Cycling UK Forum

Well, I’m impressed! Online application for passport submitted 21/4. New passport arrives 5/5.

Top tip - use a photo service to provide you with an electronic copy but be aware if the expiry date. I messed up on that.

Just to say that Spain has extended its ban on unvaccinated travellers from the UK for another month (it had been expected to drop the requirement after a relatively short two week extension in April to May 15th). The ban also applies to people who own property in Spain, though there are some exemptions for key workers. Furthermore, the requirement also applies to UK citizens who are resident in Spain: they cannot go back to the UK (which they are free to enter without restriction) without finding their entry blocked when they try to go back home to Spain.

AIUI, the ban does not apply to EU citizens travelling from a Schengen area country (though how the borders are policed in this respect I don't know).

The ban isn't by the way limited to June 15th: it isn't worth booking flights etc for that date as no-one will know whether it will be extended until then (the announcement this time came on the 14th May). That means that even if the ban is lifted, it would mean booking last minute flights/ferries. Basically it is impossible to plan a trip in the normal way.

By the way, the restrictions are quite complicated so if anyone has further information (or wishes to correct any of the above), I would be happy to hear. France by the way is open, subject to a negative test.

It's only a problem if you aren't vaccinated. I entered with no problem earlier in the year. I'm fully vaccinated with booster.

Without wishing to get into a Vax no Vax debate, travelling anywhere without a vaccination could be problematical if a new variant pops up and restrictions are suddenly tightened (happened to me with Omicron, less than 2 days notice of changes).

horizon

The message seems to be that the Spanish authorities are not taken in by Downing Street spin about road maps, traffic lights etc., so anybody wanting to go there from here in the foreseeable better get vaccinated. (I speak as someone not taken in by Downing Street spin, but with no intention of going to Spain, or indeed, Downing Street)

simonhill wrote: 16 May 2022, 4:48pm
Without wishing to get into a Vax no Vax debate,

Me neither.

travelling anywhere without a vaccination could be problematical if a new variant pops up and restrictions are suddenly tightened (happened to me with Omicron, less than 2 days notice of changes).

There was a Guardian article recently which said that the vaccine won't be offered any more to the under-75s. Unfortunately I cannot find it so can't check if my memory serves me correctly. This would affect any time stipulation that the Spanish authorities have made (i.e. since last jab/booster). Even the present restrictions might affect anyone who, having had three doses, now decides not to have another one (even assuming it were available). This of course also affects unvaccinated people wishing to go to Spain as there might, over time, be a much larger group affected and thus greater pressure for the restriction to be lifted.

How can anybody know, least of all the Grauniad, what the future vaccination programme will be in this country? It was my impression that when Boris Johnson announced the Spring booster programme everybody was taken by surprise including the relevant parts of the NHS. IMO if Boris Johnson sees political advantage in more vaccinations there will be more vaccinations.

This is the article:

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/20 ... jab-expert

And this is the part I was referring to:

I think it’s questionable whether young, healthy people will ever be offered another Covid vaccine beyond dose three – at least with the vaccines and variants we have now,” Finn said, although he added both could change.
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“You just don’t achieve anything very useful by [further] immunising healthy young people with these vaccines because they rarely get sick – which the vaccines prevent,” he said, adding that vaccines offered poor and short-lived protection against mild infection and onwards transmission.

thirdcrank wrote: 17 May 2022, 3:27pm How can anybody know, least of all the Grauniad, what the future vaccination programme will be in this country? It was my impression that when Boris Johnson announced the Spring booster programme everybody was taken by surprise including the relevant parts of the NHS. IMO if Boris Johnson sees political advantage in more vaccinations there will be more vaccinations.

I'm not arguing for or against or indeed might and might not. I'm just saying that if some experts now believe that no futher jabs will be offered to say the under 65s, that might have implications regarding the Spanish entry requirements even for those people who have been vaccinated and with potential knock-on effects for those who haven't.

Ps This post probably belongs in the Europe 2023 thread!

Further clarification from gov.uk which partly negates what I have been saying as the booster has no expiry date:

Your date(s) of vaccination must be specified and your final dose must have been administered within 270 days prior to travel to Spain. If you completed your vaccination (with both doses of a 2-dose vaccine or one dose of a single-dose vaccine) more than 270 days prior to travel to Spain, you must be able to show proof of having received a booster jab. There is no requirement for 14 days to have passed between receiving your booster jab and entering Spain. Booster jabs can be administered at any time prior to travel to Spain. There is currently no expiry date for booster jabs.

horizon wrote: 17 May 2022, 3:38pm

thirdcrank wrote: 17 May 2022, 3:27pm How can anybody know, least of all the Grauniad, what the future vaccination programme will be in this country? It was my impression that when Boris Johnson announced the Spring booster programme everybody was taken by surprise including the relevant parts of the NHS. IMO if Boris Johnson sees political advantage in more vaccinations there will be more vaccinations.

I'm not arguing for or against or indeed might and might not. I'm just saying that if some experts now believe that no futher jabs will be offered to say the under 65s, that might have implications regarding the Spanish entry requirements even for those people who have been vaccinated and with potential knock-on effects for those who haven't.

JCVI recommendations just published. NB this is not national policy.

"JCVI provides interim advice on an autumn COVID-19 booster programme":
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/jcvi ... -programme
includes:

The JCVI’s current view is that in autumn 2022, a COVID-19 vaccine should be offered to:
residents in a care home for older adults and staff
frontline health and social care workers
all those 65 years of age and over
adults aged 16 to 64 years who are in a clinical risk group

Jonathan

horizon wrote: 17 May 2022, 3:34pm This is the article:

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/20 ... jab-expert

And this is the part I was referring to:

I think it’s questionable whether young, healthy people will ever be offered another Covid vaccine beyond dose three – at least with the vaccines and variants we have now,” Finn said, although he added both could change.

"Finn" is Adam Finn, a professor of paediatrics at the University of Bristol and a member of the UK’s Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation. Not someone who can set policy alone.

As others have noted, nobody knows what the UK vaccination policy will be in future. I'm sure if it starts to limit business travel significantly, such as most Brits not being allowed into Spain, then it will change, despite Boris's previous statements on business difficulties being a low priority(!)

Not sure if this has been mentioned yet, but since May 16 France no longer requires train passengers to wear a face covering on board

I found it funny that for a while at least it was perfectly acceptable to remove your mask in order to eat. After a quick change in Lille en route to Lyon we boarded the train with sandwiches and pastries for lunch. As the train departed the guard walked through our carriage, scolding several people for not wearing a mask before offering us a bon appetit as we (masklessly) tucked in

(Ps this reminds me how much I love that the French say bon appetit to any random individual enjoying their meal in public)

bohrsatom wrote: 19 May 2022, 7:50pm Not sure if this has been mentioned yet, but since May 16 France no longer requires train passengers to wear a face covering on board

I found it funny that for a while at least it was perfectly acceptable to remove your mask in order to eat. After a quick change in Lille en route to Lyon we boarded the train with sandwiches and pastries for lunch. As the train departed the guard walked through our carriage, scolding several people for not wearing a mask before offering us a bon appetit as we (masklessly) tucked in

(Ps this reminds me how much I love that the French say bon appetit to any random individual enjoying their meal in public)

Same in the UK last year, except you were only allowed to eat and drink food bought from the train company. If you brought food, the mask wasn't allowed off.

st599_uk wrote: 20 May 2022, 7:53am

bohrsatom wrote: 19 May 2022, 7:50pm Not sure if this has been mentioned yet, but since May 16 France no longer requires train passengers to wear a face covering on board

I found it funny that for a while at least it was perfectly acceptable to remove your mask in order to eat. [...]

Same in the UK last year, except you were only allowed to eat and drink food bought from the train company. If you brought food, the mask wasn't allowed off.

That wasn't a rule in the UK. Most train companies don't even sell food any more. Someone was gold-plating the rules.

"UK citizens who have not had a coronavirus jab can now travel to Spain by showing a negative PCR or antigen test on arrival. The Spanish government confirmed that non-vaccinated travellers from outside the EU can enter the country from Saturday. Fully vaccinated passengers will still need to show proof of vaccination."
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-61535204

Jonathan