Starting Dec. 1, UK travelers to Spain will have to present proof of full COVID-19 vaccination. Previously, they were permitted to enter the country by providing one of two things: a vaccination certificate or a negative PCR test taken within three days before travel.
Britain is currently seeing a COVID-19 surge: The virus has killed 874 Britons in the past week.
Authorities announced that this change is partially related to Omicron, a new COVID-19 variant. Though negative PCR tests were sufficient before Omicron, they no longer offer the same assurance they once did.
Even if someone gets negative PCR results three days before visiting Spain, they could still catch COVID-19 before entering the country.
However, the new policy isn’t permanent. It will remain in effect until Dec. 31, at which point authorities will reassess the issue.
Spain’s COVID-19 case rate has been rising steadily since the beginning of November.
In mid-October, the country saw an average of under 2,000 new cases per week. In late November, that number has risen to over 7,000 new weekly cases.
The Omicron variant has popped up in countries throughout Europe, including the UK. Fortunately, Omicron patients typically experience mild symptoms.