The European Union has agreed to open its borders to tourists who are vaccinated against COVID-19, as well as those from countries marked as ‘safe’.
The current restrictions, allowing only visitors from seven countries, are expected to be lifted in the coming weeks. Currently, the main requirement to allow leisure travel is that there must be less than 25 new COVID-19 cases per 100,000 people in the previous 14 days.
Italy was one of the hardest-hit countries in Europe.
The list of countries that will be marked as ‘safe’, allowing travellers to enter without being vaccinated, is yet to be released. Quarantine and negative PCR-test requirements will depend on each country.
Several countries that have been especially hard hit by the pandemic, like Italy, have seen a decrease in the number of new infections as citizens get vaccinated.
In the past month, hospitalisations in Italy have gone down by 49%, according to the Italian research foundation, Gimbe. More than 17% of adults are already fully vaccinated, reports the E.C.D.C.
The country’s state of emergency is in place until 31 July 2021.
ALSO READ:
Where to get a PCR test before travelling outside of South Africa
Picture: Unsplash
