Aramis

You wont be required to quarantine. You can either enter and move freely, subject to Green Pass restrictions, with proof of vaccination and a negative test, or you won't be going. It is however, extremely unlikely that Italy will impose the EU recommended ban. I believe this new requirement that even if fully vaccinated, one must now also present a negative test is their compromise to banning Americans totally.

lz4542

That schengenvisa website ought to be blocked. Its not official, and its poorly written and wrong. The Reuters article and several other sites, Forbes and Business Insider, say it will likely be aimed at the unvaccinated @!?&$$ Americans. And even then EU countries can choose to ignore it. Greece opened before the EU did for example- i don't they are banning outright again.

Macross

Nov 2nd to Paris for two nights and then on to Belgium. Spending three nights at the end of our trip in Paris.

Tulips

For Belgium coming from a red zone outside the EU and fully vaccinated you need to take a test when you arrive. You have to quarantine until the negative result comes through. Some commercial test sites will give you a quick result but you'll pay 100 euro or more. Count it as a cost of travelling. Considering the nr of cases in the US, this would make sense. It's about the same as cases in the UK, and they have to do this test on arrival. If you test positive when you arrive, you will of course have to quarantine.
If you are not willing to stay in your hotel for a day, or pay for the test, you should not travel.

Countries have their own rules, regardless of EU. Read the rules on the country's own website, it's the only thing that is valid.

rialtogrl

i agree. That article has been posted all over, and that website is rubbish. I have found so many errors in so many “articles” and they have zero credibility to me, less than zero. I think they pay some hack $5 to write some crap they pretend came from a diplomat then rake in a few hundred on clickbait. But for some reason people think it’s really a news website.

Heimdall

Don’t believe anything in a story that begins with the words “Sources Say”.

The Mediterranean countries that rely on tourism are unlikely to ban Americans. Although they are a minority of tourists in Europe, Americans are the biggest spenders.

KarenWoo

In my opinion, you are not starting an angry discussion. I agree with you! Why can't Americans just get vaccinated? How many people have actually died from the vaccine??? People believe the lies and crap they hear on social media. Makes me so angry! If people refuse to get vaccinated, they should not be allowed to fly or take any mode of public transportation. BTW, we are fully vaccinated Americans and we just returned from 3 weeks in France visiting our daughter and her family. We had to get a negative test before we departed from the US and before we departed from France. We transited through Portugal, and Portugal requires a negative COVID test even if you are fully vaccinated. Makes sense to me. It was no big deal.

SusanG

Thanks to all of you who wrote - you are making me feel so much better. I know how lucky I am, I had access to the two doses of Moderna, I'm healthy and thank heavens (and knock wood) no one I know has had Covid. (I am sad though because my mom, my beautiful mom, who had been living with my sister and myself for 17 months passed away a month ago. This upcoming trip was to give me some space to breathe and see who I am now, after so long of caring for mom)

As I said earlier, I don't care if they want me to be tested every day. I want to keep everyone safe and I still wear a mask everywhere. Thanks again to all of you who wrote in response. If only this situation was like Dallas, when Pam woke up and the entire last season was a bad dream.

MFNYC

According to this NY Times article, posted < an hour ago https://www.nytimes.com/2021/08/30/w...trictions.html
"If enforced, the new restrictions would only apply to unvaccinated travelers"

That's fine with me. I prefer not to fly with unvaccinated, and I'd prefer testing even for those vaccinated. Who wouldn't test right before a trip in any case? We planned on getting a PCR test Wednesday morning for Thursday evening flight. Didn't want to travel if I was infected, even if no symptoms and vaccinated. Why take the chance?

SusanG, I can relate. My mom passed a year ago. Actually recovered from Covid, but never was the same. Lingered for months. I was emotionally exhausted, drained and numb. I needed a change of scenery. We went to the Finger lakes for 3 days, hiked the beautiful parks. It was just what we needed. That being said, I miss Europe, and as soon as they dropped restrictions in June, my husband and I, both fully vaccinated, booked a trip. Intentionally looked for outdoorsy and good weather, so doing mini road trip in coastal Andalusia, Spain.

progol

Italy has set its own rules as of yesterday, and now requiring testing prior to arrival, even from vaccinated travelers, from US, Canada and Japan.

The EU has removed the US from its safe list but again, each member-state may set its own set of restrictions for travelers. This is what unfolded in the spring, so we can’t assume anything about travel.

This is the EU’s decision today:
https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/p...ould+be+lifted

mjs

Just checked on testing where I live. Its difficult to get tested last minute as there are many people here who won't get vaccinated and need to test twice a week!!

starrs

Jealous.

Safe travels.

SusanG

Thanks to all again for latest news. MFNYC, I am so sorry for your loss. Worst experience of my life. I am never getting over it. Glad you had a chance for a change of scenery and fresh air. I am hoping that Rome will give me the chance to step back and breathe again. Safe travels all!

MFNYC

SusanG, Rome is amazing. One of my favorite cities on earth. This has been a rough ride for the past year and a half. So many have gone through so much.

We leave Thursday night. I checked a million websites and called the airline to confirm that all is good. I live in NYC. I got this far without getting sick (even had antibody test before vaccinated), I'm exposed to people every day (I walk and photograph daily). The airport is my biggest concern. I purchased 3m N95's for crowded places. Also bought shields and home test kits. I have dozens of other masks of varying types and 2 plans for testing for return home (at airport and BinaxNOW eMed test for travel). Numbers in Spain right now are very good and still trending down.

Enjoy your trip. I hope you're also enjoying the planning (I do minus the Covid related research).

Safe travels to all!

progol

Where will you get the PCR test in NYC? My experience with a PCR is that it can take a while to get the results, so I'm curious why you're doing that instead of the much faster antigen test. And I'd love to know where you're getting it! We're in NYC, too. We will be going to Croatia and then Italy, though, so as of now, we don't need to take a test when we leave NYC, but I might do it anyway just to feel confident.

Have a great trip!

scrb11

In some areas, testing options are limited.

For instance, in the Bay Area, Walgreens will only offer PCR tests but not the rapid antigen tests. That means you go to the drive through and they watch you swab yourself. Then in 2 or 3 days, you get email and are able to see your results on a web site.

Rite Aid also offers free PCR.

The only places where you can get antigen tests is through private labs which are typically at the big airports and their costs are high. So are their PCR tests but they do promise you a quick turnaround on the results.

I've been getting the Rite Aid tests within 3 days of my departure but the last couple of times, I didn't get results until I arrived in Europe.

The first time, when France and Spain were still requiring test results in June, I think I did get results and had a printout but I was never asked to show it when I arrived though I can't recall if I showed it in order to get a boarding pass.

For the return trips to the US, I've gotten antigen tests, for about €25, at pharmacies in France and Italy. Those I definitely had to produce for boarding.

mikster

The testing part is confusing. For Italy I am reading that the Antigen test which is a rapid test, is sufficient. I too would worry about the turn around time of the PCR test. Would love to know definitively if either is acceptable. Delta website says yes.

MFNYC

I've gotten PCRs at those LabQ tents around town. I live in Greenwich Village. There's one right across from Washington Sq arch, and another on 14th st and University. Just put in labq diagnostics in google maps, locations and hours come up. Results came back in < 12 hours (they say up to 24 hrs) last time I was tested. When I go tomorrow I'll double check if it's still like that. They may have higher volume now with Delta, so slower turnaround. If that doesn't work I'll look for an alternative.

Info: https://labq.com/covid/

mikster

That’s great. Thank you!

mikster

Also is it 48 hours or 72 and is that from departure or arrival in Italy? Exhausting!