What You Should Know About the Vaccinations for Covid-19 in France, Germany, Spain, and Italy?
Taking a trip to and within Europe is now possible provided that travelers meet the requirements set by the European Union and each country individually. But these requirements vary from one destination to another and could lead to some confusion.
What Covid vaccines are approved around Europe? The most discussed destinations are Germany, France, Italy, and Spain.
While the requirements of these 4 countries vary slightly, they still need to be taken into account for the vaccines, tests, and health passes.
Which Covid-19 Vaccines are Accepted in Europe?
The inoculations previously approved by the European headquarters are:
- Pfizer/BioNTech
- Moderna
- AstraZeneca
- Johnson & Johnson
The countries member of the European Union that approved these vaccines are as follow:
- Austria
- Belgium
- Bulgaria
- Croatia
- Cyprus
- Czech Republic
- Denmark
- Estonia
- Finland
- France
- Germany
- Greece
- Hungary
- Iceland
- Ireland
- Italy
- Latvia
- Lithuania
- Malta
- The Netherlands
- Norway
- Poland
- Portugal
- Romania
- Slovakia
- Slovenia
- Spain
- Sweden
On top of these, a list of countries in the EU gave their approval to the vaccinations previously indicated by the World Health Organization as suitable for emergency use. These vaccines are Covishield, Sinopharm, and Sinovac.
Which Vaccinations for Covid-19 are Approved in Germany?
Germany joined the list of countries that approved the vaccines above, following the decision of the EU:
- Pfizer/BioNTech
- Moderna
- AstraZeneca
- Johnson & Johnson
For travelers to be recognized as fully vaccinated individuals, they must have received their final jab against Covid-19 14 full days prior to boarding the flight. Also, we highlight the fact that the details below must be included on the vaccine certificate:
- Vaccination date
- Full name and date of birth
- Number of doses received
- Specification that the vaccine received was for Covid-19
- The organization that issued the certificate of inoculation
On top of that, the certificate of vaccination must be in English, German, Spanish, French, or Italian and must be in digital or paper format.
Moreover, everyone that wants to enter indoor public places in the country is required to have received their vaccine for Covid-19 or tested negative. This applies to all individuals aged 6 or more.
Which Vaccinations for Covid-19 are Approved in France?
The French government has approved 4 vaccines to be administered in the country and for international travel:
- Pfizer/BioNTech
- Moderna
- AstraZeneca
- Johnson & Johnson
International travelers are not considered fully vaccinated individuals should they received a vaccination other than the ones above. On French soil, everyone needs a Green Pass to participate in indoor public places with over 1000 people. Other than that, only fully vaccinated people are allowed to go into restaurants and bars as well as taking the train.
Which Vaccinations for Covid-19 are Approved in Italy?
The approved vaccinations by the Italian authorities are:
- Pfizer/BioNTech
- Moderna
- AstraZeneca
- Johnson & Johnson
In Italy, citizens that receive their vaccine are given their Green Pass. It is used to join indoor public events such as sporting events, parties, and enter museums. The Green Pass records the dates of vaccination (first and second), the negative tests issued within 48 hours, and the date of recovery should it happened within 6 months.
Which Vaccinations for Covid-19 are Approved in Spain?
The rules in place by Spain differ a little from the other European countries and more vaccines were approved by the national administration. These vaccinations are:
- Pfizer/BioNTech
- Moderna
- AstraZeneca
- Johnson & Johnson
- Covidshield
- Sinopharm
- Sinovac
That being said, in most parts of the country, citizens do not need to show a health pass or Green Pass. But, in order to get to this stage, rules were to be observed such as:
- A social distancing program of 1.5m is in place throughout the country
- Mask-wearing is compulsory in all indoor spaces and crowded outdoor events
- More restrictions are in place in Spain like night curfew, capacity limit at venues, and the limit of people allowed to go to the beach.
In order to respect the latest restrictions, we recommend checking the updates with the local authorities once arriving in Spain.
General Travel Restrictions For the Schengen Area
There are more restrictions and elements to know when traveling to the Schengen area from either European countries or Non-EU countries.
To start with, nationals from countries member of the EU must provide the health pass delivered to them after receiving the vaccine or a negative test not older than 48 hours. A recovery certificate is also an option.
As opposed to EU members, international travelers must observe different rules. All international individuals are required to be fully vaccinated to enter the European Union. However, citizens from several countries do not need to be vaccinated since the situation in their home country has improved. These countries are Australia, Canada, Chile, China (subject to reciprocity), Jordan, Kuwait, New Zealand, Qatar, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Korea, Ukraine, and Uruguay.
Most importantly, more and various restrictions could apply based on the country these travelers are headed to. Quarantine, tests, and more requirements may be needed.
