The countries you need a Covid booster to enter – as Grant Shapps says 3rd jab ‘almost certainly needed’ for summer hols

VACCINATED Brits with plans to head abroad this summer might get caught short if they haven’t had their booster.

That’s because several popular holiday destinations have announced two jabs might not be enough to enter.


The countries you need a Covid booster to enter – as Grant Shapps says 3rd jab ‘almost certainly needed’ for summer hols
Several popular holiday destinations have announced two jabs might not be enough to enter this summer

Some countries have already confirmed Brits cannot get in unless they have had a booster jab, while others have set an expiration date on current vaccine passports – so travellers who were vaccinated ‘too long ago’ will need a booster to enter.

The list is likely to increase, as Transport Secretary Grant Shapps warns that it is “inevitable” that Brits will need to be triple jabbed if they want to go on holiday.

We’ve rounded up all the countries that Brits might need a Covid booster to enter.

Spain

Currently, vaccinated Brits can enter Spain regardless of when they got their second dose.

However, from February 1, Spain will only permit Brits who can prove they were fully vaccinated against Covid within the last 270 days to enter.

Anyone who received their second dose more than nine months ago must have had a booster jab to be allowed in.

The booster must have been given more than 14 days before travelling.

France

While vaccinated Brits are able to enter France, those who had their booster jab more than seven months ago won’t be able to get in.

Since January 15, all travellers who have been fully vaccinated for more than seven months will now need to show proof of their booster vaccine to enter.

Greece

On January 5, Greek health minister Thanos Plevirs announced that vaccine certificates would only remain valid for seven months after the last dose of the vaccine.

All those who don’t receive a booster shot within the seven-month time frame are considered unvaccinated.

Currently, that rule doesn’t impact Brits much as there are no requirements to be vaccinated to enter Greece – Brits just need to show proof of a negative Covid test.

But that rule might change in the coming months, so Brits with holiday plans to go to Greece should keep checking for updates.

Netherlands

From February 1, the Netherlands will only accept vaccine certificates that show the last dose was given within the last nine months.

So Brits hoping to visit will need to have received their booster within 270 days for their pass to be considered valid.

Switzerland

Similarly, travellers hoping to enter Switzerland will need to get their booster jab within 270 days of receiving their second dose.

As in the Netherlands, vaccine passports with two jabs are only valid for nine months.

Austria

The 2-G rule applies in Austria, which currently means its vaccine passports will be valid for 270 days after the second dose is received.

However, from February 1 that is being shortened to 180 days – just six months – after which a booster jab is required.

Belgium

Belgium has given an even shorter time frame for double vaxxed people to get their booster.

From March 1, vaccine certificates will only be valid for 150 days after a second dose, giving people just five months to get their booster.

The Belgian Consultation Committee said: “This means that anyone who was vaccinated with one dose (only Janssen) or two doses (Pfizer/BioNTech, Moderna, AstraZeneca/Oxford) before October 1 must have had a booster shot before March 1.

“Otherwise, the validity of the vaccination certificate will expire.”

Dubai

The UAE is the first country to have already banned visitors from entering if they don’t have three Covid jabs.

As of January 10, all travellers entering Dubai have not been deemed fully vaccinated unless they’ve had a booster.

These are the 34 countries Brits can enter without needing any Covid tests.

We’ve rounded up the 38 countries Brits are banned from entering due to Covid rules.


The countries you need a Covid booster to enter – as Grant Shapps says 3rd jab ‘almost certainly needed’ for summer hols
We’ve rounded up all the countries that might require Brits to have their booster before they can get in