10th International Conference on New Frontiers in Physics (ICNFP 2021)

COVID-19 requirements and travel informations

Latest news 2021 (from 18 August 2021):

 

 

In case you encounter a problem due to an uncorrect information given in the text below, or due to a missing update or any matter related to the text below, the conference will not be responsible for the consequences. Everyone is expected to check carefully the conditions from the direct sources given by the authorities. We do our best to keep the text below updated and correct as of our knowledge, in order to help you in this procedure.

 

As of 18 August 2021: the conference ICNFP 2021 will take place in hybrid mode as foreseen, namely in physical presence in Crete, with talks from physically present speakers and also talks from speakers given via internet. Participants are free to change from internet to physical speaker and vice versa at all times.

Important new restrictions to keep in mind:

1) People should not circulate between 1:00 and 6:00 a.m. (there is currently a lockdown during those hours however it may not be renewed during the conference).

2) People should wear masque indoors; outdoors the masque is not necessary (exept of the cases when there are many people nearby together in an area). 

 

 

Summary of what is important to pay attention for the travel:

If you are coming to Crete, please pay attention to fill in and submit your PLF form for Greece, the day before your arrival in Greece; however the " day before "  as defined in greek time.

Eg if you are in Geneva the PLF deadline is 23:00 the day before your arrival in Greece and if you are in NY, USA, the deadline is 15:00 the day before the day of your arrival. It is better to fill it 2 days in advance to be sure.

 Here is the form:

https://travel.gov.gr/#/

For information last year in ICNFP2020, some people missed their flight due to the PLF.

For flights you need a PCR test for which the sample was taken 72 hours in advance of the ARRIVAL day/time in Greece. Please pay attention to count the 72 hours taking into account the difference in time of your place from Greece.

You can check the conditions online in the above link in case you are vaccinated.

If you will travel with boat inside Greece eg from Athens to Chania, you need only to take a rapid test 24 hours before departure (it should cost like 10 EUR) if your PCR test is not anymore within 24 hours from departure of the boat.

The address of OAC can be found here: 

https://indico.cern.ch/event/1025480/page/22307-venue

 

On May 14, Greece opened its borders in a safe and attainable manner. As of May 14th, flight restrictions from EU countries will be lifted, as well as from a number of other countries. Quarantine will not be required at entrance to Greece.

Furthermore, Greece welcome flights at all international airports of Greece.

Effective on June 28, authorities will also lift remaining late night curfews.

 

Message from June 24, 2021: Wearing face masks will remain mandatory in indoor spaces, but not outdoors from Thursday except in congested places. Please note that in the cases when masques are obligatory in Greece, if you are catched by police without masque it costs 150 EURO penalty.

 

The latest news is that Greece allows the entrance of travelers with the following requirements.

 

Before arrival:

 

1) Tourists must fill in the Passenger Locator Form (PLF) before their departure from the initial place of departure, AND no later than 23:59 (11.59 PM) LOCAL GREEK TIME, of the day before arriving in Greece (it is meant the day defined in local greek time). For more information, please click here.

 

Examples:

If you leave from Geneva to Crete the 22 August 2021 and arriving the same day, you must fill the PLF the 21 August 2021 before 23:00 Geneva time. 

 

If you leave from Australia the 20 August arriving in Greece 22 August, you must fill the PLF before your departure from Australia.

 

Last year (ICNFP2020) we had participants that lost the ticket and had to travel next day because they mixed up the PLF. Please pay attention to this since it is a special case regarding Greek law.

 

Attention: to fill the PLF you need to have done first your check in to your flight so that you have your sit number.

 

2) Prior to departure, all travelers must ensure that they carry an acceptable form of certification of their health condition. Acceptable documents include:

- A negative PCR molecular test result from a laboratory; the test must include your name and PASSPORT number, the DATE and TIME when the sample was taken; the test must be taken up to 72 hours BEFORE ENTRY to Greece; the 72 hours must be counted in LOCAL GREEK TIME

OR

- A negative antigen (rapid) test result from a laboratory;  the test must include your name and PASSPORT number, the DATE and TIME when the sample was taken; the test must be taken up to 48 hours BEFORE ENTRY to Greece; the 72 hours must be counted in LOCAL GREEK TIME.

One of these tests is mandatory for all tourists (including children over the age of 12), regardless of the epidemiological situation in the country of departure.

 

- Proof of a negative test is not required for all travelers that have completed their vaccination (i.e., 14 days have elapsed since the last vaccination, depending on the doses required) and hold a vaccination certificate.

 

Acceptable vaccines are: Pfizer BioNtech, Moderna, Astra Zeneca/Oxford, Novavax, Johnson + Johnson/Janssen, Sinovac Biotech, Gamaleya (Sputnik), Cansino Biologics, Sinopharm among others.

 

- Proof of a negative PCR test is not required if the traveler was tested positive with COVID-19 in the past 2 to 9 months. This can be proved either by presenting a positive PCR molecular or an antigen test result performed by an authorized laboratory or a medical certificate confirming that the holder was tested positive with SARS-CoV-2 virus infection.

- Every traveler who arrives in Greece, regardless of the certificate in their possession, may undergo a random health screening. If you are selected, please keep in mind that the screening is mandatory. In case of refusal, authorities reserve the right to refuse entry into the country. The selection is made through a targeted sampling system ”EVA” used also in the summer of 2020.

(Organizers comment: last time we did that test at the airport at arrival in Greece, it was done with a sample taken from the mouth area only).

- Important clarification: Entry of tourists in Greece is not subject to vaccination. Presenting a vaccination certificate greatly facilitates the procedures upon arrival. However, in no case is a vaccination or antibodies certificate considered a "passport".

All certificates must include the critical information (i.e. number of doses and their respective dates) in English, German French, Italian, Spanish, Russian, and the person’s full name must match the name on the passport or any other recognized travel document.

- The countries from which entry is allowed, under the aforementioned conditions, without the requirement for subsequent self-isolation are: EU & Schengen Area countries, USA, UK, Albania, Australia, Bahrein, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Canada, China, Israel, Japan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Montenergro*, New Zealand, North Macedonia, Qatar, the Russian Federation, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia, Serbia, Singapore, South Korea, Thailand, UAE, Ukraine.

* For Montenegro, passengers must carry both a vaccination certificate and a negative PCR certificate from a testing laboratory, for a COVID-19 test taken no later than 72 hours before arrival.

- Non EU citizens are strongly advised to choose direct flights to Greece. In any other case, travelers should abide by the stop-over country requirements.
Passengers are allowed to enter the country through all international airports and the ports of Patras, Igoumenitsa and Corfu.

Cruising and yachting is allowed. Maritime connections with Turkey are temporarily restricted.

 

Upon arrival:

Travelers arriving in Greece are subject to:

- Sampling RAPID antigen tests at the entrance gates for selected individuals drawn from a targeted sampling system, based on the ”EVA” system.

- Mandatory isolation if they test positive for SARS-Cov-2, following a sampling test. In this case, the travelers and their travel companions are accommodated in quarantine hotels, where they will undergo further PCR testing to confirm the initial diagnosis. Guests will stay in seclusion hotels for a maximum of 10 days. The expenses of the accommodation in quarantine hotels are covered by the Greek state.

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If you arrive in Athens we suggest you to take either the boat from Pireus to Souda (in Chania) or the flight from Athens to Chania.

 

 

Current restrictions in Chania:

 

The current restrictions for people in Chania are

- You no longer need to wear a mask in uncrowded open spaces, but you are obliged to wear one in congested open places, shops and public services, on all forms of transport, and when waiting to be seated in restaurants and bars. Non-compliance carries a fine. 

- All hotels, restaurants, cafes and bars are operating, with strict safety protocols in place. For instance, there is a restriction on numbers in shops (according to their size) and you are allowed up to 10 people per table in restaurants.

 

The above restrictions will be also applied in OAC taverna and OAC space. Masques do not apply to the beach and when sitting in restaurants or cafes.

 

The next restriction apply only to places outside OAC and is important for participants that may go for a walk around:

- cannot gather together more than 9 people in any place (out of OAC).

Conferences are exempt of that rule provided they keep the restrictions of distances as required.

 

Travel:

A part of people are tested for COVID-19 at arrival in the airport. If you are found positive you will need to undergo self quarantine. OAC has foreseen special rooms for self quarantine. 

 

Measures during conference

1. Wearing masques inside the conference center halls, and when many people gather together outside
2. There must be 1 empty seat between conference participants in the meeting rooms
3. Only people with name badges/people with permission are allowed to enter the meeting room. The venue responsible will control this from time to time
4. The antiseptic lotion will be provided at the entrance and is to be used by every person before entering the meeting room and also before using the conference site laptop. You are invited to use your own laptop with preference.
5. The conference room is to be entered according to the safety measures (distance between people, no handshakes etc.)
6. The speaker microphones, the remote control as well as aisle microphones must be cleaned after each speaker. Table microphones of the panel must be cleaned after every session
7. Seats of the panel must be in distance from each other
8. The doors (conference rooms as well as building) must remain open for fresh air. Use of A/C only with special measures.
9. It is recommended to send talks electronically the day before and not bring USB sticks
10. For the speakers and panel, bottled water will be provided
11. In the foyer, the antiseptic lotion will be provided
12. NO papers/flyers/printed program is to be used; everything has to be sent electronically to the participants, also the name badges and certificates of attendance
13. Whoever has symptoms of COVID-19 must stay away from the meeting and refer to the reception for further steps 
14. The same measures apply to all conference rooms used

Measures for OAC hotel and other hotels

1. Every person is asked to bring and use their own pen to fill in forms handed out at the reception
2. Name, address, telephone number, email address etc. is to be given by every guest to the hotel/venue
3. All information given to the hotel/venue is to be kept at the reception
4. A “book of incidents” is to be kept at the reception. All movements of guests/participants (shopping, excursion, walk, etc.) are to be noted in this book
5. Only single rooms or rooms used by family are allowed. NO shared rooms.
6. Cleaning will not be done every day, but upon request and/or at the end of the stay
7. Rooms that have been used by a healthy person must be cleaned and can be used again only after 24 hours at least
8. Rooms that have been used by an infected person must be kept closed for 72 hours and then cleaned and disinfected
9. People must keep a distance of at least 1,5 meters when standing in a line. There will be indicators on the floor in front of the reception desk

Measures for restaurants

1. No masque needed when sited
2. No more than 10 people are allowed to sit at one table
3. There must be a distance of 1,5 meters between the different tables
4. Only staff is allowed to hand out food. No self-service. Plates that have been used must not be used again. There must be a distance of 1,5m between people waiting at the buffet. Participants are asked to have their meal and then leave the dining area to make space for others

Travel Information

 

Travel information can be found on official web-pages:
https://travel.gov.gr
https://greecehealthfirst.gr/
https://ec.europa.eu/info/live-work-travel-eu/health/coronavirus-response-covid/travel-and-transportation-during-coronavirus-pandemic/travel-and-eu-during-pandemic_en