Travel restrictions to ease with EU/EFTA vaccinations accepted

Tuesday 03 August 2021

The Civil Contingencies Authority has announced that, as of 16 August, vaccination certificates from EU/EFTA member states will be accepted, and some people travelling from outside the Common Travel Area will be classed as category 2 travellers.

As long as the person travelling hasn’t come from a UK designated ‘red list’ area, if they’re fully vaccinated, they’ll only have to take a PCR test on arrival, isolate until receiving a negative test, and take a second PCR on day seven.

Director of Public Health Dr Nicola Brink said it reduces the substantial isolation times people are experiencing at the moment.

CCA Chairman Peter Ferbrache said nobody on the decision-making authority wants to maintain 'Fortress Guernsey'. 

Pictured: “We are pleased that in the last week significant progress has been made and we are now in a position to include vaccination certificates from EU and EFTA countries,” said Deputy Ferbrache at yesterday's media briefing. 

The decision ties in with the CCA’s determined message for us to ‘live with covid’.

“This decision is a further measured and proportionate step as we continue our strategy of reducing restrictions when it is appropriate to do so,” said Deputy Ferbrache.

“Nothing is risk free and living responsibly with Covid means travelling responsibly with Covid, so anyone wanting to take advantage of the reduced measures by travelling outside of the Common Travel Area needs to bear that in mind.”

The EFTA member states are Iceland, Norway, Liechtenstein and Switzerland.