 Poster: A snowHead
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I read yesterday that Omicron is already the dominant variant in Vienna (where they do the most sequencing) so I suspect Austria’s virus variant area list will be abandoned before mid February. Fingers crossed.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@Tiefschneetaucher, I think so too. This time it’s spread so much quicker, I tried to get some food after work on 30th Dec and the pub over the road wasn’t offering any food as they were too short staffed to be able to do it, they were all off with Covid! That’s not happened before with the previous variants.
I read on FB some resorts have lifts closed (or not as many open as usual) because they are short staffed so they can’t run them-they’re off with Covid!
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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| Tiefschneetaucher wrote: |
| I read yesterday that Omicron is already the dominant variant in Vienna (where they do the most sequencing) so I suspect Austria’s virus variant area list will be abandoned before mid February. Fingers crossed. |
Here in Flachau there is regular testing of employees. On Wednesday when I went for mine, there was me, two Dutch Ski instructors, the Postie and the girl who serves my coffee in the morning  Obviously I don't know if any of them tested positive. I'll let you know next week.
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Does anybody know if NHS PCR tests are acceptable in Austria? Can we just do those...or are they too slow to turnaround?
Also, does anybody have experience of the 'recovered' status on the NHS app being enough? My grandson turns 12 a day before
travel but luckily(?) got covid in October so hoping he can avoid the ninja pass
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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| dedders wrote: |
Does anybody know if NHS PCR tests are acceptable in Austria? Can we just do those...or are they too slow to turnaround?
Also, does anybody have experience of the 'recovered' status on the NHS app being enough? My grandson turns 12 a day before
travel but luckily(?) got covid in October so hoping he can avoid the ninja pass |
Austria would accept any test that has all the required details, but as far as I'm aware the UK doesn't give the actual certificates (with all details of the type of test etc) out with the NHS tests specifically so they can't be used for travel?
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| dedders wrote: |
Does anybody know if NHS PCR tests are acceptable in Austria? Can we just do those...or are they too slow to turnaround?
Also, does anybody have experience of the 'recovered' status on the NHS app being enough? My grandson turns 12 a day before
travel but luckily(?) got covid in October so hoping he can avoid the ninja pass |
You can’t use NHS PCR tests for travel, full stop! They don’t provide you with the necessary certification required for pre departure testing.
Go to the tour operators/airlines webpage and it will give you guidance on how to arrange a pre departure test.
If you can afford a ski holiday, you can afford a PCR test, sorry to be all preachy but it winds me up that people think they can abuse the NHS to enable people’s leisure time.
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| 2planks wrote: |
If you can afford a ski holiday, you can afford a PCR test, sorry to be all preachy but it winds me up that people think they can abuse the NHS to enable people’s leisure time. |
Personally I find it a little odd that it would be seen as abusing the NHS. Free testing = more testing = more results and data, which would be good for UK society, good for UK hospitality businesses, and good for UK inbound tourism. The NHS test *should* be usable. Works very well like that in Austria with free tests for everybody (inc tourists) anyway.
Don't let the propaganda fool you; this is about transferring cash to private UK companies, who have been given a license to print cash with the exorbitant fees they charge for tests.
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Apologies if I have missed this information. I have been diligently following this thread but, it being so big now, may have missed one or two updates 
We are scheduled to fly into Innsbruck next Sunday, 9th January. We have not yet booked accommodation in case the entry requirements change or, God forbid, UK visitors are barred from entering Austria. We still dare not believe that we may actually be travelling, let alone skiing...
Is there any review of travel restrictions/requirements scheduled by the Austrian Government this week? Or (being triple jabbed with covid tests booked left, right and centre) are we (whisper it...) good to go?
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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@mountainaddict, sounds like you're sorted. I don't know of any announcements this week, but these things can happen at short notice so one can never be certain If you manage to get to Friday without any changes, you'll probably be ok for Sunday.
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@clarky999, yup……nail on head.
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Don't let the propaganda fool you; this is about transferring cash to private UK companies, who have been given a license to print cash with the exorbitant fees they charge for tests
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| clarky999 wrote: |
| 2planks wrote: |
If you can afford a ski holiday, you can afford a PCR test, sorry to be all preachy but it winds me up that people think they can abuse the NHS to enable people’s leisure time. |
Personally I find it a little odd that it would be seen as abusing the NHS. Free testing = more testing = more results and data, which would be good for UK society, good for UK hospitality businesses, and good for UK inbound tourism. The NHS test *should* be usable. Works very well like that in Austria with free tests for everybody (inc tourists) anyway. |
Totally agree!
By way of an update, Vienna, Tirol and Salzburgerland (particularly) infection rates per 100,000 over last 7 days are, predictably, on a sharp upward curve.
Without being hysterical, more cautionary, I heard (word of mouth) that the WKO (Austrian Federal Economic Chamber) had advised some restaurants (fairly local) to avoid over stocking on food for next weeK! That may be interpreted that a further lockdown or tightening of restrictions is on the horizon. Probably worth keeping a close watch on infection rates and hospitalisations over the next 3-4 days! As I say, not trying to be pessimistic or gloomy but, thought it worth mentioning. Nothing official or being reported in the press at the moment, and this ‘info’ was third hand.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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You know it makes sense.
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Fair enough but if you look hard enough, apart from the 48hr pre departure test (which was an Austrian decision) U.K. testing packages are reasonable.
The NHS testing system could not cope with the Christmas rush as the wait time went through the roof, whilst I agree that the present cabinet have feathered their colleagues nest respectively, I really despise the general populations attitude to healthcare, witness the increased pressure on A&E caused by some people who couldn’t see a GP!
Anyhow, did anybody see the paywalled article in the telegraph, which mentioned the U.K. are thinking of scrapping the pre entry LFT test for arrivals, here’s hoping!
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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| clarky999 wrote: |
| 2planks wrote: |
If you can afford a ski holiday, you can afford a PCR test, sorry to be all preachy but it winds me up that people think they can abuse the NHS to enable people’s leisure time. |
Personally I find it a little odd that it would be seen as abusing the NHS. Free testing = more testing = more results and data, which would be good for UK society, good for UK hospitality businesses, and good for UK inbound tourism. The NHS test *should* be usable. Works very well like that in Austria with free tests for everybody (inc tourists) anyway.
Don't let the propaganda fool you; this is about transferring cash to private UK companies, who have been given a license to print cash with the exorbitant fees they charge for tests. |
Lots of reasons for the Government to be doing this amongst them supporting their friends in the burgeoning testing industry, exerting more control on the population that’ll be very hard to reverse (effectively moving to an identity card state) and of course another form of (albeit indirect) taxation.
Meanwhile the opposition seem to want to double-down on the whole shabby system.
More on point our friends who messed up and failed to buy massively overpriced travel LFTs for the journey home got free Austrian gargle tests from the local pharmacy instead. Who are the muppets?!
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Poster: A snowHead
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| 2planks wrote: |
Fair enough but if you look hard enough, apart from the 48hr pre departure test (which was an Austrian decision) U.K. testing packages are reasonable.
The NHS testing system could not cope with the Christmas rush as the wait time went through the roof, whilst I agree that the present cabinet have feathered their colleagues nest respectively, I really despise the general populations attitude to healthcare, witness the increased pressure on A&E caused by some people who couldn’t see a GP!
Anyhow, did anybody see the paywalled article in the telegraph, which mentioned the U.K. are thinking of scrapping the pre entry LFT test for arrivals, here’s hoping! |
Is there any truth in the article or is it just a sneaky way to get people to pay to read it
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Does anybody know about the 'recovered' status on the NHS app. An Austrian website says than an English NHS email is not acceptable and in that case a certificate is needed. A recovered status on the app isn't an email as such, but close enough? Bewildered
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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| dedders wrote: |
| Does anybody know about the 'recovered' status on the NHS app. An Austrian website says than an English NHS email is not acceptable and in that case a certificate is needed. A recovered status on the app isn't an email as such, but close enough? Bewildered |
Our son’s recovered NHS QR code worked getting him into Austria, buying lift passes, entering restaurants etc- including when it was actually scanned.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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| Doccam wrote: |
| More on point our friends who messed up and failed to buy massively overpriced travel LFTs for the journey home got free Austrian gargle tests from the local pharmacy instead. Who are the muppets?! |
Several of us on this thread have pointed out time and again that testing in Austria is largely free, even for tourists, but people insist on bringing their own tests with them 
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Hi Scarlet, can the free gargle tests available in austria be used for the ninja pass?
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| peter2512 wrote: |
| Hi Scarlet, can the free gargle tests available in austria be used for the ninja pass? |
Yes, that was one thing they were originally designed for.
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@Scarlet, for the sake of £25 I would, and did, bring my own. I'd rather have the certainty that I've got it and do it at my convenience rather than having to go into the next village when the pharmacy is open.
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| Doccam wrote: |
| dedders wrote: |
| Does anybody know about the 'recovered' status on the NHS app. An Austrian website says than an English NHS email is not acceptable and in that case a certificate is needed. A recovered status on the app isn't an email as such, but close enough? Bewildered |
Our son’s recovered NHS QR code worked getting him into Austria, buying lift passes, entering restaurants etc- including when it was actually scanned. |
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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Thanks!
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for the sake of £25 I would, and did, bring my own. I'd rather have the certainty that I've got it and do it at my convenience
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Can totally understand that
holidayloverxx. We've got unused £15 ones from an aborted pre-Christmas trip so will be taking those with us if our hol goes ahead this weekend.
It will be the first time we have done a test to get back into the UK. Out of interest, what evidence does an Austrian pharmacy test provide to satisfy UK requirements? Do they send you proof by email that is acceptable for use? And how long does it take to get a result back?
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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@mountainaddict, you get an EU compliant certificate with German and English text emailed within 15 mins (I have personally used these tests for travel).
Further to your earlier question about rule changes the GECKO committee (covid management ) is due to meet with ministers on Thursday so if any rules are going to change I would expect to find out then.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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| holidayloverxx wrote: |
| @Scarlet, for the sake of £25 I would, and did, bring my own. I'd rather have the certainty that I've got it and do it at my convenience rather than having to go into the next village when the pharmacy is open. |
As mentioned a few pages ago, and to help anyone else who may wish to take the gargle test, EuroSpar (and presumably the other Spar brands) also have the test kits and a drop box.
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| Cacciatore wrote: |
| holidayloverxx wrote: |
| @Scarlet, for the sake of £25 I would, and did, bring my own. I'd rather have the certainty that I've got it and do it at my convenience rather than having to go into the next village when the pharmacy is open. |
As mentioned a few pages ago, and to help anyone else who may wish to take the gargle test, EuroSpar (and presumably the other Spar brands) also have the test kits and a drop box. |
The small local Spar and Mpreis supermarkets have these too, still don't know it these are useable for travel though as they are self administered (but maybe the paperwork doesn't say so).
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You know it makes sense.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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| Doccam wrote: |
| Our son’s recovered NHS QR code worked getting him into Austria, buying lift passes, entering restaurants etc- including when it was actually scanned. |
Was this before or after Christmas please? The difference is that before, there was no requirement for a negative PCR. Now there is, and that could be a problem for those recently recovered unless the recovery certificate avoids that need.
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Poster: A snowHead
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@ousekjarr, the certificate doesn't avoid that need.
https://www.oesterreich.gv.at/en/themen/coronavirus_in_oesterreich/pre-travel-clearance.html
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| The obligation to bring a negative result of a molecular test with you or a medical certificate confirming such a test does not apply to persons who have recovered from COVID-19 and can present a medical certificate in accordance with Appendix H or Appendix I. The obligation to self-isolate, however, remains. |
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Thanks Chris_n.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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| ousekjarr wrote: |
| Doccam wrote: |
| Our son’s recovered NHS QR code worked getting him into Austria, buying lift passes, entering restaurants etc- including when it was actually scanned. |
Was this before or after Christmas please? The difference is that before, there was no requirement for a negative PCR. Now there is, and that could be a problem for those recently recovered unless the recovery certificate avoids that need. |
No it was as well as the -ve PCR - but it was accepted in lieu of triple vaxed for entry to Austria on Boxing day.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Data point- we have just arrived into Innsbruck from LGW. Family of five, two x triple vax adults, 2 x under 12s and a 13 yr old single vax and covid recovered. Flew EasyJet who did a cursory document check pre bag drop.
Some last minute drama re getting the 48 hour PCR in time and needing to switch to the later flight as a result, but we got 3 x PCR for the adults and 13 yr old. 13 yr old recently (mid Dec) tested positive on the pre travel PCR (so we moved our Christmas trip to now) but two weeks later tested negative on the fit to fly PCR. We got a private GP to sign the official Austrian forms and provide a letter of recovery, but used the Holiday Ninja Pass plus negative PCR for 13 yr old to enter. Border thoroughly examined everything, and queried the use of the Ninja pass with a colleague (as they wanted to see the vaccination papers), but all seemed in order.
Despite tons of stress (for me), it was actually a very smooth process (so far!).
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@Tom Doc, it doesn’t exempt you from the quarantine, unfortunately, as it’s not explicitly mentioned as an exemption.
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That sounds good. So if your 13 yr old has been double jabbed and turned up with a negative PCR they would have accepted that too? That will be our situation in a few weeks’ time.
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Hi all I have gained entry to Austria and have spent today skiing. I must apologise for not testing the recovery certificate with the Austrian authorities. I got my friendly GP to sign one for me but, after reading about the possible need to quarantine for ten days I bottled it and arranged a PCR test which fortunately was negative. Another couple of days good skiing, and I think all the palaver will have been worth it.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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@Scarlet Ah, ok. Ta.
@Seahoob, Well done! We'll have to try the same and hope we're negative too.
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The only bit of the Austrian Embassy page that applies to adult British national tourists is:-
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According to the current entry regulations, entry from a country or area mentioned there - including the United Kingdom - or entry of people who have been in any of these countries within the last 10 days, is banned from 25 December 2021.
Exceptions:
A) The entry ban and the obligation to self-isolate do not apply if both of the following are provided:
proof of a “booster vaccination” (third vaccination or second vaccination in case you have been jabbed with Johnson & Johnson or in case you have recovered and were vaccinated twice thereafter, third vaccination done at least 120 days after the second one; Johnson & Johnson: 14 days after the first one )
AND
a negative PCR test taken less than 48h before the time of entry to Austria. |
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FAQ
have said, the stress of all this is ridiculous. It gets to the point where, even as a skiing diehard, you question just how many hoops you have to jump through and whether the hassle is all worth it. Now it's fingers crossed for our PCR tests on Fri afternoon...
