So how many of us are actually going (hopefully)

[WINKIE]

Scottish press reporting that there could be no holidays at home or abroad this year, due to travel restrictions lasting well into the year  .

[Karen]

Morning Winkie. Grant Schapps is telling us not to book any summer holidays, just yet...we will.be changing ours to next year, there is too much uncertainty..

[WINKIE]

Hey Karen, just wish we could see some light at the end of the tunnel. Never seems to be any good news these days regards travel etc, hopefully things pick up before to long.

[Jimbo]

There are some glimmers of hope. Testing up to mid-January shows very high immune response in over-80s. Those were, of course, the first to get the vaccine.

Also - uptake of vaccination seems to be about 90%, which is far higher than expected. It also looks as though the "Kent" mutation is becoming the dominant strain the UK, and we know the vaccines are effective against that.

What will happen with international travel is impossible to say at the moment. I'm neither optimistic nor pessimistic - there are too many variables. Nobody will want the prospect of very expensive hotel quarantine at home or abroad. I would rate the chances of travel in May at approximately zero.

[Karen]

Hey Karen, just wish we could see some light at the end of the tunnel. Never seems to be any good news these days regards travel etc, hopefully things pick up before to long.

I hope so Winkie..

[Karen]

It is impossible to say, Jim..I think May looks doubtful though..

[Jimbo]

Greece is leading the movement for vaccination "passports."

Greece and Israel on Monday signed a deal that will allow people vaccinated against the coronavirus to move freely between the two countries once travel restarts.

Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis has pushed the EU to adopt a common vaccination passport to help the tourism industry but Brussels has been hesitant, so far limiting its support to medical purposes only. Opponents of vaccine passports have flagged concerns about discrimination and privacy.

Both countries already have so-called “green passports” in operation domestically. Today’s deal to mutually recognize those vaccination certificates was signed during a visit by Mitsotakis to Jerusalem, during which Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu noted it would allow travel “without any limitations, no self-isolation, nothing.”

“I expect what we will be doing with Israel to be a trial run of what we can do with other countries,” Mitsotakis said. (Politico.eu)

Greece is considering entry free from restrictions for those with proof of vaccination. But it's not considering bans on those who have not been vaccinated for whatever reason - however, they may  require a negative PCR test within 72 hours of departure and seven days of quarantine.

Does that seem reasonable to you? Greece desperately needs tourism. This year, the newer virus mutations make things much more dangerous even than last year.

Those of us who have been to parts of Africa have had to produce a booklet with evidence of vaccination against a variety of diseases. I didn't regard that as unreasonable - even though Yellow Fever is spread by Tsetse flies and not people!

[WINKIE]

Many around where we live, think that the vaccine is a cure " oh I've had mine, will be fine for Benidorm now" . The general public needs to wise up on this, it is not a cure, as has been explained, if they care to read the detail, it prevents folks from developing more serious health issues if you are unfortunately infected, as I was informed when I had my shot last week.

[Jimbo]

The latest results from Israel show that it is very effective.

By its very nature, you have get some virus in you before the enhanced immune system kicks in to eradicate it. In about 90% of cases the virus is attacked by the immune system and suppressed. In the remaining 10% it causes relatively mild symptoms - well below the threshold for hospitalisation.

What we don't fully know yet is how far it reduces spread. Preliminary data shows that is does, to a large extent.

Until we can answer that, we must continue to take precautions.

[Tredegar Boy]

A question for Lesley,

What's the view of the locals re: this summer. Do you/they think they'll get one or are you writing off this year as well. The optimist in me says we'll be there sometime around July/August everything being equal (vaccine rollout across europe and vaccine passports), while the pessimist in me says forget it.

[Lesley]

To be honest I am not in a position to comment on behalf of the locals as in 106 days today of our 2nd lookdown I have only been to the supermarket and the ATM as that is all we are allowed to do, as we still wear masks outside our compound (garden) therefore walking is not a pleasure and only permitted close to your home and of course the curfew in place.  Normally one would pick up thoughts etc from the local Kafenions but these are closed as well.  So my fresh air and VitD is best taken in our garden as here we don't require masks - so we stay home.
My own thoughts are I am trying to stay positive, we have bookings from 30th April with Greek Easter falling May 2nd this year.  The Government, as you will have read are in talks with UK and also other European countries re opening for the Summer - we wait and see. The P.M. has recently returned from Israel which is another important sector for tourism and has been reported in having a successful vaccination programme roll out.
There was an article indicating that the 1st Cruise would come into Corfu at the end of March - not sure how this would work - again we wait and see? 
Of course all businesses not just in Agios Stefanos but all over the island and Greece are happy and waiting to reopen when it is considered safe to do so and we are advised by the Greek government so again we wait and see.
As normally over the warmer and milder closed months, owners and suppliers are continuing as they would always do and preparing for Summer. 
I am looking forward to the forthcoming Summer but we all just have to wait and see. I am staying positive.....
The sun is out here today and the sky is mostly blue so off to the garden shortly we go.
Wishing All a lovely weekend ahead and see you all soon.......

[Tredegar Boy]

Great update Lesley. How's the vacination programme going over there?

[Jimbo]

Greece is doing better than the EU average. Data up to 18h February - vaccinations per 100 people, top countries in the region, by rank:

Israel       81.78
UK           25.73
Denmark    7.92
Turkey       6.99
Norway      6.86
Poland       6.76
Slovenia    6.49
Spain        6.28
Greece     6.08
Portugal    6.07
EU            5.67
Germany   5.63
Sweden     5.48
France       5.38
 

[BAJ]

Well we have our fingers crossed to make at least one of our Corfu trips this year, but who knows what the situation will be. We have a week at Anatoli booked for Whit week, moved from last summers cancelled flights, which is how we came to potentially have two visits this year.  Then 2 weeks at Fedra Mare at end of July, I am more optimistic about that one than the end of May. We are in group 9 for vaccination so should have had both by July, May might be a push, what will be will be.

[Jimbo]

My guess is that July will be OK as long as the UK doesn't go mad with releasing restrictions.