People who have been vaccinated in the last 12 months or who have recovered from COVID-19 in the last six months and have taken a PCR test with a negative result are not required to self-isolate. All others who wish to shorten the ten-day isolation must, in addition to the test taken immediately upon arriving in Estonia, take an additional test no earlier than on the sixth day. If both tests are negative, the person can return to a normal life.
Until a negative test result is known, both vaccinated and non-vaccinated persons should remain in their place of residence or permanent place of stay.
Estonia has included ten countries in the list of risk countries
European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control has identified eight South African countries as Omicron risk countries: South Africa, Botswana, Malawi, Lesotho, Eswatini, Namibia, Mozambique, and Zimbabwe. For epidemiological reasons, the Health Board has added Egypt and Turkey to the list of risk countries from Estonia’s point of view.
The confirmed cases of the Omicron variant of COVID-19 in Estonia have been associated with travel from the Republic of South Africa.
The testing requirement applies to all travellers and does not depend on the method of arrival in Estonia. The testing and self-isolation requirement does not extend to people passing through Estonia as a transit country. While PCR testing is mandatory to prevent or shorten isolation when arriving from high-risk countries, the government strongly recommends to take a test also when arriving from other countries.
In addition to the airport, tests can also be taken at all other coronavirus testing sites: https://koroonatestimine.ee/en/testing-sites/. Testing is free for Estonian residents.
