26.11.2021

THE THIRD DOSE OF VACCINE WILL BE MANDATORY FOR TRAVEL TO THE EU

The European Commission has announced new rules for travel between EU countries, according to which the third dose of vaccine will soon become mandatory for green certificates to be valid. To this end, the validity of existing certificates has been extended from 6 to 9 months in order to enable countries to provide a booster dose of those already vaccinated over the next three months. Once it is given, the new certificate will not expire, but Brussels reserves the right to introduce it once scientific evidence is available that the effectiveness of the vaccine declines beyond the third dose.

Citizens without vaccination will have to take a test immediately before departure and after arrival, and will be quarantined regardless of the result if they come from countries in the dark red zone. So far, more than 650 million certificates have been issued in the EU.

In the weeks before Christmas, Europe is facing a new pandemic wave, and each country's attempts to curb the spread of the infection have built an entire Tower of Babel of measures that differ not only from country to country but also across the border and inland. from countries. In practice, there are currently 3 different requirements regimes in place in many places, and restrictions are expected to be tightened everywhere in the coming days. The measures are different, but the direction is the same - tightening the hoop around the unvaccinated and including the booster dose in the certificates.

At foreign borders

A green certificate of completion of a vaccination, illness or negative test is still sufficient for travel to most countries in Europe. In the coming days, however, this may change as more and more countries impose stricter restrictions. And at the moment some countries have additional requirements for those arriving from Bulgaria.

France has been monitoring our country for a month and requires those who have not been vaccinated or who have been ill to have a test done up to 24 hours before departure, and not, as usual, up to 72 or 48 hours earlier. From December 15, the country introduces an additional condition for people vaccinated with "Jansen" aged 65 and over - they must have a booster dose to receive a valid Covid certificate.

For a month now, Bulgaria has been a risk region for Germany, which requires quarantine from people without vaccination/illness (with the right to cancel).

Austria is blocking tourist travel at least until December 13, as it is in full lockdown. Italy, Spain and Portugal currently accept the usual three options - illness, vaccination or a negative test. In Italy, however, the list of countries is due to be revised on 15 December.

The UK has a completely different system, requiring even vaccinated people to have a reserved test with a private company, which must be done by the end of the second day of arrival. For people without a completed vaccination course, there are three tests - one within 72 hours before arrival and two more PCR tests on the second and eighth day after arrival.