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Original poster

Do you think holidays will be normal this year?

56 replies

PutYourMopInToIt · 05/02/2022 10:34

We are hoping to go abroad this year; nothing booked so far. A European trip later in the year.

DH and I are triple vaxxed. Two of our DC are under 11 and one is 13. The 13 year old has SN and is unable to be vaccinated.

Do you think this will cause travel issues later in the year? Are PCR tests required at both ends before boarding?

Is it all just going to be a big hassle? Confused

OP posts:
DSGR · 05/02/2022 10:39

We went last year and it was all fine Have another holiday abroad booked for this year. If you’re 13 year old can’t be vaccinated or if your 11 y o turns 12 that might cause issues but there are many, many countries where children are exempt from needing to be vaccinated full stop (starting with USA and Mexico I think). You’d need to do some research

Chasingsquirrels · 05/02/2022 10:39

Currently (in England) testing before/after arrival is to be lifted from 4am on 11 Feb.

All countries will have their own rules.
We've just flown and at the airport the staff directing passengers had a big list of destinations and requirements.

Eg We've come to the Dominican Republic. As fully vaccinated no testing required to enter. As returning to England after 4am on 11 Feb no testing required on return.

Your unvaccinated 13yo is likely to be the issue for travel.

But in a few months the picture could be very different.

Ladywoodster · 05/02/2022 10:39

Nobody can know what the Covid situation will be in the summer. Add to that differences in vaccination policies and testing policies of different nations and all I can say is check before you book and be mentally prepared for it to change six times before you depart.
Will holidays be normal this year? No.

MintJulia · 05/02/2022 10:41

God, I hope so. Smile

Fallagain · 05/02/2022 10:42

It depends where you are thinking of going!

Original poster
PutYourMopInToIt · 05/02/2022 10:53

Thank you for the replies; I know at this stage it’s difficult to say for sure. I’m sure it will change again before we book.

It is my unvaccinated 13 year old I think may be the issue with travel.

OP posts:
Katie517 · 05/02/2022 20:16

I think you will be fine. Spain will drop their ridiculous requirement for over 12s to be jabbed/ double jabbed as soon as they realise how much they will lose out in the summer season. Nordic counties have already dropped all entry requirements and others will soon follow suit.

Fallagain · 05/02/2022 20:26

I really doubt Spain will drop their restrictions this year. They had a horrific time in the first wave.

EngTech · 05/02/2022 20:28

Will people be able to afford holidays? 😳

ChoiceMummy · 05/02/2022 20:48

@PutYourMopInToIt

We are hoping to go abroad this year; nothing booked so far. A European trip later in the year.

DH and I are triple vaxxed. Two of our DC are under 11 and one is 13. The 13 year old has SN and is unable to be vaccinated.

Do you think this will cause travel issues later in the year? Are PCR tests required at both ends before boarding?

Is it all just going to be a big hassle? Confused

UK holidays I'd expect to be as last year. Abroad in Europe, no, given they have been more strict than us and have quite strict rules re vaccines post 12 with no exceptions.
RedToothBrush · 05/02/2022 22:04

Not this year.

The aviation industry has said because there is no universal international rules on mask wearing to avoid stuff like 'you can sit on a plane without a mask until you reach the airspace over X country', they will simply enforce mask wearing for everyone for quite some considerable time.

NZ, Australia and many parts of the Far East are probably going to be off-limits for tourism this year at least.

The US is going to be difficult for unvaccinated children of all ages - they are allowed in, but my not be able to do things whilst there, with some states requiring all children over 5 to be double vaxxed to do anything like go to a restaurant or museum. Which given the uk are even planning on vaccinating under 12, is going to catch a lot of families out.

With Europe, i do think things will be easier, but our third country status complicates things. I think Germany, the Netherlands, Austria and Italy could be the ones that are strictest over the summer. I think France will ultimately relax sooner than them. Austria is making vaccinations mandatory for its citizens so they aren't going to be more relaxed for tourists.

I think the big thing will be day to day vaccine passports rather than entry requirements which will be the problem and thats going to be in force until next spring at least a few countries.

I think its also worth always being aware of what happens if you find you are covid positive whilst abroad or if you are identified as a close contact. You might still be required to isolate, which has other practical issues.

An unvaxxed 13 year old is going to be a bit of a nightmare tbh. Its going to be difficult to know what you will be able to do where.

I'm not booking anything abroad just yet and i have a 7 year old which is a lot less complicated. The extra costs and hassle of tests as well as the general uncertainty are putting me off. I think we will probably have a rethink in a couple of months, but for now nope.

Flippydip · 05/02/2022 22:07

It depends where you're going. For Greece it's only a lateral flow before leaving and that's all the testing that's required. Whether you're vaccinated or not. No tests at all to fly back.

TheDogsMother · 05/02/2022 22:21

Just proof of vaccine within the last 270 days for entry into Spain now.

BayandBlonde · 05/02/2022 22:26

I'm going up the Maldives in April, transiting through Dubai.

The requirement for a PCR for people transiting through Dubai has just been lifted in the last few days. No test required.

Currently I still need a PCR for my final destination but I'm hoping that too will be lifted by April.

I don't need any PCR to come back to the UK

This is currently, I'm hoping we don't go backwards!!

EddyF · 06/02/2022 00:52

@Flippydip

It depends where you're going. For Greece it's only a lateral flow before leaving and that's all the testing that's required. Whether you're vaccinated or not. No tests at all to fly back.
@Flippydip Is the lateral flow test the one you do at home or do you have to book somewhere to get it done? Thanks
Flaxmeadow · 06/02/2022 01:35

@EddyF
You have to book it

EddyF · 06/02/2022 04:59

Thank you.

ExhaustedMumma · 06/02/2022 05:12

Spain (Canary Islands) currently only requires proof of vaccination and DH read somewhere that even that was going to be dropped. No testing in either direction (uk). The wearing masks outdoors is also being dropped there from Thursday. So apart from some mask wearing on the plane and some indoor areas I’m expecting it to feel fairly normal. I’ll let you know as we’re flying there today!

User0458832 · 06/02/2022 06:37

We will still be at the mercy of other countries rules so for that reason we will be holidaying in our caravan again in England.

WhiskeryWoman · 06/02/2022 07:13

We got away (elsewhere in Europe - we live in England) both last year and the year before. On both occasions we had our annual leave booked (for as late as possible in the school hols) and booked everything last minute, several days before we left. On both occasions we had fantastic, relaxing holidays. Last year it was a bit of a faff with the additional paperwork, this was as a consequence of Brexit and Covid though. Last year we wanted to go to France and basically hung on until it was certain that the BS quarantine on return was dropped. If that hadn’t happened I was looking at transmitting home via Hook of Holland to avoid it (perfectly feasible and ferries no more expensive than Calais - Dover interestingly). In my experience flexibility is key.

BatShitBitchChops · 06/02/2022 08:21

Can you get a medical exemption for the 13 Yr old? I am just applying for one for my 15yr old with severe SN and we are supposedly off to disneyland paris in July. From what I can see France currently require a GP letter to go with the exemption but I'm hoping it won't cause any extra issues. The rest of the adults are triple jabbed and 6yr old obviously unvaxxed

Frazzled2207 · 06/02/2022 08:26

I’m confident enough to have booked portugal for June.
As it stands from next month we just need to be vaccinated (dh and I), no test in either direction
Our children are younger but I think for portugal 12+ do need to be vaccinated

BunsyGirl · 06/02/2022 08:35

We have two holidays booked this year and at the moment we can go on neither due to vaccine mandate issues.
One is New York and they have a vaccine mandate for indoor dining, museums etc for 5+ so our 11 and 8 year old DCs won’t be able to do any of these things. The other is Tenerife and our 11 year old turns 12 eight days before we go so he will not be able to get into the country as Spain require 12+ to be vaccinated. We will still go away though and we will go abroad, just to different places. U.K. holidays are overpriced and the weather is crap so end up spending a fortune entertaining the kids.

Lemons1571 · 06/02/2022 09:17

@BunsyGirl

We have two holidays booked this year and at the moment we can go on neither due to vaccine mandate issues. One is New York and they have a vaccine mandate for indoor dining, museums etc for 5+ so our 11 and 8 year old DCs won’t be able to do any of these things. The other is Tenerife and our 11 year old turns 12 eight days before we go so he will not be able to get into the country as Spain require 12+ to be vaccinated. We will still go away though and we will go abroad, just to different places. U.K. holidays are overpriced and the weather is crap so end up spending a fortune entertaining the kids.
I don’t understand why there isn’t a grace period for the 11-12’s. How can the science dictate that an unvaccinated 11 3/4 is fine to travel unvaxxed, but the second they turn 12 they are too risky for travel to be allowed. I really think it should be 12 y 6 m.

Though I guess the uk are hoping to roll out the vax for 5-11’s in time for the summer season.

Doesn’t this just transfer the problem on to families with kids approaching their 5th birthday?

Flippydip · 06/02/2022 09:20

@EddyF you book the lateral flow but it looks like many of them can be posted and done at home which makes life a bit easier.

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