Covid cases have tripled across Europe in recent weeks, accounting for almost half of global infections, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has said.
The ‘super-infectious’ relatives of the Omicron variant have been blamed for the surge, with the BA.4 and BA.5 strains driving new waves of the disease across the continent.
The WHO’s Europe director Dr Hans Kluge described the virus as a “nasty and potentially deadly illness” that people should not underestimate, and warned that hospitalisations are set to increase further in the autumn and winter months.
In the UK, people have been urged to be cautious after Covid cases spiked over the past few weeks, with health experts recommending wearing face masks in crowded and enclosed spaces to help reduce the risk of further spread.
Some popular destinations in Europe have now tightened their rules on face masks and self-isolation in response to the recent surge in infections.
So if you are heading abroad this summer, these are the key entry and Covid rules for 10 European holiday spots to be aware of.
9. Czech Republic
There are no Covid entry requirements for people arriving in the Czech Republic and travellers are not required to fill in arrival forms, or show proof of vaccination. If you test positive for Covid, you may need to stay where you are until you test negative. | adisa - stock.adobe.com
10. Netherlands
Fully vaccinated UK nationals who are fully vaccinated can enter the Netherlands. You are considered fully vaccinated if you have had a booster (or third dose). If you have not received a booster but have had two doses of an approved vaccine, then you qualify as fully vaccinated if at least 14 days and no more than 270 days have passed since receiving the second dose of a two-dose vaccine (BioNTech/Pfizer, Moderna, AstraZeneca), or at least 28 days and no more than 270 days have passed since receiving the Janssen (Johnson & Johnson) vaccine. If you are not fully vaccinated or a legal resident of the Netherlands, you are only allowed to enter from the UK if you meet the exemption requirements. | adisa - stock.adobe.com