Greece Requires Negative PCR Test from All Passengers, Goes back into Lockdown

Greek travel authorities within the Greek national government have announced that all arrivals to the country will need to present a negative PCR test upon arrival from 11 November 2020, according to an announcement published by the Greek government.

The Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) test, which is used to detect COVID-19, must be no older than 72 hours from the time of departure from the passenger’s original location.

Presenting a negative PCR test is only applicable on a large-scale to ground and air passengers arriving in Greece.

“As of November 11, 2020 all people traveling to Greece from foreign countries will be required to have a negative molecular test result (PCR) for COVID-19, performed up to 72 hours before their entry to Greece. This includes air and land arrivals to Greece,” the announcement reads.

In addition to presenting a negative PCR test upon arrival, passengers are cautioned to be aware that Greece is in lockdown from 6 November 2020, without a defined end-date for the lockdowns.

“Further, people traveling to Greece should be aware that as of November 6, 2020 Greece is in lockdown,” the announcement reads.

The PCR testing should be done by a National Reference Laboratory, National Public Health Laboratory, or private laboratories that are accredited with the respective qualifications of the national public health authorities.

A certificate of the negative PCR test is required upon arrival, must be written in English, and include the name and passport/national ID number of the traveler.

Upon arrival in the country, all passengers will be subject to random PCR tests. Only travelers who test positive for COVID-19 will be placed in a 14-day quarantine.

“All visitors from air, land or sea, will be subject to random tests upon arrival. Upon being tested, travellers move to their final destination. In the event of a positive result, they will be contacted and placed on 14-day quarantine, with expenses covered by the Greek state,” the announcement reads.

Greek citizens as well as permanent residents of Greece are also required to fulfill these requirements when re-entering Greek territory.

Only children of less than 10 years old will be exempt from presenting a negative PCR test.

In addition to a negative test, arrivals from foreign countries will also need to complete a Passenger Locator Form (PLF), which will aid the Greek government in performing contact tracing.

The PLF is electronic and will require information about how to contact the traveler. It must be filled out before departure from the original location and must be presented upon arrival in Greece.

Finally, travelers entering Greece are required to present their initial destination and travel itinerary (if multiple stops are planned) for the following 7 days after arrival. Travel plans should be within national health and safety regulations, which are regularly updated on Greece’s official travel website.

“If travellers plan to have multiple stop-overs in Greece, they must declare this and report their initial destination and their travel itinerary for the next 7 days,” the announcement reads.

As of writing this article, there is still not a date set for the new protocol to be dismissed.

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