The Netherlands, Spain to be listed among dark-red states for Covid risk; Greece goes red

Prague, July 23 (CTK) - The Netherlands, Spain, and the Balearic Islands will be newly listed among the "dark-red" category of Covid very high-risk areas on the Czech traveler's map as of Monday, July 26, while Greece, Ireland, and Monaco will descend to the "red" group of high-risk countries, the Czech Health Ministry Tweeted today.

Estonia will see its position worsen, too, and will newly appear in the "orange" category of countries with a moderate coronavirus infection risk.

The ministry updates the traveler's traffic lights map once a week based on the data issued by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC).

As of Monday, the European "green" states with a low infection risk will be Albania, Austria, Bulgaria, Bosnia-Hercegovina, Croatia, Germany, Iceland, Italy, Kosovo, Latvia, Lithuania, Hungary, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Norway, Poland, Romania, San Marino, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Sweden, Switzerland, and the Vatican.

As for non-European states, the following areas will be listed as green: Australia, Canada, Hong Kong, Israel, Japan, Lebanon, Macao, New Zealand, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, and the USA.

The "orange" category indicating a moderate risk will newly include the currently green Estonia, which will join Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Liechtenstein, and Madeira that are already in the orange group.

Andorra, Greece, Ireland, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, Portugal, the Canary Islands, and the Azores will be "red," posing a high risk of Covid infections.

All states that are not mentioned above will fall in the "dark red" category of very high risk.

On arrival to the Czech Republic from green and orange countries, travelers must fill in an arrival form and undergo either an antigen or a PCR test for COVID-19 either before their Czech entry or five days after it at the latest.

On arrival from red and dark-red states, a PCR test is obligatory on the fifth day following arrival at the earliest but on the fourteenth day at the latest. Until the test is carried out, travelers must remain in quarantine. Testing before arrival in the Czech Republic is still required only from those using public transport. The arrival form, too, must be filled in on arrival from red and dark-red states.

The arrival requirements do not apply to those who completed their Covid vaccination at least 14 days ago or who recovered from Covid-19 in the past 180 days. They must, however, fill in the arrival form as well.

The Health Ministry recommends that people do not travel to some countries with extreme infection risks. Those are Botswana, Brazil, Colombia, Eswatini, India, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Nepal, Paraguay, Peru, Russia, South Africa, Tanzania, Tunisia, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.

Also when returning from these countries, fully vaccinated travelers and those who had Covid in the past 180 days do not have to seek testing or go into quarantine. The others must undergo a PCR test before return to the Czech Republic, and on return, they must stay in self-quarantine for ten days followed by a negative PCR test.