Continental updates please

[johnnyboxer]

Money, not medical reasons are opening up Southern Europe for external tourists.

Then plan was that travelling should require a proof vaccination.
This has been the statement all the time.

But now... all the is needed is a test.
Loosing money to require a prrof of vaccination.
The Hotel owners lobby opens the borders....
And not only for EU citizens. No especially for Britts.
Why ? Becouse that is were the majority of money comes from.
This happens in Portugal, Italy, Grece and soon Spain.
( 2 millions Britts are expected to come this summer to Portugal. Starting today)

They open up faster in Portugal, Italy and Greece, than Boris is doing in England.

Good for the Britts with a vacation without restrictions.
Just spread the Indian version of the Covid19 virtus over Europe.

I know who will pay for this.
=
Portugal opens the border to UK.
Spain is not open for tourists from outside EU.
The Portugal-Spain border is open.

Hm... Britts can fly to Portugal and take a car to Spain....

Looking at the 77% increase in spread of the new Indian variant in 7 - 10 days from 500>1316>2323 and it being seeded/embedded in 86 uk boroughs (out of 334 boroughs) with 5 or more confirmed cases, it looks like theirs highly transmissible strain will cause another wave here and Britons travelling abroad will spread it all over Europe
I cannot believe the folly of people
This will go on for a good while
Get bloody vaccinated

[daveuprite]

Money, not medical reasons are opening up Southern Europe for external tourists.

Then plan was that travelling should require a proof vaccination.
This has been the statement all the time.

But now... all the is needed is a test.
Loosing money to require a prrof of vaccination.
The Hotel owners lobby opens the borders....
And not only for EU citizens. No especially for Britts.
Why ? Becouse that is were the majority of money comes from.
This happens in Portugal, Italy, Grece and soon Spain.
( 2 millions Britts are expected to come this summer to Portugal. Starting today)

They open up faster in Portugal, Italy and Greece, than Boris is doing in England.

Good for the Britts with a vacation without restrictions.
Just spread the Indian version of the Covid19 virtus over Europe.

I know who will pay for this.
=
Portugal opens the border to UK.
Spain is not open for tourists from outside EU.
The Portugal-Spain border is open.

Hm... Britts can fly to Portugal and take a car to Spain....

Looking at the 77% increase in spread of the new Indian variant in 7 - 10 days from 500>1316>2323 and it being seeded/embedded in 86 uk boroughs (out of 334 boroughs) with 5 or more confirmed cases, it looks like theirs highly transmissible strain will cause another wave here and Britons travelling abroad will spread it all over Europe
I cannot believe the folly of people
This will go on for a good while
Get bloody vaccinated

Yep, got to agree with that. All that daft TV coverage of people on planes to Portugal yesterday. The timing is wrong. Johnson allowed the Indian variant into the UK back in April. He made another mistake (or was it connected to his planned trade talks trip to meet Narendra Modi ?). Ironically a dominant strain in India for some time was the UK Kent variant and having mutated the Indian variant is now becoming the dominant variant in britain. The foreign travel should be on hold until the recent surge in cases is demonstrably under control with low case numbers and even higher vaccination percentages. It's a shame. The UK nearly made it. I'm sure the time will come, it's just not now.

But the situation is ample evidence that until the whole world is vaccinated no one country can safely declare that it has the virus under control.

[johnnyboxer]

Money, not medical reasons are opening up Southern Europe for external tourists.

Then plan was that travelling should require a proof vaccination.
This has been the statement all the time.

But now... all the is needed is a test.
Loosing money to require a prrof of vaccination.
The Hotel owners lobby opens the borders....
And not only for EU citizens. No especially for Britts.
Why ? Becouse that is were the majority of money comes from.
This happens in Portugal, Italy, Grece and soon Spain.
( 2 millions Britts are expected to come this summer to Portugal. Starting today)

They open up faster in Portugal, Italy and Greece, than Boris is doing in England.

Good for the Britts with a vacation without restrictions.
Just spread the Indian version of the Covid19 virtus over Europe.

I know who will pay for this.
=
Portugal opens the border to UK.
Spain is not open for tourists from outside EU.
The Portugal-Spain border is open.

Hm... Britts can fly to Portugal and take a car to Spain....

Looking at the 77% increase in spread of the new Indian variant in 7 - 10 days from 500>1316>2323 and it being seeded/embedded in 86 uk boroughs (out of 334 boroughs) with 5 or more confirmed cases, it looks like theirs highly transmissible strain will cause another wave here and Britons travelling abroad will spread it all over Europe
I cannot believe the folly of people
This will go on for a good while
Get bloody vaccinated

Yep, got to agree with that. All that daft TV coverage of people on planes to Portugal yesterday. The timing is wrong. Johnson allowed the Indian variant into the UK back in April. He made another mistake (or was it connected to his planned trade talks trip to meet Narendra Modi ?). Ironically a dominant strain in India for some time was the UK Kent variant and having mutated the Indian variant is now becoming the dominant variant in britain. The foreign travel should be on hold until the recent surge in cases is demonstrably under control with low case numbers and even higher vaccination percentages. It's a shame. The UK nearly made it. I'm sure the time will come, it's just not now.

But the situation is ample evidence that until the whole world is vaccinated no one country can safely declare that it has the virus under control.

Indeed, UK is heading for another crisis soon, shame we nearly cracked it, as you say

[Tonibe63]

I'm hopeful that the India variant can be brought under control by increased vaccination and testing because that is the only way for the future. I can't see us going into another lockdown because we can't afford it in monetary and mental health terms. My Daughter said yesterday that they have zero Covid patients on their ITU because most are suitable for normal ward care and the seriously ill patients are all being sent to one hospital in the region. However a high proportion of ITU beds are now occupied by drug overdoses and end stage liver disease, many in the 30 to 50 age group.

[SteveR]

Money, not medical reasons are opening up Southern Europe for external tourists.

Then plan was that travelling should require a proof vaccination.
This has been the statement all the time.

But now... all the is needed is a test.
Loosing money to require a prrof of vaccination.
The Hotel owners lobby opens the borders....
And not only for EU citizens. No especially for Britts.
Why ? Becouse that is were the majority of money comes from.
This happens in Portugal, Italy, Grece and soon Spain.
( 2 millions Britts are expected to come this summer to Portugal. Starting today)

They open up faster in Portugal, Italy and Greece, than Boris is doing in England.

Good for the Britts with a vacation without restrictions.
Just spread the Indian version of the Covid19 virtus over Europe.

I know who will pay for this.
=
Portugal opens the border to UK.
Spain is not open for tourists from outside EU.
The Portugal-Spain border is open.

Hm... Britts can fly to Portugal and take a car to Spain....

Looking at the 77% increase in spread of the new Indian variant in 7 - 10 days from 500>1316>2323 and it being seeded/embedded in 86 uk boroughs (out of 334 boroughs) with 5 or more confirmed cases, it looks like theirs highly transmissible strain will cause another wave here and Britons travelling abroad will spread it all over Europe
I cannot believe the folly of people
This will go on for a good while
Get bloody vaccinated

Yep, got to agree with that. All that daft TV coverage of people on planes to Portugal yesterday. The timing is wrong. Johnson allowed the Indian variant into the UK back in April. He made another mistake (or was it connected to his planned trade talks trip to meet Narendra Modi ?). Ironically a dominant strain in India for some time was the UK Kent variant and having mutated the Indian variant is now becoming the dominant variant in britain. The foreign travel should be on hold until the recent surge in cases is demonstrably under control with low case numbers and even higher vaccination percentages. It's a shame. The UK nearly made it. I'm sure the time will come, it's just not now.

But the situation is ample evidence that until the whole world is vaccinated no one country can safely declare that it has the virus under control.

Boris at his bloody finest... Ignore the scientists and medical guidance, after all he and his squeeze know better... I suspect your spot on with regards to the trade thing, we have seen such decisions time and time again...

I suspect that that Dom knows where some of the good stuff and where the bodies are, and will let go at Bozo and Co, next week!

But no trips being planned across the water, just yet!! Maybe a run across to Galway to see my Sis in September... not exactly a warm Portugese ride, but we will ALL see how it all goes.

[Flipflop]

As suspected, this thread has turned into a discussion about Covid and politics - when it was specifically requested to keep to topic.

[SteveR]

As suspected, this thread has turned into a discussion about Covid and politics - when it was specifically requested to keep to topic.

Sorry... I was on topic initially...

Hard not to though, with how we are all affected.

[Flipflop]

As suspected, this thread has turned into a discussion about Covid and politics - when it was specifically requested to keep to topic.

Sorry... I was on topic initially...

Hard not to though, with how we are all affected.

I know what you mean........but
My original hope was that, as things improved and Europe opened up, this thread would give people hard facts about travel and, in that way, people can make whatever plans they want.
Oh and if people want to make those plans public then, please start your own thread.
Thanks

[Barcelona Pat]

Spain opening up to UK visitors from tomorrow - Monday 24 May. Just looking at the Spanish government´s website, there is no mention of vaccination or PCR requirements. There is the reminder that people traveling have to comply with post-Brexit visa requirements (eg if not a tourist).

While no doubt a welcome move for some, can´t help thinking this is premature. Infection rates in Spain are falling, but nowhere near as low yet as the UK. The vaccination programme has finally kicked into gear, but again is still running behind that in the UK. Plus the concerns over other strains in the UK may result in the Spanish govermment having to shift the UK into the catagory of 'other nations' for which its opening up from 7 June, and for which there are vaccination / PCR test requirements.

So, encouraging signs, but please keep checking official sites before making any bookings - and include the UK´s rules in that - for example, as it stands there are still requirements to enter the UK, so factor in the costs of PCR tests and isolation days etc for your return.

Also, as yet there doesn´t appear to be any relaxation of the mask wearing rules here. Essentially you have to wear one when out in public - with exceptions for when in the act of eating, drinking smoking. So if you are coming, pack a good supply and put up with it (we have to!).

http://www.exteriores.gob.es/Consulados ... 3%B1a.aspx
Scroll down a little on this webpage - you´ll see an option for English language

[Peirre]

Brittany Ferries have changed their mind and will not be running the new route between the UK and Portugal this year which is very disappointing, details here:
https://www.brittany-ferries.co.uk/info ... lldTo59HuA