Iceland Is Lifting All Remaining COVID-19 Restrictions
It's following the lead of several other European countries.
Iceland will be lifting all remaining COVID-19 restrictions on February 25, after government officials declared the virus to be endemic. This means a virus or illness is regularly found among a population, as opposed to a pandemic which the World Health Organization defines as a "worldwide spread of a new disease."
The lifted restrictions will apply within the country as well as at the border, Iceland's Ministry of Health announced on Wednesday. "We can certainly be happy at this juncture, but I still urge people to be careful, take care of personal infection control, and take a break if they experience symptoms," the Minister of Health said in a statement.
There will be no more restrictions on indoor gatherings, and curfews for establishments like bars and restaurants will also end. Iceland previously dropped all COVID restrictions in July 2021, but reintroduced them as the number of cases both within the country and around the globe rose again later in the year.
Since November 2021, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has placed Iceland on its travel advisory at Level 4, which is considered the highest level of risk. Countries in the Level 4 category have at least 500 confirmed cases per 100,000 residents.
Anyone that is planning on traveling to Iceland will no longer need a pre-departure PCR test, a test on arrival, or any time in quarantine, according to The Points Guy. The country has not required vaccination for entry since October 1.
Opheli Garcia Lawler is a staff writer at Thrillist. Follow her on Twitter @opheligarcia and Instagram @opheligarcia.