Holidaymakers heading to Greece have been warned the country is seeing a rise in Covid cases and hospital admissions due to the spread of new variants.
Some settings are tightening their rules over mask-wearing and testing.
Greece’s National Public Health Organisation, EODY, reported a rise in Covid-related hospital admissions, with 669 between 8–14 July – three times higher than the same week last year.
The outbreak is expected to continue until the end of this month, according to EINAP, the hospital doctors’ union for Athens and Piraeus.
Mask-wearing and tests for the virus are required for hospital visitors to Metaxa Oncology Hospital in Piraeus – the port area of the capital city.
In Thessaloniki, in northern Greece, a sharp increase in the virus was idenfified by examinatoin of the city’s waste.
A summer Covid wave has already hit the UK.
Meanwhile, tourists are having to contend with Greece’s earliest heatwave on record. Temperatures of more than 40°C have affected parts of the country and have led to wildfires. Some residents have isolating themselves indoors due to the heat.
Here’s what you need to know if you are due to travel to Greece.
Will the rise in Covid cases affect my Greece holiday?
If you are travelling on a cruise in, or with stops in, Greece, review the rules of the cruise line andlook out for any changes.
Cruise lines tended to be particularly cautious with Covid when sailings resumed post-pandemic, with frequent tests and isolation for passengers who tested positive.
On land, the rise in cases in Greece is not yet affecting rules around day-to-day activities in resorts, at beaches or in hotels. The only reported measures so far are related to hospitals.
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office has not, at the time of writing, updated its advice for travel to Greece.
What is the advice to travellers?
Many travellers will be familiar with the general guidance that was issued during the Covid pandemic.
In places where food is served, particularly at buffets in hotels or on cruise ships, holidaymakers may wish to take extra precautions, and choose sit-down meals over buffet service where possible.
Greece’s EODY advises travellers to postpone their trip or excursion if they have fever and/or respiratory symptoms, such as a cough or shortness of breath. It also advises:
- Avoid contact with people who appear ill with respiratory symptoms;
- Cover your mouth or nose with a tissue or your elbow (rather than your hands) when you cough or sneeze;
- After returning from an area where there has been community transmission of Covid, watch your health closely for 14 days.
Can I cancel my trip to Greece if I am worried about Covid?
If you do, and you have already paid for the holiday, you are unlikely to receive a refund from your travel provider. Companies are not required to offer refunds for disinclination to travel.
However, if you prefer to postpone your trip, it is worth contacting the tour operator or accommodation directly to see if there is any flexibility.
Older travellers or those with conditions that make them particularly vulnerable to Covid may be most concerned.
Covid-related travel insurance is available, but this will not cover you cancelling the trip because you are concerned you may catch Covid.
What is included in travel insurance Covid cover?
Most travel insurers will offer some kind of Covid-related cover, but the protection will vary. The virus is listed in many standard travel insurance policies. If you already have cover for your trip, check your policy or contact your provider directly for more information. If you have yet to secure insurance, review policies before doing so.
It is best to buy travel insurance as soon as you have booked your holiday. Travel insurance may cover the following:
Medical charges
It is standard for policies to offer protection if you fall ill while you are overseas, with cover for costs such as hospital stays, medical treatment and emergency care.
Cancellation
If you must cancel your trip because you have tested positive for Covid before travel, many insurers will provide cancellation cover, often if the positive test is within two weeks of the date you are due to travel. Check your policy for details. Insurers will typically stipulate proof of a medically approved Covid test, rather than a lateral flow test, for example.
Longer stays due to Covid
If you were to become unwell with Covid while abroad and need to stay there for longer, insurers may cover extra costs such as the extension of your stay or flight change charges.
Can I use the Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC) in Greece?
Yes, an in-date GHIC or European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) is valid in Greece. The card is not an alternative to travel insurance, but it entitles you to medically necessary state healthcare in Greece. The NHS provides information on applying for the card and what it covers.
What is the FliRT variant of Covid?
The FliRT variant is already in the UK and accounted for 66 per cent of infections in the month to 17 July. Another variant, LB.1, has also spread.
Both variants cause similar symptoms to earlier Covid strains. Symptoms may include fever, a cough, fatigue, a loss of taste or smell, a sore throat, body aches, shortness of breath, a headache and a runny nose.
What is the weather forecast in Greece?
The forecast for the coming week shows highs of 35°C in Athens, and 34°C in Piraeus. There were reports of a wildfire in the Vrysia area of Rhodes on Monday with highs of 39°C forecast for the island over the coming days.