Covid variants, the EU adds “dark red” zones for travelers

New coronavirus variants scare Europe, which decides to change the containment rules. It takes stronger measures to make the virus run less. And, among these, the decision of the heads of state and government gathered last night for a dedicated video summit, relapsed on limiting non-essential travel within the Union.

Essential travel

No closure that could create a new and harmful fragmentation of Schengen, but strong limitations. Business trips will remain possible e for the movement of goods. But also the introduction of tampons mandatory on departure e quarantine upon arrival. Furthermore, for those traveling from high-risk areas that will be identified cwith a new color, dark red.

Europeans are also preparing to further secure the Union’s external borders. Holland has already closed flights from 17 non-EU countries, such as the United Kingdom and South Africa.

The fears are different: that the variants cause “an increase in infections leading to an increase in hospitalizations and deaths in all age groups, especially among the elderly ”. That some mutations can damage the vaccine.

Vaccination passport

At the moment, the hypothesis of vaccination passports has been rejected to circulate by skipping the controls. For now, we are aiming for a vaccination certificate for medical purposes only which, however, in the future, perhaps in the summer, could be transformed into a travel document.

France closes to travelers without a negative buffer

France announced in the evening that from Sunday to midnight all travelers arriving from other countries of the European Union they must have the certificate of a negative molecular swab taken 72 hours before departure. The tampon will be mandatory – we learn from the Elysée – for “all non-essential journeys”. Cross-border workers and land transport workers remain exempt from the obligation.

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