Iceland no longer requires quarantine or testing for travelers who have recovered from Covid-19

Travelers looking to enter Iceland can do so without quarantine or testing if they have previously contracted and recovered from the coronavirus.

Starting December 10, anyone entering Iceland will be exempt from Covid-19 quarantine and testing if they provide proof of prior infection, as confirmed by the country’s Directorate of Health.

Under current regulations, travelers arriving from Covid-19 risk areas must either quarantine for 14 days or take two Covid-19 tests five days apart, waiting for the second test results. The screening tests will be free from Tuesday until January 31, and all countries are classified as risk areas at this time.

To be exempt from border restrictions, travelers must present proof of prior infection in the form of lab results from the European Economic Area/European Free Trade Association or confirmation from Iceland’s chief epidemiologist. Clinical diagnoses are not accepted, according to a spokesperson for Iceland's Ministry for Foreign Affairs.

Iceland has received praise for its effective crisis management after an initial surge in Covid-19 cases in February. Following an extensive tracking and tracing effort, the country reopened its borders on June 15.

In November, Iceland implemented a 'careful easing' of certain restrictions, allowing leisure, youth, and sports activities for schoolchildren.

Gatherings in Iceland are limited to 10 people. Smaller shops, such as pharmacies and food stores, can allow a maximum of 50 people inside, while larger stores can accommodate up to 100.

Restaurants must close by 9 p.m., and bars and nightclubs remain shut, along with pubs, entertainment venues, arcades, swimming pools, and gyms.

Iceland has reported 5,413 confirmed cases of Covid-19 and 27 deaths, according to data from Johns Hopkins University.