Austria removes the Netherlands from virus variant list
There may be good news for many winter sports enthusiasts who want to go on holiday to Austria. We have adjusted the list of virus variants through reliable sources and removed the Netherlands from it. In other words, the entry rules become less strict. But it remains to be seen when that will happen.
Update 17-01: list we have not yet heard Austria adjusts the virus variant list. We have read in internal emails that discussions are being discussed in politics, but a date has not yet been given.
On December 22, a bomb exploded when Austria decided that only Dutch people with a booster and a negative PCR test could travel into the country. Many Dutch people saw their holiday plans disappear like snow in the sun. Just before the Christmas holidays, not many winter sports enthusiasts cancel their holiday from rebooking. The entry rules now seem to be relaxed again for Dutch people.
Austria entry rules
In Austria, in principle, anyone who is fully vaccinated is allowed to travel into the country. However, a negative result of a PCR test is mandatory. Persons who have a booster do not have to show a test. Because the Netherlands is currently on the virus variant list of Austria, these entry rules have been tightened. From a virus variant country, in principle, only people can enter who have had their booster and can have a negative PCR test. That made it for many people to go winter sports in Austria in recent weeks. Now, when our sources come, that will change again. You can find the current entry rules on the website of the Austrian governmentif you want to read them.
Omikron is everywhere
Because the omikron variant is now widespread throughout Europe and has also been responsible for the most infections in Austria for some time, it is a bit nonsense that the Netherlands is on Austria’s virus variant list. The official government now seems to agree. According to our sources, the virus variant list is being adjusted and so it will be to enter Austria. A PCR test is then no longer necessary for boosted winter sports enthusiasts and people who have not yet been boosted can also go on winter sports to the country.
Waiting for official news
As long as nothing has been officially announced, it will of course remain a leaked message. If the adjustment becomes real, we’ll let you know. So keep an eye on the website as well. We don’t know more than what is stated on the website. In short, wait and see.