As many Irish holidaymakers prepare to go abroad this year, it is important to know the Covid-19 rules in effect if you test positive for Covid while on holiday.
While restrictions have been relaxed in some countries, others still have self-isolation requirements still in place. For example, if you are travelling to Spain you must show proof of being fully vaccinated, having a negative test of having recovered from Covid-19 in the last 6 months.
Here's a breakdown of the Covid rules in different countries and what you have to do if you do test positive while abroad.
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Spain
If you are travelling to Spain you must show valid proof of being fully vaccinated, having a negative Covid-19 test or having recovered from Covid-19 in the last 6 months. These requirements do not apply to children under 12 years old.
But what happens if you contract the virus while on holiday? According to the Irish Government, if you think you have symptoms of Covid-19 or test positive for the virus, you may be required to isolate in line with local health requirements. Not all regions of Spain have dedicated quarantine hotels or facilities for those who test positive for Covid-19, and you may need to contact your accommodation provider to arrange to extend your stay.
Costs incurred from extending your stay in Spain are at the traveller’s own expense. As such, you are strongly advised to ensure that your insurance policy provides adequate cover in the event that you need to extend your stay in Spain due to a positive Covid-19 diagnosis.
If you are a close contact of someone who tests positive for Covid-19, you must follow the guidelines of the local health authorities. You are not required to self-isolate if you have mild or no symptoms but you should wear a mask and avoid crowded spaces. For more info, click here
Greece
Irish tourists arriving in Greece do not need to show a proof of Covid vaccination, a negative Covid test, or a certificate of recovery from Covid. If you test positive while in the country, you must self-isolate for 5 days from the date of the positive test result. You may leave self-isolation after 5 days if you are no longer experiencing symptoms, otherwise you should continue to self-isolate.
If you have been in close contact with someone who has tested positive and have received your booster, you are not obliged to self-isolate but must take a PCR or rapid test on day 5 of the exposure. If you are unvaccinated or are vaccinated but have not received your booster, you must take a PCR or rapid test and self-isolate for 5 days.
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Depending on the circumstances, you may be able to self-isolate in your current accommodation, or Greek authorities will ask you to self-isolate in a state provided quarantine hotel. The expense of the accommodation in quarantine hotels is covered by the Greek state.
If you do not self-isolate or quarantine when required you may be fined by the Hellenic Police. The fine could be as much as €5000. For more info, click here
France
Fully vaccinated travellers from Ireland aged 12 and over must provide proof of vaccination to enter or a negative PCR test result, taken within 72 hours, or an antigen test result taken within 48 hours pre-departure.
If you test positive for Covid-19 in France and you’re fully vaccinated (including a booster) or if you’ve had Covid-19 in the last 4 months, you must self-isolate for 7 days from the day on which you first develop symptoms, or 7 days from the date of the positive test result. Self-isolation can be reduced to 5 days if you take a negative PCR or antigen test (supervised, not self-administered) on day 5 and you have not displayed any symptoms over the previous 48 hours.
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If you’re unvaccinated or partially vaccinated and you haven’t had Covid-19 in the last 4 months, you must self-isolate for 10 days from the day on which you first develop symptoms, or 10 days from the date of the positive test result. Self-isolation can be reduced to 7 days if you take a negative PCR or antigen test (supervised, not self-administered) on day 7 and you have not displayed any symptoms over the previous 48 hours.
You will have to extend your stay until the end of your isolation period. This could be in your current accommodation. The French authorities do not provide or pay for quarantine accommodation.
For more info, click here
Italy
Covid-19 restrictions on entering Italy have been lifted. Italy does not require any proof of vaccination, a negative test result, or a Covid-19 recovery certificate to enter the country, regardless of your vaccination status.
If you are tested and the result is positive, you must immediately self-isolate in your accommodation and contact your regional Covid zones on the Ministry of Health website.
You may be able to remain in your existing accommodation for self-isolation, or be required to transfer into a state hospital or other government-provided accommodation. You may be required to fund accommodation. Depending on local arrangements, travellers in groups may be spread across different accommodation locations.
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If within the last 120 days you have either (a) completed a full course of vaccination OR (b) received a booster the self-isolation, you must self-isolate for 7 days. Otherwise, you must self-isolate for 10 days.
In order to be released from self-isolation, you must produce a negative test. The local health authority determines the type of test they will use and the pattern of testing. You will also need to have been symptom-free for at least 3 days.
If you continue to test positive for a variant other than Beta or Omicron, you can be released from self-isolation after 21 days. You will also need to have been symptom-free for at least 7 days.
For more info, click here
Turkey
All Covid-19 entry restrictions to Turkey have been lifted, with Irish tourists not needing to wear masks.
If you do test positive for Covid-19, you may need to stay where you are until you test negative. If you do not have a place to stay, government authorities will direct you to a designated hotel if you do not have a permanent residence.
For more info, click here
Portugal
There are currently no Covid vaccination or testing requirements for entry to mainland Portugal, Madeira and Porto Santo. If you test positive for Covid-19 in Portugal, you will have to self-isolate for as long as a week.
If you’re in mainland Portugal, you’ll have to self-isolate at your own expense for at least 7 days. Meanwhile, if you're staying in in Madeira, Porto Santo or the Azores, you’ll have to self-isolate at your own expense for at least 5 days.
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