Covid Restrictions Abroad: Updates & Observations

[ainsworth74]

Following the archiving of the Covid Forum this thread is for members to post updates regarding Covid restrictions abroad and to request information from members about their recent experiences. Please note that this thread is for information only not a wider discussions of the rights and wrongs of various restrictions and whether or not they should be in place. For instance someone posting "I am thinking of travelling to the Czech Republic, what is the current situation there with regards to mask mandates?" or similar would be fine. Someone posting "The Czech Republic still stupidly insists on wearing face nappies despite the science pointing to them being next to useless and the sooner that the present Government are out on their ear the better!" would not.

Many thanks,
The Forum Staff

 

[dutchflyer]

Well-as for the need to wear masks In trains (after all the main subject of this forum): the last straws, Germany (on 2/2) and now also ESpana (on 7/2?) are also cancelling this. Which leads to,afaik now, no more whole countries insisting on this-but there may be some smaller areas (I can think of Wien=Vienna). Updates on that would be welcome.

 

[CC 72100]

Vienna still requires masks on city public transport and FFP2 at that (start of Feb 23). I used a surgical mask as I was caught unaware but have kept some with me when travelling. Compliance around 90% on trains, then 50%ish in stations.

Mainline trains not required.

It did provide the amusing spectacle of a metro busker with full guitar and microphone singing from behind his FFP2 mask.

 

[Austriantrain]

Vienna still requires masks on city public transport and FFP2 at that (start of Feb 23). I used a surgical mask as I was caught unaware but have kept some with me when travelling. Compliance around 90% on trains, then 50%ish in stations.

Mainline trains not required.

It did provide the amusing spectacle of a metro busker with full guitar and microphone singing from behind his FFP2 mask.

A mask is required on *all* public transport within Vienna (including long-distance trains, but there it is in effect unpoliced), and nowhere else in Austria once you cross the Viennese border.

The Viennese position is currently being evaluated and it is very possible it will be dropped soon.

Note that apart from public transport (in Vienna) and health institutions (hospitals etc), there are no obligations to wear masks in public life anymore.

The federal plan is to end all COVID-provisions by the end of June 2023, which means that then at the latest, the Viennese government will have to end the mask mandate.

 

[route101]

What is the situation in Spain with masks?

 

[Watershed]

What is the situation in Spain with masks?

It has been confirmed today that the Spanish mask mandate will at long last end tomorrow, 8th February:

Spanish Health Minister Carolina Darias confirmed end the end of January that face masks would no longer be compulsory on public transport, a measure that has been in place in Spain for almost three years.
On Tuesday February 7th, the Spanish government finally approved the measure and it will enter into force when it’s published in the Official State Bulletin (BOE), which usually occurs the following day.

This means that from Wednesday February 8th, masks will no longer be required on public transport.

The measure is possible because Spain’s Covid-19 “epidemiological situation is enormously stable at the moment,” Darias told a news conference after a weekly cabinet meeting.

Spain will cease to be the only country in Europe that still requires the use of face masks on public transport.

The measure comes months after other European countries took the same decision, which has been delayed due to the threat of the Covid-19 situation in China and fear of new variants such as ‘kraken’ from the US.

 

[Class800]

Are there any restrictions of any kind for entry into or transport within the Netherlands? I am going there for business on 16 March, thanks.

 

[DanielB]

Currently there are no COVID related restrictions in the Netherlands.

 

[Class800]

Currently there are no COVID related restrictions in the Netherlands.

thank you

 

[HS2isgood]

Bye bye masks here in Spain!!!

 

[Austriantrain]

A mask is required on *all* public transport within Vienna (including long-distance trains, but there it is in effect unpoliced), and nowhere else in Austria once you cross the Viennese border.

The Viennese position is currently being evaluated and it is very possible it will be dropped soon.

Note that apart from public transport (in Vienna) and health institutions (hospitals etc), there are no obligations to wear masks in public life anymore.

The federal plan is to end all COVID-provisions by the end of June 2023, which means that then at the latest, the Viennese government will have to end the mask mandate.

It has been announced today that the mask mandate in Vienna‘s public transport will end with the beginning of march.

 

[Richard Scott]

It has been announced today that the mask mandate in Vienna‘s public transport will end with the beginning of march.

Good news, going at beginning if April so no need to pack masks for first time since summer 2020. Not that I wore them in Vienna last time I went but had them just in case.

 

[popeter45]

traveling via train to Sweden next week via Belgium,Germany and Denmark
any restrictions or requirements like masks i need to know about?

 

[kingston_toon]

Somewhat surprisingly, to me at least, Singapore is removing its mask mandate on public transport from Monday!

Mask-wearing no longer mandatory on public transport from Feb 13, as Singapore steps down COVID-19 restrictions

The DORSCON level will also be lowered to Green and the pandemic multi-ministry task force stood down.

www.channelnewsasia.com

SINGAPORE: The wearing of masks on public transport as well as some healthcare and residential care settings will no longer be mandatory from Monday (Feb 13), when Singapore also steps down its disease alert to the lowest level since the COVID-19 pandemic started.

From Monday, it will move down to code Green - putting COVID-19 in the same category as the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) and the H7N9 bird flu strain.

 

[rvdborgt]

traveling via train to Sweden next week via Belgium,Germany and Denmark
any restrictions or requirements like masks i need to know about?

Nothing special. No masks.

 

[StephenHunter]

The Nightjet website says that masks are still required when not in your compartment.

 

[Richard Scott]

The Nightjet website says that masks are still required when not in your compartment.

If that's the case I've never seen it enforced.

 

[ABB125]

If that's the case I've never seen it enforced.

Me neither. I spent 3 consecutive nights on NightJets last month (in Germany) and at no point did anyone say anything about masks

 

[AlbertBeale]

Me neither. I spent 3 consecutive nights on NightJets last month (in Germany) and at no point did anyone say anything about masks

It's not uncommon - including in Britain - for notices about things like masks for pandemic protection to still be in place (stuck up, or on websites) even though the rules were changed some time ago.

 

[Ken H]

Whats it like in Italy now?

 

[Watershed]

Whats it like in Italy now?

Barely anyone wearing masks on the multiple occasions I've been since the mandate was lifted last September (IIRC?).

 

[Ken H]

Barely anyone wearing masks on the multiple occasions I've been since the mandate was lifted last September (IIRC?).

Thanks

 

[SouthEastBuses]

Barely anyone wearing masks on the multiple occasions I've been since the mandate was lifted last September (IIRC?).

It was lifted towards the end of September.

 

[Snow1964]

P&O cruises and Fred Olsen cruises are both dropping their vaccination and Covid restrictions from 1st March 2023 (although might still be some restrictions in certain destinations). Which is good as have a cruise booked for June.

COVID-19 vaccination and testing are no longer required for the majority of our holidays​

From 1 March 2023, the majority of our holidays no longer require guests to be vaccinated or tested for COVID-19. Certain holidays, including those with longer or more complex itineraries, have additional vaccination and testing requirements. To see if these additional requirements apply to you, please check your cruise number below.

https://www.pocruises.com/cruise-with-confidence/vaccination-and-testing-policy

Frequently Asked Questions | Fred. Olsen Cruises

From managing your booking to learning about our cruise health and safety policies, get the answers you're looking for from our cruise FAQ at Fred. Olsen.

www.fredolsencruises.com

 

[Bletchleyite]

P&O cruises are dropping their vaccination and Covid restrictions from 1st March 2023 (although might still be some restrictions in certain destinations). Which is good as have a cruise booked for June.

https://www.pocruises.com/cruise-with-confidence/vaccination-and-testing-policy

Cruise ships would do better testing for norovirus, to be honest, as it causes them far more problems!

 

[Peter Mugridge]

Cruise ships would do better testing for norovirus, to be honest, as it causes them far more problems!

I'd agree with that.

Given there's about 30 different types of norovirus, are they all similar enough that a single test would detect all of them or would any test be specific to just one or a few of them? You'd need the former for any testing regime to stand any chance of success.

 

[island]

Hong Kong has announced the end of mandatory face coverings from the start of next month, except in healthcare settings.

 

[P Binnersley]

Just back from Alicante, Spain. Hardly a mask to be seen on trains, trams and buses.

 

[SeanG]

I was briefly in Vienna last weekend - I didn't see one person wearing a mask at Wien Hauptbahnhof and I didn't see any signs etc advising of the requirement to wear a mask. There was no word of this on the train into Vienna or out of Vienna either (both ECs, from Gdynia and to Budapest)

 

[StephenHunter]

The mandate has been dropped as of yesterday there. Nightjet's site no longer mentions masks at all.