OBSOLETE COVID THREAD Covid passes/masks in Albergues/hotels along the Camino (French route)

[Stephanie Martin]

Dear all,

I'm going on the Camino soon and haven't got updated Vaccines done. Will this be an issue in the albergues and hotels in Spain/France?

Also wondering about pre-departure/arrival Covid tests required in Spain/France - I've posted this in another thread but if anyone is in a similar boat and has answers on this, would be highly appreciated. Thank you!

Rgds,
Stephanie

 

[Anhalter]

Returned yesterday.
Masks are mandatory in public transport, medical facilities and the Cathedral in Santiago.
Everywhere else, nobody cares.
Nobody wants to see any vaccination certificates.

This may be subject to change of course.

 

[NYSE]

Dear all,

I'm going on the Camino soon and haven't got updated Vaccines done. Will this be an issue in the albergues and hotels in Spain/France?

Also wondering about pre-departure/arrival Covid tests required in Spain/France - I've posted this in another thread but if anyone is in a similar boat and has answers on this, would be highly appreciated. Thank you!

Rgds,
Stephanie

I would really like to read answers to your questions.

 

[Former member 95219]

I posted this on the other thread with pretty much the same question!

Hi there. Had a look online and I think you do need a pre departure test if not vaccinated to arrive In France. But it makes complex reading and I say that with no certainty! Worth checking what your airline(s) require, and also any country you are transitting through.

I think once yiu are in France/Spain you should be fine but journeys still tend to have quite a high level of requirements!

 

[Susan Peacock]

You didn’t say where you are traveling from to get to Spain. When I came from the US a couple of weeks ago, If your vaccines were not up to date with your last of the original series within 270 days you would need a booster taken at least 10 days. You can verify all this on the Spain Health App that you need to complete before entering the country. I believe if your vaccines aren’t up to date you have to have a test. You can see the rules pertaining to where you are coming from in the app.
When here, except as mentioned for marking on public transport and hospitals, life is operating very normally. You will see some masking but most aren’t. I haven’t been asked to prove vaccination status except when entering the country.
Since you aren’t up to date you need to know that COVID is well and alive on the Camino, so have a plan especially since you may have more illness. I know many pilgrims who have gotten it, including the woman I just walked with. So I would carry a couple of test in your back, have the resources to stay in private (which do seemed to be booked up in the smaller towns) and make sure I had health insurance (not sure if you are from EU or not).

 

[CaptainBonnie]

I would really like to read answers to your questions.

Update your info on stph

Dear all,

I'm going on the Camino soon and haven't got updated Vaccines done. Will this be an issue in the albergues and hotels in Spain/France?

Also wondering about pre-departure/arrival Covid tests required in Spain/France - I've posted this in another thread but if anyone is in a similar boat and has answers on this, would be highly appreciated. Thank you!

Rgds,
Stephanie

Hi Stephanie to be on the safe side update all your info as per questions on the Spanish Health site and Portuguese site pasted for you below ( you will get a QR code that the Health Officials may ask for at Madrid / Lisbon / Porto
Have a great Camino!
Best
Captain Bonnie

Spain Travel Health

www.spth.gob.es

Homepage | www.visitportugal.com

www.visitportugal.com

 

[C clearly]

Masks are mandatory in public transport, medical facilities and the Cathedral in Santiago. Everywhere else, nobody cares.

To say that "nobody cares" is an assumption and perhaps extension of your own feelings. Or maybe it was just an exaggeration, but it is a bit misleading. People should at least carry masks and be sensitive to the people around them.

The masses of visitors don't usually wear masks. However, if you look beyond those settings, you will frequently see masks. Certainly a small minority now, but those people do care and do feel vulnerable for whatever reason (that we wouldn't know). At the hostales in Madrid where I stayed, as well as in other towns along the Invierno, signs indicated that masks were required, and the elderly proprietors wore them. I presume that they cared.

 

[Sho]

Many Spanish people in the groceries and other stores are masking, and many baristas/store clerks. Pilgrims, not so much.

 

[Anhalter]

To say that "nobody cares" is an assumption and perhaps extension of your own feelings. Or maybe it was just an exaggeration, but it is a bit misleading. People should at least carry masks and be sensitive to the people around them....

In my 5 weeks in Spain from May 14 to June 18 I, except at the mentioned places, have never been asked to wear a mask nor have heard from or seen anyone else been have asked to do so. The current regulations are to my knowledge also that masks in most places are no longer mandatory.

Now of course I have seen lots of people wearing masks. Supermarkets, stores, driving a car alone, trails, church... you name it. They sure did seem to care and I'm sure people will do so in the future. So you may be right on the part of "exaggeration".

But then, what the OP wanted to know is if she needs to have one at hand. The answer is No.

(and before it comes to another nitpicking: i personally believe that going on the camino with no vaccination is plain stupid and that the biggest threat to ones own health is the cramped albergues. Covid is alive and well on the camino. Had the unfortunate experience of knowing more than one person that got f'ed by it. As for the usefullness of masks however, i believe we could have a heated argument at another place ;-) )

 

[Sho]

I saw several people without masks refused entry to pharmacies and transportation (for example, the Madrid airport shuttle between terminals, and an Alsa bus). The answer is "Yes, you need to have a mask, even if you don't need to wear it all the time."

 

[Camino Chrissy]

I was recently out of my country (not on camino) and we chose to mask up on the flights and buses although they were not required and few others did. We needed negative covid tests to return home, so chose to do "all we could do" to insure as best as possible to not test positive for the return flight home. Thankfully everything worked out well. If we had not done the unrequired "extra", but had positive tests, I would have always wondered if it could have been prevented.

 

[trecile]

i personally believe that going on the camino with no vaccination is plain stupid and that the biggest threat to ones own health is the cramped albergues. Covid is alive and well on the camino

I only stayed on albergues 3 nights, and I was fully vaccinated and boosted, but Covid is definitely out there, and I caught it. However, my symptoms were super mild to which I credit the vaccines. I have had colds that were much worse.
I agree that going on Camino unvaccinated is foolish.

 

[domigee]

I saw several people without masks refused entry to pharmacies and transportation (for example, the Madrid airport shuttle between terminals, and an Alsa bus). The answer is "Yes, you need to have a mask, even if you don't need to wear it all the time."

When I was last there in May, you weren’t allowed without a mask in public transport or pharmacies. It may have changed now of course. Just carry a mask in your pocket to be sure

 

[Sho]

When I was last there in May, you weren’t allowed without a mask in public transport or pharmacies. It may have changed now of course. Just carry a mask in your pocket to be sure

That's still the case.

 

[Peter Fransiscus]

Everywhere else, nobody cares.

I care
We wore masks when we entered a restaurant, in shops and sometimes outside in narrow streets where it was crowded.
Next time , don't say that nobody cares.

 

[trecile]

Please check with official government sources regarding requirements. Some links have already been posted above. Here's another one. https://travelsafe.spain.info/en/during/