It’s not 100% clear. If I were to test positive I would book into a hotel and do an antigen test every morning until I’m negative then fly home. Might get a negative within a couple of days might take a week. Really depends when you got it. I know many who got it over Christmas had no symptoms so didn’t know when they got it or when to start their 10 day isolation from.
I think there is some ambiguity here. Is it Irish rules or the rules of the country you are in? Plus things are in flux with Omicron with reductions in isolation. This is a very different disease to that of February 2020.
Personally (double vaccinated plus booster), I would bring Antigen tests with me to take ahead of the official test. If any are positive, I would change my flight (or be prepared to book a new one), extend my accommodation or move somewhere more suitable, and self isolate until I had a negative antigen - at which stage I would do the fit to fly one. Of course if symptoms are bad or remain, that is a different thing.
There is an open question on how relevant these tests are with the nature of the disease now but I don’t expect they will change the requirements any time soon.
No. Nothing at all.
Only documents checked anywhere was boarding pass and passport. Just as pre covid.
They were far stricter at the ferry terminal last summer with no pcr/ antigen requirements compared to the airport yesterday imo.
But was probably all checked before you got on the plane.
Came back yesterday.
Only thing required at customs was passport.
No covid pass, antigen etc asked for at all.
Brilliant, thanks very much, last question! Did you fly to Ireland successfully with your non greek-plf linked PCR test? I assume it contained QR code, passport number, name as on passport etc.?
I got my recovery cert from the HSE, was super quick and took less than a day.
On it however, it says it is not a travel document, do you use the recovery cert to apply for another form? I’ve to fly to Canada and it says that proof of a positive test at least 14 days after travel is ok…
Has anyone any experience with travel with a recovery cert?
Cautious potential traveller here... cannot find clear advice on this on gov.ie...
If you were to catch covid on holiday and failed the pcr/antigen test requirement, what's the quarantine period while you're abroad and what test would you need to come back?
If I took a week in the sun could it turn into 3 weeks if unlucky enough to catch it?
Hi again Cudsy.
My sister told me that there is an option like that. Not sure if it's the PLF site - my sister mentioned the Greek equivalent of revenue.ie. To do it this way you indeed need your Greek "PPS" number - with it you can go to a pharmacy for a rapid antigen and then login and get a copy of the results. I didn't do it this way (ended up with a pcr) as I wasn't 100% sure of what type of travel certificate you get and didn't want to risk it.
No actually I'm not. And no idea why you're bringing Leo into it. I just hate people calamitising unnecessarily. This time last year you had people saying travel was over, finished. By late summer planes were jam packed again,fares were rising and we all enjoyed the relative ease of travel with our certs. I'm hopeful all that will be back in a few months but you're saying we'll be testing "for good." Now if that is what looks very likely and you have a reliable source fair enough but otherwise you're calamitising and don't you think we've all had enough of that!
I highly doubt an EU country will go on the High Risk list. We have never required a test to go to Spain with the Green Cert and we had the highest case numbers in the EU all summer.
Flying to Canaries on Thur, looks like a good time to go with the weather turning, but this risk / high risk country thing is a hassle. I'm hoping its static until we leave and return next week
Yes, there are plenty of private companies offering them at their facilities.
Is it even possible to get PCR tests for travel at the minute?
Hi Irish Aris, thanks and happy new year to you as well! Lovely pleasantness.
Some friends who flew out of greece yesterday (to UK and Germany) warned me about something (can't find anything about it online)
Seems easiest to copy n paste (non native speakers , both btw!)
Friend 1= 'Regarding the covid rapid test, you could download the negative result from the site that produces the Greek PLF.
Albeit, you should provide to the covid test center (e..g pharmacy) your Greek PLF number :)
Friend 2=So what I understood is that to get results in greece you have to go to some government website and put your nat insur nr but as (friend 1) didn’t have that nor any tourists so apparently wirh greek plf you can have them uploaded there directly
You have to go by what irish authorities say but to get reault of antigen result you upload it on their plf
Just to get a result it goes on plf'
Irish Aris, did you upload yours PCR result onto greek plf? Or anything similar?
Edit: found 1 reference, Australian government travel page I think
'Passengers departing Greece must also now complete the PLF before check-in.'
If you are a bit nervous check out going with likes of Tui as they’ll deal with any issues/changes etc if needed. We used n95 masks for airport/plane too.
Excellent, sounds great. Think we will do similar, as you say good for the mind.
Thanks and enjoy your break!
Hiya it’s great, weather is brill atm in Tenerife.
we have to wear masks in indoor areas of hotels/restaurants etc. but we’ve been sitting outside in restaurants in the evenings and it’s been perfect. Reception advised us to wear masks outside as numbers in parts of Tenerife rising (think up north of island where bigger city is). Most people aren’t we pop them on in busier areqs. Hotel has great set up with pool you book your slots, beds are cleaned and spaced out, feels very nice.
lots of bars with music and that with outside set up, it’s not too busy (we were here same week two years ago and it was much busier). We have the smallies with us so aren’t going into bars etc so can’t advise on that.
airport in Dublin was jammed when we arrived, but that was all charter flights, we did Ryanair bag drop and fast track and flew through.
we have antigens booked with hotel for €35 for traveling home, lots of chemists doing them too.
So good for the head being away from the doom and gloom to be honest. Currently chilling with a beer in 28 degrees :)
Hi @pc7, hope you are enjoying your trip in the Canaries.
What are restrictions currently like where you are? We are looking to go away this month (anywhere) and have the Canaries in mind. My better half and I had covid over Christmas so didn't have much of a nice and sure we're invincible now. 😂
Looking to treat ourselves as we both have annual leave to take by the end of Jan and staying in Ireland at the moment under current restrictions just isn't plausible.
Am I right in saying no test needed to enter, anything else to bare in mind?
oh jebus..... I bet you were the type arguing this would be done and dusted in 2 weeks back in MArch 2020 cos Leo said it would...
Hello Cudsy, happy new year!!
I did it with the Athens Medical Centre. They are a private medical center that collaborate with the Athens International Airport (and in my case also with Aegean Airlines). They have a test center in the Athens airport arrival hall - and also in their main hospital in Marousi, a suburb North of Athens. I chose the latter because it was easier to get there, now I wonder if I should have gone to the Airport instead. I think I got caught by the New Year's day public holiday.
You're right about antigen tests. I do have this option too it was a preference of mine to go with pcr. But no sign of my result so I might have to double down with a rapid antigen test.
Edit: appointment booked in advance.
Whereabouts did you get the test done? Walk in or booked in advance? Cost? Antigens seems very cheap. Im flying to Dublin Wednesday morning.
Who said testing will be around for good?? Source please?
It can be up to 72 hours before, so you have 3 days. If your test was 48 hours before, that’s grand.
Crazy .... to think testing will be around for good now, they really fooled us with the covid "pass" ...
To much $$$$$ to be made I guess.... there will be bedlam next summer ... sadly people will pay...
Thanks, you are right, I read it wrong as well, I paid upfront for the antigen tests but I think I can cancel them.
Test isn't need for Spain or the Canaries. Everyone keeps getting mixed up with Risk and High Risk. We are at risk level until the 5th at least.
you don't need a test coming from Ireland as Ireland and all of the Eu are considered "risk Countries".It is "high risk countries" that need a test to enter Spain.That list has been updated on the 30th,and has been every week,you just need the covid cert as per now normal.
THis is from the hellocanaryislands link
1.2. IF YOU ARE TRAVELLING FROM RISK COUNTRIES* WITHIN THE EU AND SCHENGEN
Contenido
* Risk countries are those on this list.
Control form. We recommend completing the form digitally, including all of the necessary documents in order to speed up airport checks (fast control). Only digital forms are accepted, not paper. If you are travelling on a cruise ship, this is the form you need to complete.
and one of the following requirements for persons over the age of 12:
a) Certificate of full vaccination against COVID-19.
b) Negative Diagnostic Test of Active COVID-19 Infection. Antigen tests taken a maximum of 48 hours before arrival in Spain and NAAT tests (PCR, TMA, LAMP) taken a maximum of 72 hours before arrival in Spain will be accepted.
c) Certificate of recovery confirming that the holder has recovered from COVID-19, issued at least 11 days after the first positive NAAT test (PCR, TMA, LAMP). The certificate is valid for 180 days.
By way of an exception, and randomly, certain passengers may be required to perform a diagnostic test of active COVID-19 infection in the forty-eight hours following their arrival, the result of which they must communicate to the Border Health Service by the means indicated for this purpose.
Thanks for that, I just booked in for antigen tests the day before.
Be careful if you visit Lisbon, queued 6 hours for an antigen in the airport because I couldn’t get one anywhere else or book on line, the emailed results came in 4 minutes after my flight took off. They didn’t let me board the plane so had you book another flight for tomorrow. Word of warning…
