What's the latest thinking on European holidays this summer

[zippyswife]

After an amazing experience last year, where we managed a camping holiday in France, we've booked again for this August.

We had such a positive experience and it was the greatest semblance of normality in and otherwise stressful year.

We booked not on the assumption that it would go ahead but on the off chance that we'd be fortunate enough to travel.

The balance is due in July. Should I assume it's now off? Or is it too early to guess?

There was an article in the Guardian earlier this week saying that the government are considering changing the rules so that there is no quarantine on return for people who have been double vaccinated. This is already the rule in France.

Good luck, I'm trying to go the other way!

We recently paid the balance for our Greek holiday in August. We can afford for the holiday operator to hold the money and rebook for another time so we were happy to take the gamble in the hope of getting away this year (because if it's amber we wouldn't be refunded unless they cancel). It's also just a package holiday so no planning required, we can wait until very late in the day to be told we can go.

As to whether we'll be allowed, I honestly couldn't call it, I've given up trying!!

I would assume its off but would wait until last minute as policy changes every few weeks.

I cancelled our France holiday, couldn’t stand the stress of not knowing - knew we’d have to book something here.

I am going to France in September come Hell or High water.

I personally would only book a holiday this year if you can afford the time and cost of having to do home quarantine on return (and possibly testing positive while out there). If you can wfh during potential home quarantine and your work would provide adequate sick leave if you tested positive abroad then I would book (on as flexible/cancellable rate as possible). If the answer is no to any, it would likely be a no for me.

By the way, tests are free in France to encourage tourists to return

I heard about the double vaccinated thing

I wondered if that meant PCR tests would stay

And what about dc

We are planning to go to France in July to see family and friends. DH is french and I also have french/British nationality. Quarantining is not a problem for us so I am pretty optimistic about getting there.

Given that 21st June lifting of restrictions has been put back, I'd be surprised if the changes around overseas travel were going to be relaxed.

Im sitting on some eurotunnel vouchers from a day trip I cancelled. The potential costs of tests and the uncertainty of self isolation far outweigh what would be a nice day out.

My fingers are crossed for you.

I'm more concerned about other countries not letting us in, rather than quarantine requirements on return to the UK.

I know a lot of the Med countries want the tourism, but if our plague island status continues, they might not want us anyway.

We have a European city break booked for late August and I currently have no idea whether we'll be able to go, I'm leaning towards no at the moment because it's to a country that currently won't allow UK citizens in and no mention of it has ever been made about it being a potential green list candidate as far as I'm aware.

But I am thinking of booking somewhere in the Canaries for mid October, if I can find something reasonably priced with appropriate cancellation protection if necessary.

It's too uncertain for us to feel comfortable booking anything. Even if it's green it can change with short notice. I find holidays stressful enough without the added worry of all that.

I hope those who have booked manage to go!

I think the quarantine regulations for returning double vaccinated travellers to most EU destinatiins will either be lifted altogether or reduced to negative test before boarding and one negative test on return.

The bigger point is whether EU destinations will want UK tourists. Obviously some are so desperate they will run the risk of importing the Delta variant from UK. Those with more room for manoeuvre eg Germany have banned tourists from the UK and will probably keep that ban in place until their vaccine programme has caught up with UK - so not before September I guess.

I suspect though that we will be looking at a third wave of delta variant covid across Europe later in the summer as tourists mix with each other in eg Spain and Portugal and then return home. It will be Ishgl all over again.

I’m sure they are already awash with delta variant, they just don’t test for it

Our status as plague island seems to be the result of our ability to sequence the genome

Our status as plague island seems to be the result of our ability to sequence the genome

This is not true. Our status as plague island is a result of the exponential growth in Covid cases in the last month or two. Other European countries have shrinking case numbers. Though doubtless that will change when the Delta variant is brought in by tourists from Delta variant areas.

Germany, which I know well, has an extensive testing programme and advanced gene sequencing capability. They identified a number of Delta variant cases in April - mainly returning residents from India- and clamped down hard and fast. This included banning all non citizens or permanent residents from Delta variant areas, including UK. There is compulsory 14 day quarantine for the small number of arrivals from those countries with no test to release. And this quarantine is enforced by local health authorities.