EU recommends lifting testing, quarantine requirements for vaccinated travelers

The European Council recommended on Tuesday that European Union member countries lift all testing and quarantine requirements for incoming travelers if they are fully vaccinated or have recently recovered from COVID-19.

According to The Associated Press, those who have received the last dose of their first vaccination series at least 14 and no more than 270 days before arrival, along with those who have received a booster dose or recovered from COVID-19 within 180 days, would be eligible to enter the 27-nation bloc under the guidance agreed to by EU member countries.

The council is advising countries in the bloc to lift restrictions next month for people who received vaccines authorized in the EU or approved by the World Health Organization.

“The amendments introduced respond to the evolution of the pandemic, the increasing vaccination uptake and administration of booster doses, and the recognition of a growing number of certificates issued by third countries as equivalent to the EU digital COVID certificate,” the European Council noted in a press release.

However, visitors who received vaccines that were approved by the World Health Organization but are not authorized in the EU may still be asked to present a negative PCR test or to quarantine, the release added.

Under the new guidance, children aged 6 to 17 would also be allowed to enter any EU country with proof of a negative pre-departure PCR test, though the country could require them to undergo testing or quarantine after arrival.

The easing of measures comes shortly after U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Wednesday announced that the United Kingdom is set to end all COVID-19 restrictions that were aimed at combatting the spread of the omicron variant.

Johnson said during his Wednesday announcement that measures that were implemented as part of his “plan B” would no longer be legally enforced.

The World Health Organization said earlier this month some countries could consider carefully relaxing restrictions if they had high immunity rates, according to the AP.