OBSOLETE COVID THREAD Covid Passport may be required to sleep in Galician albergues — Oct. 9

[peregrina2000]

I’m posting this news even though I don’t have the details on how it will be implemented or how pilgrims will obtain the passport.

As of Saturday, Oct. 9, albergues have a choice. They can increase their capacity to 75% if they require all pilgrims to show the “pasaporte covid.” If they do not require the document, their capacity must remain at 50%.

What is not clear to me is how pilgrims will get this document.

Los albergues turísticos podrán ampliar su aforo al 75 % exigiendo el pasaporte covid

El TSXG autoriza a la Xunta a pedir este certificado en los alojamientos que quieran aumentar su capacidad

www.lavozdegalicia.es

https://www.eldiario.es/galicia/xunta-exige-pasaporte-covid-peregrinos-dormir-albergues_1_8380925.html?fbclid=IwAR2tKj5mJplk5trK9lkTH0GEp1sjQaY6c-gON_TTPP79bLAGo8CJo390u2E

Though the Spanish press uses the term “pasaporte covid,” it looks to me like they are referring to the EU digital certificate.

¿Cómo solicitar el pasaporte Covid, quién lo puede obtener, dónde se puede descargar y dónde se puede viajar con él?

¿Cómo solicitar el pasaporte Covid, quién lo puede obtener, dónde se puede descargar y dónde se puede viajar con él?

www.ondacero.es

Obviously, a lot more information is needed here, but I wanted to give a heads up on the new requirements.

I am not sure if this older thread about EU covid certificates for those outside the EU is still up to date.

https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/non-eu-nationals-and-the-eu-digital-covid-certificate.70396/

Buen camino, Laurie

 

[J Willhaus]

I also just saw this in La Voz. I know a few months ago Galicia was requiring a digital passport to eat in restaurants and that was stuck down by the courts.

 

[Bill's_Walking]

I also just saw this in La Voz. I know a few months ago Galicia was requiring a digital passport to eat in restaurants and that was stuck down by the courts.

I'd heard about the passport for eating inside, and always wondered why no asked for one when I did my Camino in August.

 

[Peter Fransiscus]

The following was already stated in a other thread, please consult it here.

The new order of the regional government of Galicia that will allow pilgrim albergues to increase their bed capacity from currently 50% of their full capacity to 75%, provided that vaccinated pilgrims prove their vaccination by an official certificate and non-vaccinated pilgrims pass an antigen test every 48 hours or a PCR test every 72 hours and prove it by an appropriate certificate, has an unusually long prologue where the reasons for the order are enumerated.

 

[peregrina2000]

I also just saw this in La Voz. I know a few months ago Galicia was requiring a digital passport to eat in restaurants and that was stuck down by the courts.

Thanks for that bit of info. The courts’ decision probably explains why the Xunta is giving albergues a choice, not a mandate.

 

[LTfit]

It sounds like a headache for albergues because it would appear that it's all or nothing. If you decide to increase capacity to 75% every single pilgrim will need to show a QR code, right? You can't accept 50% without and then 25% with.

This means that this represents one more level of planning for those not vaccinated but keep in mind this is only for albergues in Galicia.

 

[trecile]

This means that this represents one more level of planning for those not vaccinated but keep in mind this is only for albergues in Galicia.

If it encourages people to get vaccinated so that they don't have to take several tests a week, then that's a plus!

 

[Vacajoe]

FYI, the tiny grocery store next door to my hotel in Porto has stacks of COVID tests for less than 2€, so having to provide a negative test is really not a major imposition

 

[Kathor1]

FYI, the tiny grocery store next door to my hotel in Porto has stacks of COVID tests for less than 2€, so having to provide a negative test is really not a major imposition

When you look at the actual text of the order, you will see that these cheap self-tests don't count in Galicia for access to albergues who want to use the option of 75% capacity. See Primero, point 1, then point 2º: "por un laboratorio oficial autorizado". If you are not vaccinated, you must show a recent certificate as proof of a negative test result and this certificate must be issued by an authorised lab.

Where I live, this can be done by staff in a pharmacy, and the price is €30 for a rapid antigen test - you will get an EU DCC certificate. The same pharmacy sells the self-tests for €8. I don't know about the situation in Galicia but as I said: if you want to stay in albergues who opt for this scheme, you cannot make use of cheap self-tests from the grocery store according to the law.

 

[Kathor1]

It will be interesting to see how this pans out in the coming weeks. Given the high vaccination rates in Spain and in neighbouring countries from where the majority of pilgrims come, this is a no-brainer. They all have the required certificate already, or can get it easily from their regional or national health services.

 

[LTfit]

It will be interesting to see how this pans out in the coming weeks. Given the high vaccination rates in Spain and in neighbouring countries from where the majority of pilgrims come, this is a no-brainer. They all have the required certificate already, or can get it easily from their regional or national health services.

Of course this doesn't hold for pilgrims outside the EU so albergue owners will need to know which documents from where are valid.