COVID-19 Travel Rules to Europe May Be Lifted for Vaccinated

WEDNESDAY, Feb. 23, 2022 (HealthDay News) -- All testing and quarantine requirements for travelers to European Union member nations should be lifted next month for those who are vaccinated or have recovered from COVID-19, the European Council said Tuesday.

That would include people who received their last dose of their primary vaccination series at least 14 days and no more than 270 days before their arrival, those who have received their booster dose, or those who have recovered from COVID-19 within 180 days of arrival, the council said in a news release announcing the new recommendations. There would be no tests or additional requirements for children younger than 6 years who are traveling with an adult.

Travelers vaccinated with vaccines approved by the WHO but not authorized for use in the EU may still need to present a negative polymerase chain reaction test or to quarantine, according to the European Council. EU-authorized vaccines include those from Pfizer, Moderna, AstraZeneca, Johnson & Johnson, and Novavax.

The nonbinding guidance from the council was welcomed by the executive commission of the 27-nation bloc, the Associated Press reported. "The updates will further facilitate travel from outside the EU into the EU, and take into account the evolution of the pandemic, the increasing vaccination uptake worldwide, and the administration of booster doses," the European Commission said.

Associated Press Article