The Portuguese government has announced the return of a curfew in 45 municipalities including Lisbon and Porto. What are the new measures implemented by our European neighbors during the 2021 summer holidays?
[Updated July 1, 2021 at 9:49 p.m.] Following an upsurge in coronavirus cases due to the Delta variant, many countries are taking restrictive measures and reconfiguring themselves even at the start of the summer holidays. Portugal has thus decided to reinstate a night curfew from Friday July 2, 2021 and for an indefinite period in 45 municipalities including Lisbon and Porto.
In France, the curfew is no longer in effect and cafes and restaurants can welcome the public indoors again. The curfew was lifted on Monday June 28 in Val Aosta, the last region of Italy where it was still in force to fight the Covid-19 pandemic. Wearing a mask is no longer compulsory outdoors in Italy, except in crowded places. Spain, the world’s second largest tourist destination, reopened its doors to vaccinated tourists from all over the world on June 7th. Non-vaccinated Europeans will now be able to content themselves with an antigenic test.
Managed by the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), a unique map of red, green, orange and gray zones according to the rate of contamination allows travelers to better navigate (available HERE and updated July 1, 2021). This week, many European countries including France, Germany, Italy, Finland, Poland and Iceland appear in green. Spain appears in orange with some red regions.
Note: for more complete information on three very popular countries – Spain, Italy and Portugal – do not hesitate to consult our dedicated focuses. They include all the practical information to prepare your trip and enjoy a peaceful holiday, even in this delicate period:
Spain ended the state of emergency on Sunday May 9 at midnight. Spaniards can now move from one region to another and enjoy the terraces of bars and restaurants in the evening following the lifting of the curfew. Nightspots close at midnight, but there are still restrictions: no more than six people together outdoors, four indoors.
Spain reopened its borders to travelers vaccinated against Covid-19 on Monday, June 7, 2021. Unvaccinated Europeans, who already had the right to come but had to present a negative PCR test less than 72 hours old, will be able to settle for now an antigen test
Faced with the rise in cases of coronavirus detected in Portugal recently, the government has taken the decision to reinstate a curfew in 45 municipalities in the country, including the capital Lisbon and Porto. From Friday, July 2 and for an indefinite period, this “ban on driving on public roads” will apply to the most affected municipalities every day from 11 p.m. to 5 a.m. The reduction of cafe and restaurant hours, already in place in the Portuguese capital and two other municipalities, will also be extended to 16 new cities. These establishments must close their doors at 10:30 p.m. on weekdays and 3:30 p.m. on weekends.
The wearing of the mask is always imposed in enclosed spaces as well as outside when the social distancing of two meters is not possible. With the exception of Madeira Island and the Azores archipelago, the country is not under curfew and bars and restaurants are open indoors and outdoors until 10:30 p.m., with a six-hour limit. people per table in the dining room and 10 on the terrace
The curfew was lifted on Monday June 28 in Val Aosta, the last region of Italy where it was still in force to fight the Covid-19 pandemic. Masks are no longer required outdoors in Italy, except in crowded places. Bars, restaurants, cinemas and performance halls partially reopened at the end of April in Italy. A large majority of the twenty regions are now classified in yellow, the lowest level of risk in the face of the pandemic. Bars and restaurants are authorized to serve on the terrace. In total, almost 140,000 bars, restaurants, pizzerias and rural lodges have reopened. For their part, cinemas, theaters and concert halls can accommodate the public up to 50% of their capacity.
As the Quai d’Orsay reminds us in its travel advice, people entering Italy from France “must present the negative result of a molecular (PCR) or antigenic test carried out less than 48 hours before the trip and report as soon as possible. arrival at the regional health authority. They must also submit to a 5-day isolation, even if the first test is negative, at the address indicated to the health authorities (private address or hotel) and re-test at the end of the isolation.”
While the UK has passed the 20 million Covid-19 barrier, the threat of the Indian variant Delta has disrupted the lifting of the last restrictions in the country originally scheduled for June 21. Boris Johnson has announced that the final phase of deconfinement in England will finally begin on July 19. This concerns in particular the reopening of nightclubs, the authorization of weddings to more than 30 people or even bar service.
For its part, the Scottish government has also announced that it is pausing deconfinement in most of Scotland in the face of the spread of the Indian variant. “We are currently at a delicate and fragile point in the fight against the virus, declared the Prime Minister, Nicola Sturgeon, announcing the maintenance in zone 2 of alert (meetings limited to six people indoors, closed nightclubs) of many Scottish regions, including the capital Edinburgh.
Ireland has decided to tighten the conditions for “passengers arriving from France”. Since April 15, travelers must undergo a mandatory 14-day quarantine and only in government-designated hotels. The reservation must be made before departure. Reservations at government-designated hotels can be viewed HERE, authorities remind that all costs are the responsibility of the passengers and non-application of quarantine is a serious offence.
For information, the price of the standard all-inclusive package is set at 1,875 euros and for 12 nights. The Irish government arranges the transfer to the quarantine facility whether travelers arrive by sea or air.
Germans who have been fully vaccinated against the coronavirus or who are completely cured of it will be able to enjoy more freedoms since this weekend, the Bundestag, the lower house of the parliamentary assembly in Germany, decided by a large majority. This relaxation allows them to gather together or enter any store without having to present a negative test, as is currently the case for the rest of the population, with the exception of so-called “essential businesses”. “like supermarkets or pharmacies.
Vaccinated persons are also no longer subject to the curfew. Since the end of April, this has applied from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. in the districts (Landkreise) which have more than 100 cases per 100,000 inhabitants In certain cities in Bavaria, the terraces of bars and restaurants reopen on Monday. According to the text adopted Thursday, they must however continue to respect barrier gestures and in particular wear a mask in shops and public transport, which is the rule for the entire population in Germany.
Belgium has authorized the reopening of bar and restaurant terraces since May 8. These establishments are now allowed to serve indoors as well, with extended opening hours until 11:30 p.m. Schools reopened in mid-April, the day the ban on non-compulsory foreign travel was also lifted. The Prime Minister, however, invited Belgians to travel as little as possible. The next step was the reopening of hairdressers and non-essential shops on April 26, followed by the reopening of flea markets, leisure parks and sports halls (within the limit of 25 people) on May 8.
Passengers arriving at Belgian airports from France are subject to a 7-day quarantine, with mandatory Covid-19 testing on the first and seventh day. Exceptions are made for essential workers, students having to take exams and for residents who have gone abroad for professional reasons. All travelers going to Belgium, regardless of the means of transport used, must complete the Passenger Locator Form.
Since April 19, Switzerland has reopened concert halls, sports halls, museums, libraries, café terraces, restaurants and cinemas. Teaching is done face-to-face, and gatherings remain limited to 15 people. However, each canton reserves the right to impose additional restrictions.
The lockdown ended on June 5 in the Netherlands with a further round of relaxation of coronavirus restrictions, including allowing restaurants to welcome diners indoors. Restaurant owners are now allowed to serve indoors until 10 p.m. (8 p.m. GMT). The giant screens retransmitting the matches of the Euro football will however be prohibited, specified the Prime Minister. Museums will be allowed to open with one visitor per square meter and theaters and cinemas will be able to receive a maximum of 50 visitors.
Passengers traveling to the Netherlands by air must complete a health declaration form before boarding. In the event that a traveler exhibits any of the symptoms listed in the health declaration form, they will not be accepted on the flight. This is also applicable for passengers in transit.
What conditions must be respected in Greece?
Gradual deconfinement is underway in Greece, including the reopening of museums, archaeological sites, restaurants, bars and outdoor cafes. Movement on a daily basis and between regions on the mainland is free. Access to the islands remains subject to vaccination tests or certificates. A strict curfew applies nationwide between 12:30 a.m. and 5:00 a.m. Compliance with health instructions is mandatory, offenders are liable to heavy fines and criminal prosecution.
After several months of confinement, Greece lifted all its health measures on May 14, 2021 for its population but also for tourists. From now on, visitors will have to present a vaccination certificate or a negative PCR test to enter the territory. A major vaccination campaign is underway, particularly in the islands, which are very popular with tourists.