Holidays to Greece are set to come with less admin this summer, as authorities announced the country is set to remove all Covid-19 entry requirements. Covid passports and mask rules are also being dropped.
The decision to lift the entry rules was announced by the Minister of Health of Greece, Thanos Plevris. He said that starting from 2nd May, no entry rules will apply for incoming travellers.
According to the Minister, all travellers, regardless of their country of origin, will be exempt from the requirement to present a valid vaccination, recovery, or test certificate upon their arrival.
Currently, all travellers coming from Ireland must show either proof of vaccination (including a booster if their second dose was administered 270 days previously), proof or recent recovery from Covid infection, or a negative test to visit Greece.
Irish people planning to visit Greece this summer will welcome the news, with many people showing a reluctance to visit places with strict Covid rules.
In addition, Minister of Health Thanos Plevris said that domestic Covid-19 restrictions will also be dropped, meaning people will no longer be required to show a Covid passport to go to bars, restaurants and other public venues in Greece from the 1st of May. From 1st June, mask rules will be relaxed in most places, with exceptions – likely to include healthcare settings – to be outlined at a later date.
Along with a range of European countries, Greece has already lifted the requirement to complete the Passenger Locator Form. Since 15th March, all travellers, regardless of their country of origin, have been permitted entry to Greece even if they do not hold this form.
The removal of Covid-19 restrictions marks a huge shift in policy for the European nation, which was described as acting in a ‘draconian’ manner in December when officials vowed to fine over-60s €100 every month for refusing the Covid-19 vaccine.
At the time, data showed that more than 520,000 people over the age of 60 had declined COVID vaccines with reports out of the country stating that roughly 63 per cent of Greece’s 11-million population was vaccinated.