Well, you were right.

Details below, but Germany declares UK a virus variant area from 20 December. 14 days quarantine and pre-flight PCRs for travellers from the UK.

https://www.rki.de/DE/Content/InfAZ/...ublicationFile

Oh well, maybe next year…

Today can't get much worse tbh.

I missed this for the Netherlands:

I have just opened the excellent whisky I was taking to Germany to compensate.

Methinks I'll have to travel via Switzerland... again! to get my winter holidays this year... I'd have gladly done without! :rolleyes:

What was Hungary like last time when France Germany etc banned the UK? Hungary is our second stop so looking instead to just book a direct flight to Budapest from the UK next weekend instead.

It was borderline impossible to enter Hungary from the UK this time last year, unless one was Hungarian and willing to self isolate.

On very limited data, LFDs are picking up positive Omicron cases slightly better than Delta, but they are imperfect. In particular we are relying in people doing the tests properly and if you aren't a regular user then a quick dip with the swab isn't going to always work. We can see fairly accurate LFD results from NHS workers since mostly (not always!) they use the LFDs correctly. That doesn't explain everything, some people just never show a postive LFD, it is a bit rough and ready as testing goes. Anyway in your case, doing a PCR sounds very sensible, so I would get yourself a PCR as you have arranged. You are up to date on your vaccines, so you have a good chance of being and remaining negative, but it's good to check before meeting someone who has multiple risks.

Correct on the latter point, and I'm burning the candle at both ends at the moment.

The evidence is still too soon to show a picture, we are however going to know much more precisely in about a week, since the hugh numbers will feed through to the hospital situation by then. Some London data isn't looking good, admission numbers are rising. And that's the weakest spot in terms of vaccine coverage in the less affluent areas, unfortunately, and that seems to be feeding through to cases, with still the unvaccinated causing unnecessary extra and avoidable resource needs. But as I think is clear, the far bigger problem at the moment is the sheer number of people sefl isolating. The NHS worked to tougher rule in this space until a few days agao (in terms of self isolation) and some Trusts are reluctant to row back on this rule update. Plus irrespective of the rules, if NHS staff have sick children then you're not going to be at work. And it remains the case that the bulk of cases are in people who are younger.

Lambeth is just about the worst place in the UK now (after months of fairly low levels, incidentally). Infection rates are around 1,000 per 100k per 7 days in those aged 10 to 50 years old, with low levels of vaccination compared to the rest of the UK. But fortunately the over 80s are quite well vaccinated in Lambeth - still nearer 80% rather than 95% - and case numbers are around 100 or so per 100k per 7 days - a tenth of the younger people's level. Lambeth is essentially 65% first vaccines, 27% boosters, UK is 90% first vaccines, 47% boosters. QED.

The UK is doing a great job administering all these boosters fast right now, compared to other countries...Every country would probably wish they have done it faster, is my guess. The minimum time frames for the boosters are dropping fast in Europe and around the world.

Germany is doing very fast with boosters, we boostered 30% of the population within 4 weeks. This week there was one day at 1.5 M jabs. Unfortunately barely any first or second jabs.

*waves*

Honestly, first the ban on flying to Germany, then the bloody Ashes, and now this. Someone upstairs seems really determined to keep harshing my mellow.

Indeed. And France did 14m of 3rd dose in 1 month. And it’s accelerating fast with the expiry of the pass sanitaire since 15/12 for >65 y.o. and on 15/01 for the rest of the population.

Yes, this is something that concerns me: there are far more unvaccinated vulnerable older people in Germany than the UK. The take up of vaccinations amongst oldest age groups in the UK is exceedingly high. I fear this will feed through into hospitalisations and deaths once Omicron really takes off here in Germany.

At which point are we allowed to employ the Gallic shoulder shrug and "tant pis" at their fate?

Yesterday I was out for dinner in Turin with some friends from way back. One of them was conspicuous for his absence since, as an anti-vaxxer, he's not allowed in restaurants anymore. His plight had very little sympathy. Another friend is an ICU nurse in a small NW Italy town. They have 4 Covid-related patients in the ward, all non-vaccinated. He is obviously doing his absolute best for them but he can't deny a certain contempt for these people. One of them is a notorious anti-vaxxer in Italy, he was peddling all sorts of rubbish on Facebook; he was on national radio (on the phone) when he complained of a blood saturation level below 70... the anchor actually called an ambulance to go at that man's house. He's not responding to cures. Frankly, I don't feel sorry about him. Play stupid games, win stupid prizes.