Governments across the world are re-examining their Covid safety measures following the arrival of the Omicron variant.
Travel restrictions are being beefed-up as the latest twist in the Covid tail threatens to reverse the return to normality that was creeping back.
The UK and most of Europe are showing high daily infection numbers and the new Omicron variant has sparked a return to semi-lockdown rules.
UK had 298,244 cases over the last week, with only Germany beating them into second place with 408,474 new cases. Although the death rate in UK was down by 15%.
Worldmeters.com Covid figures 1 Decmber 2021.
This has resulted in a confusing raft of travel restrictions, changing on an almost daily basis, as politicians attempt to head-off another lockdown driven financial crisis.
For sport and in particular sailing, this is looking like a rerun of Christmas 2020, with the Europe winter season likely to come under pressure.
Spain has declared Brits who travel for non-essential reasons will only be able to enter Spain with proof of full vaccination from 1 December. A negative covid test will no longer be an alternative option.
Australia and New Zealand are expected to maintain their strict entry rules, and in the case of Australia this could affect the upcoming SailGP event in Sydney and the Boxing Day start of the Sydney – Hobart race.
Ten Omicron cases have been identified in Australia
For anyone coming to the UK from 1 December, lateral flow tests will no longer be accepted, but will be replaced by more reliable PCR tests, and you must self-isolate until a negative result is returned.
And if you have been in a red list country or territory in the 10 days before arriving in England you must book and stay in a managed quarantine hotel, whether fully vaccinated or not.
Entering England under new rules in response to Omicron variant
