Hello, it's Wednesday the 25th of August and thanks for joining me for the latest on travel and destinations from the Greenlist and the travel desk of the Independent.

By the way, those pings aren't mine, they're from fellow passengers aboard this excellent German intercity train speeding, well kind of, from Dresden to Berlin. Today, well, I'm going to be

talking about how the unanticipated COVID travel trap could possibly mean your vaccination

record loses its sheen as early as the end of the year. Gatwick plans a second runway,

saying, here's one we prepared earlier. And German trains, fine. Once you've got a ticket,

trying to buy one can make you lose the will to live. Of course, this podcast is completely free,

and if you want to, you can sign up for my weekly travel email at independent.co.uk forward slash newsletters.

Austria is a delight to be in, summer or winter, But if you are planning a skiing trip early next year,

and like me, you maybe got your second jab in spring or early summer, then beware. Let me tell you

what the Austrians are saying. They believe that if you have had your second jab more than

two, nine months ago, then you are not going to be welcome in their country. It will not count as

an alternative to testing. This, I think, is a one-off. I've not seen any other country who has

come up with such an interesting and really quite onerous rule, but it does exist. And just to let you

know what it could mean for people, of course,

well, you've got the interesting situation where the rules are specifically about the second jab.

They say nothing about booster jabs. And so therefore, if you are in the position of having a booster jab

this year well that that simply won't count from the Austrian point of view it would be very

worrying if other countries decided no your vaccination is going to lose its efficiency by nine months or maybe a year after you got the second one,

and therefore we are limiting your travel opportunities.

And a number of people have been in touch with me about Austria's position,

particularly skiers who are very, very keen to return, of course, to the wonderful mountains of Austria next winter.

And I am saying to them, look, everybody, don't panic.

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