I am writing this shortly before flying from Stansted to Lisbon for a holiday. Like many people I’ve not had the pleasure of leaving the UK since the beginning of the pandemic and, as the trip approaches, I’m feeling nervous.
This flight in particular feels intimidating. There are a series of unknowns such as the busyness of the flight, the distance that will be able to be kept between passengers and the reliability of the negative tests results of my fellow passengers.
Initially train travel was a source of concern to me, but at least the distance between stops was a lot shorter, allowing escape if it felt overwhelming. Being in a plane you are stuck until your final destination.
COVID-19 complicates travel in a number of ways. Luckily I’ve been double jabbed otherwise any travel to an amber list destinations would require a lengthy quarantining on return.
Moreover, testing is crucial and necessary in order to fly. The Portuguese authorities require arrivals from the UK to have a negative test and proof of full vaccination on landing in order to avoid the country’s mandatory two week isolation period.
The effects of Brexit combine with COVID-19 to make travelling even more difficult for British nationals. The EU digital Covid vaccination certificate is a downloadable European-wide document that can be used when travelling or attending events.
It serves a similar function to the NHS Covid pass that can be obtained on the app. It shows proof of double vaccination, a negative PCR test or a recent recovery from Covid.
As it stands the NHS pass is not accepted in the EU but it may be approved, if it matches up with and complies with EU standards and systems, and be placed on a par with the EU certificate.
But currently this means that those who have been fully vaccinated and are travelling to the EU are not required to show a negative test. But a negative test is required for Britons as they are not EU citizens.
Being nervous about flying I am pleased and reassured that people need to test before they board a plane. However, I dislike the difference in UK and EU rules. It is one of the restrictions that is the direct result of Brexit and feels unfair and limiting.
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