Covid-19 summer travel rules and vaccine booster shots explained


Sarah Forster
  • English
  • Arabic

Summer temperatures are rising and parents are preparing to whisk their families abroad for a change of scene and cooler climes.

After years of Covid restrictions limiting which countries were accessible, the world is once again on offer when choosing a destination.

But, if it has been a year since your last Covid inoculation, is your jab now out of date?

If you do need an additional vaccination, call your local health authority to arrange an appointment.

The National explains the entry requirements for some of the most popular holiday destinations. Requirements for unlisted destinations can be found here.

Europe

UK & Ireland — There are no longer any Covid‑19 entry restrictions for travel to the United Kingdom or Ireland. This includes requirements for testing, vaccination, quarantine and entry forms.

Spain — All passengers over 12 years old arriving in the country, including returning Spanish citizens, must have one of the following documents: a digital Covid‑19 certificate or EU equivalent; a vaccination certificate against Covid‑19; or a negative Covid‑19 test certificate or a certificate of recovery.

It must have been a minimum of 14 days since your last vaccination, but also no more than 270 days. After this, you must prove that you have had a booster or third dose.

Recovery certificates are valid for up to 180 days before arrival.

Switzerland — Passengers will no longer be required to carry Covid‑19 test, recovery or vaccination certificates to be accepted for travel.

France — Passengers travelling from the UAE need proof of vaccination, or a negative PCR result from the previous 72 hours.

Greece — Passengers are no longer required to hold a Covid-19 vaccination certificate or a Covid-19 test result to enter the country. Quarantine restrictions have also been lifted.

Switzerland no longer has any travel restrictions in place regarding Covid vaccination or PCR test. Reuters
Switzerland no longer has any travel restrictions in place regarding Covid vaccination or PCR test. Reuters

Africa

Egypt — There are no longer any Covid‑19 entry restrictions for travel to Egypt. Passengers are no longer required to hold a Covid-19 vaccination certificate or a Covid-19 test result to enter the country. Quarantine restrictions have also been lifted.

Morocco — Passengers must fill out an online Public Health Passenger Form before departure, and present a printed version on arrival. They must also have received their second dose within four months of arriving, or have received a booster dose. Passengers between 12 to 18 years old are considered fully vaccinated as long as they have received two doses of an approved vaccine. A booster dose is not required.

South Africa — There are no longer any Covid-19 entry restrictions for travel to South Africa. Passengers are no longer required to hold a vaccination certificate or a Covid-19 test result to enter the country. Quarantine restrictions have also been lifted.

Australasia

Australia — From July 6, there are no longer any entry restrictions for travel to Australia. Passengers are no longer required to hold a Covid‑19 vaccination certificate or a negative Covid‑19 test result to enter the country. Quarantine restrictions have also been lifted.

New Zealand — From August 1, the New Zealand border is re‑opening to all tourists and visa holders. Travellers must still adhere to Covid-19 vaccination requirements.

Gulf & Middle East

Kuwait - From 1 May, there are no longer any Covid‑19 entry restrictions for travel to Kuwait. Passengers are no longer required to hold a Covid‑19 vaccination certificate or a negative Covid‑19 test result to enter the country. Quarantine restrictions have also been lifted.

Jordan — There are no longer any Covid‑19 entry restrictions for travel to Jordan. These include requirements for testing, vaccination and quarantine.

Lebanon — From March 28, registration on the MOPH Pass Platform of the Ministry of Public Health is no longer required. Travellers must take a PCR test within 72 hours of departure, unless they have received a third dose or booster shot, or if their second dose was within the past six months.

To head to the Maldives this summer make sure to fill in the required paperwork online ahead of departure. Photo: Heritance Aarah Maldives
To head to the Maldives this summer make sure to fill in the required paperwork online ahead of departure. Photo: Heritance Aarah Maldives

Indian Ocean islands

Maldives — Travellers must complete the online Traveller Declaration Form within 96 hours before arrival in the Maldives, get a QR code and present it to an immigration officer on arrival.

Passengers travelling to the Maldives as tourists must have a confirmed hotel reservation for their stay at registered tourist facilities.

Mauritius — Travellers must complete a health form online. There are no longer any Covid-19 entry restrictions for travel to Mauritius. Passengers are no longer required to have a Covid-19 vaccination certificate or a PCR test result to enter the country. Quarantine restrictions have also been lifted.

Seychelles — Fully vaccinated passengers travelling to the Seychelles are exempt from Covid-19 PCR testing requirements.

Dubai World Cup Carnival card:

6.30pm: Handicap (Turf) | US$175,000 2,410 metres

7.05pm: UAE 1000 Guineas Trial Conditions (Dirt) $100,000 1,400m

7.40pm: Handicap (T) $145,000 1,000m

8.15pm: Dubawi Stakes Group 3 (D) $200,000 1,200m

8.50pm: Singspiel Stakes Group 3 (T) $200,000 1,800m

9.25pm: Handicap (T) | $175,000 1,400m

Dubai World Cup Carnival card

6.30pm: Al Maktoum Challenge Round-2 Group 1 (PA) US$75,000 (Dirt) 1,900m

7.05pm: Al Rashidiya Group 2 (TB) $250,000 (Turf) 1,800m

7.40pm: Meydan Cup Listed Handicap (TB) $175,000 (T) 2,810m

8.15pm: Handicap (TB) $175,000 (D) 1,600m

8.50pm: Handicap (TB) $135,000 (T) 1,600m

9.25pm: Al Shindagha Sprint Group 3 (TB) $200,000 (D) 1,200m

10pm: Handicap (TB) $135,000 (T) 2,000m

The National selections:

6.30pm - Ziyadd; 7.05pm - Barney Roy; 7.40pm - Dee Ex Bee; 8.15pm - Dubai Legacy; 8.50pm - Good Fortune; 9.25pm - Drafted; 10pm - Simsir

Gran Gala del Calcio 2019 winners

Best Player: Cristiano Ronaldo (Juventus)
Best Coach: Gian Piero Gasperini (Atalanta)
Best Referee: Gianluca Rocchi
Best Goal: Fabio Quagliarella (Sampdoria vs Napoli)
Best Team: Atalanta​​​​​​​
Best XI: Samir Handanovic (Inter); Aleksandar Kolarov (Roma), Giorgio Chiellini (Juventus), Kalidou Koulibaly (Napoli), Joao Cancelo (Juventus*); Miralem Pjanic (Juventus), Josip Ilicic (Atalanta), Nicolo Barella (Cagliari*); Fabio Quagliarella (Sampdoria), Cristiano Ronaldo (Juventus), Duvan Zapata (Atalanta)
Serie B Best Young Player: Sandro Tonali (Brescia)
Best Women’s Goal: Thaisa (Milan vs Juventus)
Best Women’s Player: Manuela Giugliano (Milan)
Best Women’s XI: Laura Giuliani (Milan); Alia Guagni (Fiorentina), Sara Gama (Juventus), Cecilia Salvai (Juventus), Elisa Bartoli (Roma); Aurora Galli (Juventus), Manuela Giugliano (Roma), Valentina Cernoia (Juventus); Valentina Giacinti (Milan), Ilaria Mauro (Fiorentina), Barbara Bonansea (Juventus)

Living in...

This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.

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Match info

Who: India v Afghanistan
What: One-off Test match, Bengaluru
When: June 14 to 18
TV: OSN Sports Cricket HD, 8am starts
Online: OSN Play (subscribers only)

MATCH INFO

What: 2006 World Cup quarter-final
When: July 1
Where: Gelsenkirchen Stadium, Gelsenkirchen, Germany

Result:
England 0 Portugal 0
(Portugal win 3-1 on penalties)

The bio

His favourite book - 1984 by George Orwell

His favourite quote - 'If you think education is expensive, try ignorance' by Derek Bok, Former President of Harvard

Favourite place to travel to - Peloponnese, Southern Greece

Favourite movie - The Last Emperor

Favourite personality from history - Alexander the Great

Role Model - My father, Yiannis Davos

 

 

The specs: 2018 Maserati Levante S

Price, base / as tested: Dh409,000 / Dh467,000

Engine: 3.0-litre V6

Transmission: Eight-speed automatic

Power: 430hp @ 5,750rpm

Torque: 580Nm @ 4,500rpm

Fuel economy, combined: 10.9L / 100km

Terror attacks in Paris, November 13, 2015

- At 9.16pm, three suicide attackers killed one person outside the Atade de France during a foootball match between France and Germany- At 9.25pm, three attackers opened fire on restaurants and cafes over 20 minutes, killing 39 people- Shortly after 9.40pm, three other attackers launched a three-hour raid on the Bataclan, in which 1,500 people had gathered to watch a rock concert. In total, 90 people were killed- Salah Abdeslam, the only survivor of the terrorists, did not directly participate in the attacks, thought to be due to a technical glitch in his suicide vest- He fled to Belgium and was involved in attacks on Brussels in March 2016. He is serving a life sentence in France

SERIE A FIXTURES

Friday Sassuolo v Benevento (Kick-off 11.45pm)

Saturday Crotone v Spezia (6pm), Torino v Udinese (9pm), Lazio v Verona (11.45pm)

Sunday Cagliari v Inter Milan (3.30pm), Atalanta v Fiorentina (6pm), Napoli v Sampdoria (6pm), Bologna v Roma (6pm), Genoa v Juventus (9pm), AC Milan v Parma (11.45pm)

TOUCH RULES

Touch is derived from rugby league. Teams consist of up to 14 players with a maximum of six on the field at any time.

Teams can make as many substitutions as they want during the 40 minute matches.

Similar to rugby league, the attacking team has six attempts - or touches - before possession changes over.

A touch is any contact between the player with the ball and a defender, and must be with minimum force.

After a touch the player performs a “roll-ball” - similar to the play-the-ball in league - stepping over or rolling the ball between the feet.

At the roll-ball, the defenders have to retreat a minimum of five metres.

A touchdown is scored when an attacking player places the ball on or over the score-line.

MATCH INFO

Fixture: Thailand v UAE, Tuesday, 4pm (UAE)

TV: Abu Dhabi Sports

How they line up for Sunday's Australian Grand Prix

1 Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes

2 Kimi Raikkonen, Ferrari

3 Sebastian Vettel, Ferrari

4 Max Verstappen, Red Bull

5 Kevin Magnussen, Haas

6 Romain Grosjean, Haas

7 Nico Hulkenberg, Renault

*8 Daniel Ricciardo, Red Bull

9 Carlos Sainz, Renault

10 Valtteri Bottas, Mercedes

11 Fernando Alonso, McLaren

12 Stoffel Vandoorne, McLaren

13 Sergio Perez, Force India

14 Lance Stroll, Williams

15 Esteban Ocon, Force India

16 Brendon Hartley, Toro Rosso

17 Marcus Ericsson, Sauber

18 Charles Leclerc, Sauber

19 Sergey Sirotkin, Williams

20 Pierre Gasly, Toro Rosso

* Daniel Ricciardo qualified fifth but had a three-place grid penalty for speeding in red flag conditions during practice

Long read

Mageed Yahia, director of WFP in UAE: Coronavirus knows no borders, and neither should the response

EA Sports FC 25
Muguruza's singles career in stats

WTA titles 3

Prize money US$11,128,219 (Dh40,873,133.82)

Wins / losses 293 / 149

Captain Marvel

Director: Anna Boden, Ryan Fleck

Starring: Brie Larson, Samuel L Jackson, Jude Law,  Ben Mendelsohn

4/5 stars

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Key facilities
  • Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
  • Premier League-standard football pitch
  • 400m Olympic running track
  • NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
  • 600-seat auditorium
  • Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
  • An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
  • Specialist robotics and science laboratories
  • AR and VR-enabled learning centres
  • Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
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UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE FIXTURES

All kick-off times 10.45pm UAE ( 4 GMT) unless stated

Tuesday
Sevilla v Maribor
Spartak Moscow v Liverpool
Manchester City v Shakhtar Donetsk
Napoli v Feyenoord
Besiktas v RB Leipzig
Monaco v Porto
Apoel Nicosia v Tottenham Hotspur
Borussia Dortmund v Real Madrid

Wednesday
Basel v Benfica
CSKA Moscow Manchester United
Paris Saint-Germain v Bayern Munich
Anderlecht v Celtic
Qarabag v Roma (8pm)
Atletico Madrid v Chelsea
Juventus v Olympiakos
Sporting Lisbon v Barcelona

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England v South Africa Test series:

First Test: at Lord's, England won by 211 runs

Second Test: at Trent Bridge, South Africa won by 340 runs

Third Test: at The Oval, July 27-31

Fourth Test: at Old Trafford, August 4-8

Pharaoh's curse

British aristocrat Lord Carnarvon, who funded the expedition to find the Tutankhamun tomb, died in a Cairo hotel four months after the crypt was opened.
He had been in poor health for many years after a car crash, and a mosquito bite made worse by a shaving cut led to blood poisoning and pneumonia.
Reports at the time said Lord Carnarvon suffered from “pain as the inflammation affected the nasal passages and eyes”.
Decades later, scientists contended he had died of aspergillosis after inhaling spores of the fungus aspergillus in the tomb, which can lie dormant for months. The fact several others who entered were also found dead withiin a short time led to the myth of the curse.

Updated: July 08, 2022, 3:00 AM