It’s not long since we celebrated travellers from the Netherlands being (literally) in the green on the European coronavirus map. Today, we expect less good news, as everything indicates the Netherlands is going red — dark red, reports RTL Nieuws.
The map is published by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) every Thursday, based on the outcome of test results in the past 14 days. Last week, the Dutch government sought urgent advice from the Outbreak Management Team (OMT) on how to avoid a change in the colour code for the Netherlands. Nevertheless, rising infections suggest a colour change is inevitable.
What does code red mean?
The ECDC marks an area as red if the cumulative infection rate is high enough for the body to advise against travel. However, while the map works as a recommendation to establish “a coordinated approach on the restriction on free movement” in response to the pandemic, it is not binding advice.
That means it’s up to individual countries to decide whether they want to welcome travellers from the Netherlands if we turn red. Most likely, a colour change will not mean that it’s impossible to travel abroad from the Netherlands, but it will complicate it a great deal.
What about the European corona passport?
The EU Digital COVID Certificate, as it’s officially called, will also affect how the colour change translates into travel restrictions. The certificate was created to help free movement. Holders of it should “in principle be exempted from free movement restrictions,” including those that arise from the Netherlands turning red.
In the Netherlands, the certificate is part of the CoronaCheck app. It can be issued with a negative PCR test, two weeks after you’ve been fully vaccinated, or with proof that you’ve recovered from coronavirus within the past six months.
However, countries have different rules regarding entry with the certificate. In France, for example, the PCR test must be no more than 72 hours old upon arrival. Italy demands that it’s a maximum of 48 hours old.
So if you are travelling, always check the specific travel restrictions issued by your destination country.
What do you think will happen when the Netherlands turns red? Tell us in the comments below!
Image: AndrewLozovyi/Depositphotos
