Travellers vaccinated against Covid won’t need to quarantine in Romania

It is the first country in Europe to do so

Romania will allow those vaccinated against Covid to skip quarantine (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

Romania has announced that travellers who have received both doses of the coronavirus vaccine will not need to quarantine on arrival, effective immediately.

In a document issued earlier this week, the country’s National Committee for Emergency Situations (CNSU) announced that people coming from countries or areas of high epidemiological risk, or who have come into direct contact with someone who’s tested positive for Covid, are exempt from quarantine measures if they are fully vaccinated.

That means they’ve had two doses of the vaccine, and at least 10 days have passed since the second dose was administered before contact with an infected individual or arrival into Romania.

Incoming visitors will need to show proof of this through a “document issued by the health unit which administered it, from Romania or from abroad”. There’s no indication which of the vaccines will be acceptable.

The CNSU said that it’s made the decision based on the fact that there’s been a downward trend in infections in Romania and that there’s a “need to create the necessary socio-economic conditions” to benefit the national economy.

The changes will apply to visitors from the UK, who have up to now been required to quarantine 14 days as well as show evidence of a negative Covid test (either PCR or antigen test accepted) taken within 48 hours of travel.

The CNSU also said that those travelling from the UK will not have to show proof of a negative Covid test between 14 and 90 days after receiving a positive test result, and exemptions to quarantine may be given for those travelling for exceptional family circumstances or urgent medical needs.

The requirement for Covid test and quarantine will still apply for those who don’t meet the exemption criteria.

Romania is the first country in Europe to make quarantine exempt for those who have been fully vaccinated against Covid.

The news comes as the Seychelles also announced that it would fully reopen its borders to those who have had both doses of the Covid vaccine.

The new measures will be implemented in two parts, the country’s ministers for Health and Foreign Affairs and Tourism announced at a press conference, and will be coordinated in line with the island nation’s own vaccine efforts.

The country will be welcoming fully-vaccinated visitors from anywhere in the world with immediate effect, although they must still also present a negative Covid PCR test result taken with 72 hours of travel.

There will be no more need for quarantine for vaccinated travellers, reports the Seychelles News Agency – up until now, visitors had to self-isolate at their hotel for 10 days on arrival.

To be considered as vaccinated, visitors must have received both doses of any of the four main vaccines – Pfizer, AstraZeneca, Moderna and Janssen – and waited two weeks after the second dose for the inoculation to take effect.

As proof, visitors will need to submit an “authentic certificate from their national health authority”.

For unvaccinated visitors, only those travelling from Category 1 and 2 countries, as well as private jet passengers, are allowed to enter the Seychelles. They too will need a negative Covid-19 PCR test result.