Canaries stops requirement of a Covid test for nationals to enter the islands
The Canary Islands has scrapped the obligation of national travellers from mainland Spain to present a negative test result (PDIA) when coming to the archipelago, a measure that was in place from December 18th until after Easter to cover periods of high mobility to contain the transmission of the coronavirus. This measure will not affect international travellers who will have to continue presenting a negative PCR test to enter the islands.
Previously when a national passenger or foreign resident arrived in the Archipelago from another region of Spain, they had to present a negative PDIA certificate at the checkpoints established by the Ministry of Health at airports and ports.
Travellers who did not present the certificate, were identified, registered and ordered to perform isolation until a negative result of a diagnostic test at destination was obtained.
The diagnostic test, both at origin and destination, was free for residents of the Canary Islands who came from the rest of the national territory and performed the test at Eurofins Megalab centres arranged by the Ministry of Health for this purpose.
This means that travelling to the Canary Islands from the mainland without the need to have a PCR antigen test is now possible from Monday from areas without perimeter closure, as it was this rule that required a test.
TENERIFE, GRAN CANARIA AND FUERTEVENTURA:
Travellers can go to La Palma, El Hierro, La Gomera, which are in alert level 1, and Lanzarote and La Graciosa (level 2), for any reason, including leisure, and without the need to show a negative Covid test.
However, it must be remembered that the situation is different for Tenerife, Gran Canaria and Fuerteventura, which are at level 3, which means that these three islands still have perimeter closure that does not allow the entry and exit of travellers except for some of the justified reasons included in the Real Decree 926/2020, of October 25, as well as travellers who can prove a reservation in a tourist establishment.
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With the fourth wave of the virus in full swing in almost all regions, this screening has not been maintained, a decision which many see as debatable, as the testing prevented 482 people that tested positives from travelling to the islands, and another 271 who were infected and had to isolate on the Islands.
Of the 342,794 travellers who arrived in the Canary Islands from the rest of the country, by air or sea, 87% presented a negative PCR test or antigen test since the implementation of this standard in December 2020, and 753 positives.