Iceland will reopen its borders to visitors who have received COVID-19 vaccines, effective Thursday, March 18.
Vaccinated visitors - which includes U.S. citizens - will not have to undergo PCR testing or quarantines.
To qualify for entry into the country, travelers must "provide proof of full vaccination with a vaccine that has been certified for use by the European medical agency such as Pfizer, Johnson & Johnson's single dose and Moderna vaccines, as well as requirements defined by the chief epidemiologist of Iceland and Icelandic regulations," Visit Iceland said.
Travelers must also provide documentation on prior infections meeting the chief epidemiologist's requirements.
"We are excited to safely reopen our borders to fully vaccinated U.S. citizens, as well as those who are no longer susceptible to the virus," said Sigridur Gudmundsdottir, head of Visit Iceland. "Tourism is a very valuable industry for Iceland, as it contributes to our economy and culture. With the support of approved vaccines, the targeted measures taken by Icelandic officials, experts, scientists and the general population to continuously keep the infection rate down, as well as a focused reopening plan designed to keep the Icelandic people and tourists healthy, we are now able to safely extend an exemption to U.S. travelers."
Previously, the only visitors allowed entry into Iceland were European Union/European Economic Area citizens with documentation of negative PCR tests prior to their departure to the country, followed by a negative test at the border. Those visitors were also required to quarantine for five days and undergo a third PCR test.
"Our experience and data so far indicate that there is very little risk of infection stemming from individuals who have acquired immunity against the disease, either by vaccination or by prior infection," said Thorolfur Gudnason, Iceland's chief epidemiologist. "When people are protected against the same disease, with the same vaccines that are produced by the same companies, there is no medical reason to discriminate on the basis of the location where the shot is administered. Our experience shows that the risk of infection from vaccinated individuals is very small or negligible."
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