The long awaited reopening of the USA to tourists travelling from Europe finally happened on November 8. Whereas previously, tourists wishing travel from the UK, Ireland and the Schengen zone had to spend 14 days in a third country prior to entering the USA, it is now possible to fly directly from the area to the USA.

However, the reopening comes with a caveat. Anyone entering the USA as a tourist must prove that they are fully vaccinated against Covid-19, as well as providing a negative test taken in the 3 days before travel. This means that if you are not willing to take a covid vaccination, you are quite simply not welcome in the USA. For many people this will be an instant deal breaker and we hope that this restriction will be a temporary one.

As for what to expect when you do arrive in the USA, it very much depends which part of the country you are visiting. It is no secret (and indeed no surprise) that American attitudes to the coronavirus pandemic have been somewhat polarised during the last 20 months. While some parts of the country have seen draconian restrictions equivalent to European style lockdowns, other parts of the country have suffered much less disruption. This holds true today, where certain states and counties are persisting with far reaching mask mandates, while in others, Covid is more or less forgotten. Last Winter, I spent 3 very pleasant months touring Florida and enjoying almost complete normality, while people further north were still being prevented from visiting their neighbours for coffee.

The contrast is not quite so stark now and most parts of the USA seem to be more or less ready to move on. However, the divisions are still there, most notably in respect to the thorny issue of mask mandates. The controversial face garments continue to pervade many parts of the country and remain as hotly contested a debate as they always were. The specific rules governing the wearing of masks, as well as other important considerations, are determined at state, county and city level. This means there may be one set of rules in one town, whereas things might look completely different 5 miles down the road.

My advice is to do diligent research and find a state and city where you can reasonably live with the specific rules. Florida and Texas seem to be the states where life has moved on the most and where restrictions are likely to be the least intrusive. They are the states which are on my radar this Winter.

Please share any questions or advice on our USA forum.

 

 

Once again, restrictions in several European countries are tightening up, suggesting that the continent has a long and hard Winter ahead.

In the Netherlands, businesses are once again operating with restricted opening hours, with bars, restaurants and supermarkets permitted to open until 8pm, while “non-essential” businesses are forced to close their doors at 6pm. Customers of these businesses are once again forced to wear a face covering and the scope of the country’s Covid Pass – proving that the holder has been vaccinated, tested negative or recovered from a previous infection has been expanded. Since the masks and passes have been introduced, case numbers have continued to rise, suggesting that tighter restrictions will almost certainly be on the way.

Meanwhile, Austria is leading the way on vaccine compulsion, introducing legislation effectively confining unvaccinated people to their homes, except for the very restrictive reasons permitted under previous lockdowns, unless and until they “voluntarily” accept the “offer” of a vaccine. Some German states are also tightening restrictions, permitting only vaccinated and recovered persons to engage in certain leisure activities and Denmark has reintroduced their Corona Pass, broadly in line with restrictions in other parts of the continent.

I cannot claim to know exactly how the dice will fall in Europe this Winter, but it is clear that those advocating tighter controls are beginning once again to prevail and those looking to enforce those controls are gearing up in earnest. Sorry to be pessimistic, but it is looking very much as if Europe is only heading in one direction this Winter. I, for one, have a feeling it is going to be quite some time before I see my home in Austria again and would urge any potential travellers to consider their options carefully.

How are the potential restrictions going to affect your plans this winter? Join in the Impact of Covid thread on our forum.