Pfizer / Biontech, Moderna and Astra Zeneca) or single vaccination (Johnson & Johnson).
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4. Vaccination certificate: yellow booklet or corona vaccination certificate?
The corona vaccinations are entered in the yellow vaccination card.
Karolina Wojtal advises that you also get the
Corona vaccination certificate
, which can then be transferred to suitable apps via QR code or barcode.
The digital vaccination certificate from Germany meets the requirements of the Europe-wide vaccination certificate, which is currently being rolled out in the EU.
It will be available digitally and in paper form.
5. Corona rules on site: What applies to mask requirements, distance and Co.?
In Germany there is already discussion about lifting the mask requirement, but the situation may be different in other countries.
"Abroad, the Corona rules are in
some
cases
much stricter than in Germany,
" says Anke Budde.
“After all, no hotelier or restaurant wants to find themselves in the newspaper.
Everything is done to ensure that the rules are observed. ”Some of the measures in the hotels may have seemed a bit excessive.
“But it's all for security,” emphasizes the travel agency owner.
The EU website https://reopen.europa.eu/de also provides information on test requirements and on-site corona measures.
6. Test for returning to Germany?
According to the Corona Entry Ordinance, all holidaymakers who
fly back to Germany by plane
must be
able to show a negative antigen rapid test when boarding at the place of departure.
It does not matter whether a country is classified as a risk area or not.
Anyone returning from a risk area by car must be tested no later than 48 hours after their return.
Vaccinated and recovered travelers are exempt from the test requirement.
"If the final vaccination was 14 days or more ago, no more corona test is necessary for the return journey to Germany by plane," confirms Anke Budde.
"The vaccination card is enough."
7. Travel insurance: does it also apply to Covid-19?
Vacationers should check whether they have taken out travel health insurance.
This covers the costs not covered by the statutory health insurance for medically necessary treatment abroad.
According to the Association of Insureds, this also applies to illness with Covid-19 - if pandemics are not excluded in the insurance conditions.
(dpa) * Merkur.de is an offer from IPPEN.MEDIA.
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