With the Covid-19 outbreak globally, the Government of the Netherlands is trying to take all the necessary steps to curb the rising number of cases in the country and here are some Covid-19 Important Travel Update.
In the latest press release the Dutch authorities have announced new entry rules in the nation for third-country nationals, following the national lockdown imposed due to the Omicron virus variant earlier this week.
Covid-19 Important Travel Update
According to a press release issued by the government’s official website, starting from December 22, arrivals from third countries, regardless of their vaccination status, must present a pre-departure test and a negative Covid-19 report, Reports says about Covid-19 Important Travel Update
“All travellers from the age of 12 years from outside the EU/Schengen need to provide a negative COVID-19 test result for travel to the Netherlands. This needs to be a NAAT/PCR test with the sample taken a maximum of 48 hours before departure or an antigen test with the sample taken a maximum of 24 hours before departure. This includes travellers with proof of vaccination or recovery,” the press release announces.
Furthermore, arrivals with a vaccination or recovery certificate reaching the Netherlands from very high-risk areas are required to quarantine for ten days upon arrival, with the possibility to end the isolation time on the fifth day, provided they present a negative test result.
These Covid-19 Important Travel Update apply to arrivals from the countries below, which make up for the very high-risk list, but without a variant of concern:
- Afghanistan
- Anguilla
- Barbados
- Cayman Islands
- Dominica
- Georgia
- Haiti
- Jordan
- Mauritius
- Montenegro
- Serbia
- Somalia
- Trinidad and Tobago
- United Kingdom
- Venezuela
In addition, arrivals from Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa and Zimbabwe are also subject to stringent rules, as these countries represent very high-risk countries with a virus variant concern.
Travellers coming from countries with a virus variant that have tested positive for Coronavirus and people who live with them and all other contacts must self-quarantine for ten days.
Moreover, the Dutch authorities remind travellers to provide the declaration form, regardless of their quarantine obligation.
As the country has entered a lockdown designated to minimise the spread of the virus variant over the end of the year holidays, all gyms, public spaces, bars and other leisure activity facilities have closed until the lockdown ends.
In addition, no more than two guests will be permitted at homes, with this limit being stretched out to four during Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day.
“A lockdown is drastic, especially with the holidays just around the corner. But we must act as a precaution; the risks and uncertainties with the new Omicron variant are too great,” the Dutch Minister of Health Hugo de Jonge said.
According to the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) data, 151 positive cases with the Omicron variant have been detected in the Netherlands until now. Furthermore, the World Health Organisation (WHO) statistics show that 99,949 positive cases with COVID-19 have been registered in the country in the last week, in addition to 357 fatalities caused by the virus.
Along with this Covid-19 Important Travel Update, government has made Covid Vaccine Booster Shots Mandatory for Travelling Netherlands from February 2022.
The commission also explained,
“On November 17, 2021, the Commission adopted standard rules on how to encode a booster dose in the EU Digital COVID Certificate: a booster following a two-dose vaccine will be reflected as 3/3 in the certificate, and a booster following a single-dose vaccine will be reflected as 2/2,” .
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