Traveling to Greece for the holidays? You will need to present a negative PCR or rapid test, in addition to your vaccination status, following new regulations announced by Greece as it tries to curb the spread of COVID-19.
PCR tests should be performed within 72 hours before travel and rapid antigen tests should be performed within 24 hours before travel.
On Thursday, Deputy Health Minister Mina Gaga told a press briefing that the measure was being taken as a precaution due to the holiday season. Gaga said fully vaccinated people who stayed abroad for less than 48 hours are exempt from presenting a negative test.
The decision is part of the Greek government’s strategy to control the pandemic at a time when the country continues to see high case numbers, hospitalizations and deaths.
Greece’s new measures take effect at 6:00am local time on Sunday, December 19.
Greek health authorities confirmed 4,801 new coronavirus infections and 77 new deaths on Wednesday, bringing the country’s total of pandemic victims to 19,553.
Featured image: Passengers arriving from Germany and Switzerland exit the terminal of the Heraklion airport, as the country’s tourism season officially opens, on the island of Crete, Greece, May 15, 2021. (REUTERS/Stefanos Rapanis/File Photo)
