Holiday travel alert: Czech Covid-19 traffic light map updated

Restrictions for those without proof of vaccination or recovery arriving to the Czech Republic from Romania will soften from Monday as the country has moved down to the medium-risk orange category in the latest Czech travel map. Restrictions from the Canary Islands, meanwhile, will tighten as the location moves to the high-risk red category.

Other countries have also changed color on the latest map, but conditions for travelling from them to the Czech Republic will not be affected. The Czech Health Ministry announced the new changes on Friday.

The ministry updates its travel map every week based on data provided by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control.

From Monday, the only location in Europe listed in low-risk green on the new Czech map will be the Vatican.

Outside of Europe, Argentina, Australia, Bahrain, Chile, Indonesia, South Korea, Canada, Qatar, Colombia, Kuwait, Macao, New Zealand, Peru, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Taiwan and Uruguay are also low-risk green.

Romania will join the Azores in the medium-risk orange category from Monday.

Travelers without proof of vaccination or recovery coming to the Czech Republic from green and orange countries must either provide a negative Covid-19 test before entering the Czech Republic or take an antigen or PCR test within five days of their arrival.

From Monday, Bulgaria, Finland, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Malta, Spain, Sweden and the Balearic and Canary Islands will be listed among the high-risk red countries.

Portugal will move to very high-risk dark red, joining Andorra, Belgium, Denmark, Estonia, France, Croatia,Ireland, Iceland, Cyprus, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Hungary, Monaco, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Austria, Greece, San Marino, Slovakia, Slovenia, Switzerland, Madeira and all other states outside the EU not listed as green, including the United States and United Kingdom.

Travelers without proof of vaccination or recovery arriving from red or dark red countries must take a PCR test between 5-14 days after their arrival. Those using public transport (including airlines) must also provide a negative test before entering the Czech Republic.

Testing requirements do not apply to those who have completed their Covid-19 vaccination, or have a certificate proving that they recovered from Covid-19 in the past 180 days.

All travelers coming to the Czech Republic must fill in an arrival form when entering the Czech Republic, regardless of their vaccination status or the color of country they are coming from. Those arriving individually via their own mode of transportation do not need to fill in the form.

The Czech Republic accepts the vaccination status of those from non-EU countries who were given vaccines approved by the European Medicines Agency, or corresponding vaccines approved by the World Health Organisation for emergency use. These people must hold a certificate that can be verified and is included in the list of certificates on the Health Ministry's website.

Travel from Africa

Entry to the Czech Republic is banned for non-EU citizens who have stayed in any of the following eight African states for more than 12 hours in the past 14 days: Botswana, Swaziland, Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe. The health ministry does not recommend traveling to these countries due to a risk of the new Omicron Covid-19 variant.

Czech and EU citizens, as well as long-term residents, can return from these countries under strict anti-epidemic conditions. These travelers must present a negative PCR test and a reservation for another test to be taken within 24 hours upon entering the Czech Republic. They must then undergo another test 10-14 days after their arrival, and stay in quarantine until then. FFP2 respirators must be worn at all times if they leave quarantine for essential reasons.

An exemption applies to international transport workers with valid documents, and children under six if they do not attend pre-school.

The ban on travel from these African countries is valid through December 20, but may be prolonged.

Source: Czech Ministry of Foreign Affairs