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Visiting Malta over Easter? Here’s what you need to know
Are you considering visiting Malta during the Easter period? If so, you may need to prepare a little more than just your swimming trunks. With COVID-19 restrictions, measures and regulations differing all over the world, it will definitely make your life easier to know exactly what stands, and doesn’t, in the country you’re planning on visiting.
Here we go…
According to the Superintendent of Public Health, Professor Charmaine Gauci, anyone travelling to the islands must be tested for COVID-19 prior to arriving. That’s right – anyone and everyone, regardless of where you are travelling from. In a live interview on Ask Charmaine, with Maltese newspaper Times of Malta, Gauci shared that Malta has amended its travel lists.
The Green List
As it stands, all the countries currently on the green list, which, as the name implies, means that you can travel freely to and from, have been moved to the amber list. Therefore, there are currently no countries on the Green List.
The amber List
People travelling from any country on the amber list must provide a negative PCR COVID-19 test before arrival, which is no older than 72 hours. Alternatively, if they are unable to get tested in the country they are travelling from, they may be tested at Malta International Airport upon arrival. Just a warning though: if you refuse to get tested or provide a negative test, you may be subject to quarantine.
Also, for increased security, random swab tests may also be conducted on passengers upon arrival at the airport. The Superintendent added that those travelling via Catamaran from Sicily must also be tested. Testing is available at the port, if needs be. She clarified that if Maltese citizens choose to travel overseas, they too must present a negative PCR test when they return.
Here is a list of all the countries that are currently on the Amber List:
Andorra, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, China (Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan included), Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Jordan, Latvia, Lebanon, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Monaco, Morocco, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Rwanda, San Marino, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, Tunisia, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, Uruguay and the Vatican City.
The red List
Any and all countries that are not included on the Green or Amber lists are automatically included on the Red List. Therefore, anyone arriving from these countries have to spend at least two weeks in one of the safe corridor countries, before heading to our Islands. It’s also recommended that even in these cases, you undertake a PCR test within 72 hours prior to your arrival.
What if I’m vaccinated?
This question has been asked many a time, since vaccines have been made available to many countries across the globe. According to Charmaine Gauci, however, foreigners who are fully vaccinated still need to get tested if they’re planning on coming to Malta. This regulation stands until a programme is in place.
There’s more. As previously mentioned, measures and restrictions differ wherever you go, but it’s crucial that you’re acutely aware of what is or is not allowed in the country you’re visiting.
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