SEVEN European holiday hotspots have put expiration dates on vaccine certificates – making it more difficult for Brits to head abroad during half term.
So while some double jabbed Brits can still enter, if your second jab was too long ago, you won’t be allowed in.
Popular holiday hotspots including Spain, France and Italy have brought the rules in, which give a time limit on how long vaccines are valid for.
The rules also specify your booster jab must have been received at least 14 days before arriving.
That means that if your vaccine certificate has expired and you’ve not yet had your booster, you won’t be able to get in during half term as it’s in less than a week.
We’ve rounded up the destinations you’ll be banned from over half term if you’ve not had your booster jab and you had your second jab last summer.
Spain – 270 days
Spain will only permit Brits to enter if they can prove they were fully vaccinated against Covid within the last 270 days.
All adults who received their second dose more than nine months ago, which is before mid-May, 2021, must have had a booster jab to be allowed in.
The booster must have been given more than 14 days before travelling.
The rule applies to kids aged between 12 and 17 which might be a problem for families hoping to go to Spain during half term.
Many under 18s are yet to be fully vaccinated due to the UK’s vaccine rollout schedule, so they will have no way of getting into the country.
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France – 270 days
To enter France, Brits must have been vaccinated within the last nine months, or received the booster since then.
All travellers aged over 18 and one month, who had their full vaccine course more than 270 days ago and have not since received a booster jab are considered as unvaccinated.
Unvaccinated Brits must self-isolate for 10 days upon arrival in France, subject to police checks.
Italy – 180 days
Italy does not consider Brits who were double jabbed more than 180 days ago as vaccinated unless they’ve had their booster.
That means any Brits who had their second dose more than six months ago – before August 2021 – must have received their booster to be deemed as vaccinated.
Unvaccinated Brits can still enter Italy, but it comes with strict rules, including Covid tests and five days of quarantine.
Brits who were hoping to head to Italy in half term, but who had their vaccine more than six months ago, won’t be let in without complications.
Netherlands – 270 days
The Netherlands has also introduced a nine-month expiry date on a vaccine certificate.
Brits who received their second dose more than 270 days ago will need to have had a booster if they want to visit the Netherlands.
The Netherlands has ditched its quarantine rules for Brits who were boosted at least seven days before arriving.
According to local media, a statement from the Ministry of Health of the Netherlands said: “From February 2, 2022, travellers with a booster shot are not required to be quarantined if the traveller received the booster shot at least seven days before the trip to the Netherlands.”
The quarantine rule scrap will make it easier for families to visit during February half term – as long as they have had the booster.
Switzerland – 270
Switzerland has also placed a nine-month expiration date on vaccine certificates.
That means that those Brits who received their second dose before May 2021 won’t be allowed in unless they’ve had their booster jab.
Austria – 270 days
Austria has also introduced a nine-month expiry date for vaccine certificates – so Brits need to have had their booster jab if their second dose was more than 270 days ago.
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Currently, to enter Austria, Brits need to be fully vaccinated and show proof of a negative PCR test.
However, Brits who received their booster more than 120 days after their second vaccine won’t need to provide a PCR test on arrival.
Proof of recovery in the past 180 days, alongside two vaccinations, counts as a booster.
Denmark – 270 days
To enter Denmark, you must have received your second dose within 270 days prior to travelling.
If your second dose was more than nine months ago, you must have had your booster jab to enter.
Travel in half term will be easier for Brits heading abroad because Covid tests are set to be scrapped for fully vaccinated holidaymakers.
Day 2 tests will be ditched from 4am on February 11 and Brits will just need to fill in a passenger locator form when returning to the UK.
We’ve rounded up the 34 countries Brits can enter without needing any Covid tests – and these are the 33 countries Brits are banned from entering due to Covid rules.
