Could this be the light at the end of the tunnel?
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I think the problem is that the situation is so fluid that any country could change it's mind at a moment's notice. I suppose the art, especially if going for a longer period, is to try and squeeze in between possible changes because by the time you return it will be different again? I suspect many of these countries are shutting the stable door once the Delta horse has bolted!!!
David
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Yes, sensible policy that supports the economy while restricting potential for visitors clogging up the Spanish health service. Much more effective than futile political gestures that just delay rather than prevent infections. Too many politicians like Merkel delude themselves that they’re taking big, tough decisions, but mostly they’re just posturing.
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agreed, but look what happens
"Balearics leaders have called on Spain to “protect the good health situation” on the islands and demand proof of vaccination or negative tests from arriving UK tourists. British travellers will return to the holiday hotspot after it moves to the UK’s green list on Wednesday, but its leaders say more restrictions are needed after more than 800 people were diagnosed with coronavirus after Spanish students visited Mallorca. UK travellers are not subject to any restrictions by Spain."
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No problem with them asking for ‘vaccination passport’, entirely sensible as would proof of negative test within 72 hours of landing. They could even test all new arrivals and produce results in a few hours. I flew into Gibraltar last month, free test on arrival and result by text within 45mins of test. Economically it would make sense for Spain to devote the resources to achieve that.
As for infectious Spanish students, Mallorca is an island, it wouldn’t take much of a local genius to solve that one!
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As for infectious Spanish students, Mallorca is an island, it wouldn’t take a local genius to solve that one
Maybe not, but the big fear within many holiday communities just now, is the influx of Spanish people from the cities, e.g. Madrid, Barcelona that will swamp the holiday resorts come June to end of September when the Spanish holiday season starts, many will only have had 1 dose of the vaccine, my daughter who lives in Spain had second jab last Tuesday, she is 47 and only got it because she is a teacher.
But lets hope all goes well, hoping to visit August time but not taking the caravan, drive and stay in daughters holiday cottage.
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Putting it into perspective, Spain Covid rates aren’t any worse than UK and exactly the same process of holiday migration from urban to holiday locations is going in here (Cornwall is heaving just now), so not much to chose between them in terms of risk. That said, Covid rates in Cornwall are, for the first time, higher than England average. For much of the pandemic period they’ve been significantly lower. Some blame G7, some blame school half-term, but visitor numbers at what are probably record levels for June can’t be helping much. Spain will follow the same pattern I’m sure when the traditional summer exodus gets underway.
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Number 2 son went back home to Hong Kong earlier this month -
requirements at the time were double vaccination two weeks ahead of travel, pay for PCR test before being allowed on plane at Heathrow, another test on arrival at HK and stay in security at the airport till result available, pay for two weeks locked up in a hotel room wearing a tag, then two further official tests during that time and one more to allow release.
Even all that hasn’t stopped new arrivals spreading disease in Hong Kong so there is now a total ban on anyone from UK being allowed to go there.
Good luck Spain
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Yes that may indeed be playing a part, but have a look at the latest edition of Wanderlust magazine on line and see a long, long list of even friendly countries refusing entry to visitors from UK at the moment. They can all see that Covid is galloping fast here and they don't want British visitors.
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DK wrote "I suspect many of these countries are shutting the stable door once the Delta horse has bolted!!!"
Like the UK did, you mean?
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It was left bolting for near 6 weeks too I read☹️
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Probably as a result of a poor record on vaccinations in these countries so no defense against the new variants, Malta are now refusing to accept the NHS covid app vaccination certificate as proof of vaccine, not sure just what they are looking for
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Malta are certainly busy creating a load of hoops for entry, so much so it’s probably not worth the hassle compared to most other places. Also, Covid would love the public transport system there on the main tourist routes. Not sure why they bothered to open the country up?
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My Maltese friend is ready for the off but she has a home there. Hotels might be different as staffing levels have dropped. I presume there is a rush to recruit workers?
I'm wondering if there'll be a rise in the delta variant over there?
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I think what happens in Italy (Sicily) will have a big impact on Malta.
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The "light at the end of the tunnel" would indeed seem to be the Covid Express coming the other way, given today's figures of over 26000 new cases.
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Not good
daughter should arrive from Spain Friday, driving thru France and then tunnel, staying for approx 1 month then we should be going back in convoy and spending August in Spain, but might have to re-think that, She has Spanish residency so no problems for her to stay longer and return whenever."Spain’s regions are rushing to vaccinate younger age groups as coronavirus cases rise and concern grows over the spread of the more infectious delta variant. The vaccination of the 30-39 population is speeding up, and some regions – which are in charge of the Covid-19 immunization drive as well as controlling the pandemic in their territories – have even begun inoculating people in their twenties. These two age groups account for the majority of new coronavirus infections in Spain"
dont want to get caught up in any lock down scenarios, and Macron has already threatened to close the border with Spain
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Good luck with that Rufs, spending time with family based overseas has become a very precious thing in recent times.
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i don't know a out other areas but this is a pretty clear sign of how things are currently going...the over 60s holding steady at recent very low values...infections in younger folk (though cant tell how young from this breakdown) risng quickly...
need to get them jabbed ASAP....
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Rufus enjoy your time together.
I'm quite envious 3 years since we saw our daughter and family in NZ. No idea when that will happen now, on the green list for us but NZ not letting you in without good reason - the want to return natives have trouble getting MIQ, quarantine. And young family with work school and mortgage can't afford the time to come here and MIQ on return if we want to justify the time in the air 😪
Our global Village is a big misnomer now.
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looked at Worldometer for first time in a few weeks....
Spain, Germany, Italy, France, Portugal now all doing much better than us, with infections low (as we were...) and deaths staying low too...
however, im guessing they havent yet got he Delta variant to the extent we have....
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Yes, having Canadian relatives I'm wondering if we'll ever get together again! Very tough for you B2 with your family in these circumstances. I've just heard that Italian family members are going to attempt the drive from the UK to Italy to their other home. This wasn't possible previously so as long as they can get back again EU routes are slightly better for dual nationalities, residencies etc.
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Yes, family in care homes has affected many of us. I’ve only seen my mother through glass since about October 2020 and even then wearing a face mask so she only sees part of my face. She’s well looked after but massive deterioration in her dementia.
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"however, im guessing they havent yet got he Delta variant to the extent we have"
dont know re extent, but my daughters school in Spain had 7 cases of the Delta variant shortly before they broke up for Summer hols last Friday , luckily as a teacher daughter has had 2 whacks of the jab, just had negative test before leaving Spain and I have paid for her to have quick release test 5 days after arriving in the UK this will be done in Boots chemist after having had a test after 2 days after arrival which hopefully will prove negative, and still she will have to take another test 8 days after arrival, some many hoops to jump thru but if it keeps us safe so much the better.
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I believe as of today the EU have a white list giving access to all EU countries without tests etc, but you have to live and have residency status to travel freely, needless to say we are not on the white list and not likely to be if Macron/Merkel have anything to do with it
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Had a friend who came back home a week this Monday and had to self isolate on return and very glad to be back as she had not seen her OH for 7 months as he works as a Chinook simulator trainer in Oxfordshire, she had an awful time checking in at Gatwick as air passenger staff did not recognise her French residency card but at the last minute a senior member of staff came and all ok after she got very frustrated with all the rigamarole of paperwork seems that a lot of staff do not know about the card, anyway now home and back at her little part time jobs and will be seeing her tomorrow and two more friends for a lite bite in our small local town Lalbenque.
Also friends of ours who run a b&b for the walking groups say that a lot of the guests say we do not have to wear masks anymore as we have had the jabs!!
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