Catching Covid while on holiday is an unfortunate possibility for a lot of people. While restrictions in many places have been reduced thanks to the rise in the vaccine programme, cases have not vanished completely.
So if you are lucky enough to jet off this summer without getting caught up in the chaos across airports, what happens if you reach your hotel with a niggle in your throat? With Covid-19 cases still high in Europe, rules on travel are constantly changing, so it’s best to keep an eye on the Government’s travel advice for the latest requirements.
It also goes without saying that individual rules and guidelines vary from country to country. But we have found the best advice and tips for Irish travellers, should you develop Covid symptoms while on holiday.
Get travel insurance
Before you even reach your destination, you need to make sure you're covered in case of an emergency, including Covid-19. Thankfully, if you're travelling within the EU/EAA, it's free and easy to sign up for a European Health Insurance Card. If you live in Ireland, you can apply for your EHIC here.
For travel outside of the EU/EAA, Citizen's Information says: "You are strongly advised to seek specific holiday or health insurance before you travel. Insurance rates in Ireland can vary significantly, so shop around for the best value before your trip." Make sure to purchase your travel insurance as soon as you confirm your holiday booking, this way you are covered if you need to cancel or reschedule before you leave.
Check travel advice
The Government's travel website includes regular updates organised by country, so if you have internet access whilst you are away you can check what they advise, here. Here, we have pulled out the advice for a few popular holiday destinations:
Spain
Jetting off to sunny Spain will have been at the top of a lot of lists this summer. With Covid cases on the rise across Europe, Spain is one country considering bringing back some restrictions.
If you have symptoms or test positive for Covid-19 during your stay in Spain, you do not have to self-isolate but you should inform direct contacts and take the following extra precautionary measures for 10 days from diagnosis or from when symptoms began:
- wear a mask
- reduce social interactions and avoid crowded spaces and large events
- avoid contact with people at high risk (including older people, people with health conditions and pregnant women).
Further information, including important contact information, can be found in English on the Spanish Ministry of Health website here.
France
In France, positive cases depend on your vaccination status. If you are fully vaccinated (including your booster shot) and still test positive, then you must self-isolate for seven days from the first symptom or positive test result. However, you can leave isolation after five days if you take a negative PCR or antigen test and you have not displayed any symptoms over the previous 48 hours. These rules also apply to children under the age of 12, regardless of their vaccination status.
If you are unvaccinated or have not yet had all shots, the required isolation is 10 days following the first symptom or record of a positive test. After seven days, if a PCR or antigen test comes back negative and you have not displayed any symptoms for 48 hours, you may end your isolation early.
United Kingdom
Under existing British regulations, passengers arriving into Great Britain from Ireland, are not required to complete a passenger locator form, self-isolate, or undergo testing, if they have not been outside of the Common Travel Area in the previous 10 days. The Common Travel Area includes Ireland, the UK, the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands.
The NHS recommends that anyone who has tested positive for Covid stays at home and avoids contact with people for five days, though there are no restrictions in place requiring this.
Italy
If you are tested and the result is positive, you must immediately self-isolate in your accommodation and call the regional hotline. You may be able to remain in your existing accommodation for self-isolation or be required to transfer to government-provided accommodation.
If within the last 120 days, you have either completed a full course of vaccination or received a booster, you must self-isolate for 7 days. Otherwise, you must self-isolate for 10 days. In order to be released from self-isolation, you must produce a negative test. The local health authority determines the type of test you must take.
United States
All passengers to the United States are required to show proof of being fully vaccinated against Covid-19 (booster dose not required). Only limited exceptions apply to this requirement.
If you are exposed to Covid-19 whilst in the United States, the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says that fully vaccinated travellers do not need to quarantine but are advised to get tested and take precautions for 10 days.
For unvaccinated people or those who have not completed a full set of jabs, the CDC says you must quarantine for "at least five full days", wear a mask, get tested, watch for symptoms and avoid travel until a full 10 days after you last had close contact with someone with Covid-19.
READ NEXT:
Gardai to introduce speed vans on 61 new routes from next week in speeding clamp down
'I'm 22 stone but will still snatch your man – I can't help that I'm a hotty'
Member of the public labelled hero after saving three children from drowning in Donegal
Irish mother tells of daughter's mystery hepatitis diagnosis after bouts of vomiting and yellow eyes
Michael Schumacher 'watches F1 races' as former Ferrari boss gives rare update on his condition
