Good news for summer travelers

This is good news! Thank you for sharing.

Hopefully the summer travel season will go smoothly and not shut down for us looking to travel in the fall and winter months.

Some travelers have been hesitant due to the current need to be tested at Keflavik, and then waiting for most of the day in a hotel room for results, with the possibility of a 24-hour wait. Either way you've lost the first day more or less. That would give me reason for pause.

Iceland’s relatively early opening of their country to tourism, even with precautions at first, would suggest they were already anticipating things were medically heading in a positive direction a while ago. It’ll be especially good if their population continues getting their vaccinations, and doesn’t face some tapering off that seems to be the situation in the U.S.A.

You’d think that rotten shark would be fatal to corona viruses, and that just eating that would render an Icelander immune.

Still not seeing what document constitutes 'proof' of vaccination for US citizens.

Has there been any change to the guide lines of what 'properly vaccinated' is ?
What I saw was a 28 day spacing for the moderna vaccine. My health care provider deemed 25 days between shots was appropriate. So according to Icelandic authorities, I am not vaccinated

Just suggesting that everyone pays close attention to all the details.

Joe, the CDC says that the second dose of Moderna should be given no less than 28 days and no more than 42 days after the first dose.

https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/covid-19/info-by-product/moderna/downloads/standing-orders.pdf

However, it does not mean you need to be re-vaccinated.

You have gotten both doses within a reasonable amount of time. Countries should let you in but it would be best to check with them prior to travel.

https://www.landlaeknir.is/um-embaettid/greinar/grein/item44162/Certificate-of-vaccination-against-COVID-19-accepted-at-the-border

Details regarding vaccines authorized by the European Medicines Agency: (Name of vaccine, authorization holder/manufacturer; number and interval between doses for vaccination to be complete)
Comirnaty; Pfizer-BioNTech; 2 doses at least with 19–42 days apart
COVID-19 Vaccine Moderna; Moderna Biotech Spain; 2 doses at least 28 days apart
COVID-19 Vaccine AstraZeneca; 2 doses at least with 4–12 weeks apart.
COVID-19 Vaccine Janssen (Janssen-Cilag International NV); 1 dose.

Frank II this is what I am referencing, Iceland's dictates on what they deem 'vaccinated'.

I have no doubts that I am vaccinated, but I fall just outside the official recommendation of timing.

James E., I remember the good old days when they were allies, more or less.

We were frenemies during WWII, and perhaps with China a bit during the 70s. Anyway, maybe America should send them the real shots, so to speak.

OK, so I emailed a former colleague who recently returned from Iceland. He and his wife did walk around after dropping luggage at the hotel in Reykjavik. They socially distanced as they were walking, didn't go inside anywhere, checked into their room around 1400, took a shower and short nap, and then got the barcode text (something like that) a little after 1500. He did say that fortunately it was a pretty decent weather day.

Mike, thank you for that info about your friend. That was very helpful. I kind of prematurely booked a trip to Iceland for June and somehow missed the requirement to test upon arrive and wait for the results 🤦🏽‍♀️ I was hoping that walking around outside was an option while waiting. That requirement is supposed to be re-examined on June 1st so I’m crossing my fingers the requirements change then. Did your friend say if he had to pay for the test? Or was it covered by Iceland?

Christina, he had to pay for the test prior to departure from Iceland, but I don't know about at the airport upon arrival.

Yes, arriving at your hotel around 9 or 10 a.m. and figuring out what to do until maybe 3 p.m. is a challenge. No way we could stay in a room and not sleep. Things should change by June, but if not our current plan is to drag our feet a bit by shopping at duty free and then walking around the hotel area as much as possible prior to receiving the test results.

The test upon landing is free (I think it might be covered by the airlines).
I am planning on going to the Gardur Lighthouse prior to going to my hotel. It seems like a great outdoor area to walk around.

vandabrud, is that allowed? We also plan to walk outside socially-distanced as much as possible.

Mike,
I don't know! I will certainly follow every rule/suggestion that Iceland has regarding this wait time and I assume that we will be given more guidance/instructions once we land.
My thinking is that I won't be able to check into my hotel at 9 in the morning. Socially distanced and masked walking outside seems to be allowed. I think that it will be just as easy, if not easier to socially distance outside away from the city. If the site is crowded we would see what we can from the car. I would like to have a few alternatives ready that are outside of the city.

Mike,
Another thing....all of my Scottish, Irish and Nordic genes made it to Ohio via West Virginia. My folks are from Nicolas and Clay counties. I wasn't really thinking of this Iceland trip as a heritage trip, but it is! The gene patterns in Iceland are the same as Norway and I share those patterns. So maybe you will be visiting some of your relatives as well.

I think that it will be just as easy, if not easier to socially
distance outside away from the city.

IMHO, I would follow their rules. When they say no touring by car, I would take it literally. Quarantine is defined by the country's own standards - I would respect them or risk getting fined. They are trying to protect a very small population that can easily be overrun by tourists doing their own thing.

https://www.icelandair.com/blog/iceland-is-open-faq/#do-i-need-to-go-into-quarantine-when-i-enter-iceland-
You are not allowed to:
go to touristic places or go sightseeing
go to the volcanic eruption site
be in crowded places
use the bus, domestic flights or public transportation
go for a drive
go shopping or to a restaurant
stay in a mobile home
stay in a hostel

Agnes,
I hope you don't lose any sleep over what I might or might not do, in your humble opinion. I would like to reassure you that I will follow to a letter any instructions given to me by Icelandic authorities. It is not my intention or right to take my desires over the laws of a country. I stated this clearly in my post. I do appreciate that you alerted me to this information, however, who knows what the requirements will be in July, 2021.

Edited to add: Actually, I quite resent your comments directed at me. It must be exhausting for you to police everyone's behavior, even those that have expressed that they will comply with laws and requirements.

@vandrabrud - I apologize, I thought I tempered what I said with "IMHO" (which wasn't meant to be sarcastic by the way). I have no doubt that you'll be conscientious in following the rules based on your posts. I didn't think it would hurt to post what I saw regarding quarantine requirements.

Agnes,
In the end, we are on the same page. I agree that the information you posted was helpful, thank you.