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A Country-by-country Guide to COVID-19 Entry Requirements in Europe

Everything you need to know for a safe and healthy trip to Europe.

When the COVID-19 pandemic first spread around the world, many countries shut their borders. In the years since, countries have opened, welcoming tourists with different vaccination or testing rules in place. 

But many countries in Europe have since dropped travel-related restrictions, reverting back to pre-pandemic times and making it easier than ever to plan a trip. 

Here, we've outlined every country in Europe and its current reopening status, including entry any requirements foreign travelers need to know.

Albania does not require U.S. travelers to show any COVID-19-related documents or tests, according to the U.S. Embassy in Albania .

To get to Andorra, visitors need to go through France or Spain, and therefore abide by the rules and regulations for those individual countries. Beyond that, there are no further entry requirements for coming to Andorra, according to the Andorra tourism site .

Austria is open to travel and there are no vaccination or testing requirements in place, according to the country’s official tourism site . In Vienna, masks must be worn on public transportation. 

Belgium welcomes travelers from the U.S. and does not require them to show proof of vaccination, recovery, or a negative test, according to the U.S. Embassy in Belgium . 

Bosnia and Herzegovina

Bosnia and Herzegovina welcomes U.S. travelers without any COVID-19-related travel restrictions, according to the U.S. Embassy in Bosnia and Herzegovina .

Bulgaria welcomes U.S. travelers without any COVID-19-related travel restrictions, according to the U.S. Embassy in Bulgaria . 

Croatia welcomes U.S. travelers without any COVID-19-related travel restrictions, according to the Croatian National Tourist Board .

Cyprus has eliminated all COVID-19-related entry restrictions, according to the Deputy Ministry of Tourism . Masks remain mandatory on public transportation. 

Czech Republic

The Czech Republic has eliminated all COVID-19-related entry restrictions, according to the Ministry of the Interior of the Czech Republic .

Denmark eliminated all of its COVID-19 entry and internal restrictions, according to the government’s COVID-19 website .

Estonia has eliminated all COVID-19-related rules, according to the government .

Finland has lifted all COVID-19-related entry rules, according to the Finnish government .

France has lifted all pandemic-related entry rules, according to the French government .

There are no longer any COVID-19-related entry rules for travel to Germany, according to the German Missions in the United States .

Greece has lifted all pandemic-era travel rules, according to the government . Greece has an optional Passenger Locator Form travelers can choose to fill out.

Hungary has lifted all COVID-19-related entry rules, according to the Hungarian Police .

Iceland welcomes travelers without any pandemic-era entry rules in place, according to Iceland’s COVID-19 website .

Ireland has removed all COVID-19-related entry rules for travel, according to the government .

Italy has lifted all COVID-19-related travel rules, according to the country's National Tourist Board .

Travelers entering Kosovo are not required to show proof of vaccination, according to the U.S. Embassy in Kosovo , but the embassy recommends travelers bring such proof. The country also doesn’t require pre-arrival testing, but the embassy said some airlines may.

Access to public institutions, malls, and indoor dining inside does require proof of vaccination or proof of a negative COVID-19 test for customers over 16.

Latvia has lifted all COVID-19-related travel rules, according to the Latvian tourism board .

Liechtenstein

Liechtenstein, a landlocked country, is accessible through Switzerland or Austria. Switzerland handles all immigration for Liechtenstein. COVID-19-related travel restrictions have been lifted in Liechtenstein, according to the European Union .

Lithuania no longer requires any pre-arrival testing or proof of vaccination to visit, according to the national tourism development agency .

Luxembourg welcomes travelers from all countries, regardless of their vaccination status, according to the U.S. Embassy in Luxembourg . Travelers do not need any pre-arrival COVID-19 tests.

Malta has eliminated all pandemic-related travel restrictions, according to the Malta Tourism Authority .

Moldova does not have any COVID-19-related entry restrictions in place for U.S. travelers, according to the U.S. Embassy in Moldova .

To get to Monaco, most visitors must travel through France. Monaco does not have any pandemic-related travel restrictions in place, according to the government .

Montenegro does not have any COVID-19-related entry rules in place, according to the U.S. Embassy in Montenegro . Face masks are required on public transportation, according to the country’s government .

Netherlands

The Netherlands has lifted COVID-19-related entry rules, according to the government .

North Macedonia

North Macedonia is open to American travelers who are not required to undergo any COVID-related entry requirements, according to the U.S. Embassy in North Macedonia .

Norway has discontinued all COVID-19-related entry restrictions, including pre-arrival testing, according to the government . 

Poland has lifted all pandemic-era entry rules, including for vaccination and testing, according to the government . 

Portugal, including the Azores and Madeira, no longer requires proof of vaccination or a negative test to enter, according to Visit Portugal .

Romania has lifted all pandemic-era entry rules, according to the government . 

San Marino is a landlocked country surrounded by Italy. The country doesn’t have any specific COVID-19-related entry rules, according to the International Air Transport Association .

Serbia has removed all COVID-19-related entry restrictions, according to the U.S. Embassy in Serbia .

Slovakia has lifted all pandemic-related entry rules, according to Slovakia Travel . Travelers no longer have to show any proof of vaccination or tests to enter hotels, restaurants, or other venues.

Slovenia has eliminated pandemic-era travel restrictions, according to the government .

Spain has dropped all COVID-19-related health controls at entry points, according to the government , becoming one of the last European countries to do so. However, the country still asks that travelers from outside the European Union travel with either proof of vaccination administered within 270 days, proof of a negative PCR test taken within 72 hours of departure, proof of a negative rapid antigen test taken within 24 hours of departure, or proof they contracted COVID-19 and recovered within 180 days.

Sweden no longer has any COVID-19-related entry restrictions, according to the Public Health Agency of Sweden .

Switzerland

Switzerland has lifted all COVID-19-related entry rules, according to the Federal Office of Public Health .

Turkey is open to foreign travelers and does not have any COVID-19-related entry rules in place, according to the U.S. Embassy and Consulates in Turkey .

Visitors to Ukraine must show proof of either vaccination or proof of a negative COVID-19 test taken within 72 hours, according to the U.S. Embassy in Ukraine . Travelers must also have a health insurance policy to cover the potential costs of COVID-19 treatment.

The U.S. Department of State has currently issued a Level 4: Do Not Travel warning against visiting Ukraine due to the ongoing war and Russian invasion.

United Kingdom

The United Kingdom has dropped all COVID-19-related entry rules, according to the government .

A common approach to travel measures in the EU

Common approach to travel measures: key areas.

On 25 January 2022 the Council adopted a revised recommendation on facilitating safe and free movement in the EU during the COVID-19 pandemic. This agreement follows the Commission’s proposal of 25 November 2021 .

Under the updated recommendation, COVID-19 measures should be applied based on the individual situation of persons and no longer on the region of origin, with the exception of areas where the virus is circulating at very high levels. This means that a traveller’s COVID-19 vaccination, test or recovery status, proved by a valid  EU Digital COVID Certificate , should be the key determinant. This recommendation responds to the significant increase in vaccine uptake and the rapid roll-out of the EU Digital COVID Certificate, and replaces the previously existing recommendation.

In line with the new rules, EU Member States must accept vaccination certificates for a period of 270 days (9 months) since the completion of the primary vaccination series:

• For a two-dose vaccine, this means 270 days from the second shot or, in line with the national vaccination strategy, the first and only shot after having recovered from COVID-19.
• For a single-dose vaccine, this means 270 days from the first and only shot.

EU countries should not provide for a different acceptance period for the purposes of travel within the European Union. The standard acceptance period does not apply to certificates for booster doses.

As of 1 February 2022, new rules have also been implemented regarding the encoding of booster shots in the Certificate. As already clarified in December, boosters will be recorded as:

• 3/3 for a booster dose following a primary 2-dose vaccination series
• 2/1 for a booster dose following a single-dose vaccination or a one dose of a 2-dose vaccine administered to a recovered person.

Certificates that were issued differently before that clarification need to be corrected and issued again, to make sure that boosters can be distinguished from the status of full vaccination.

This recommendation entered into force on 1 February 2022 .

On 3 February 2022, the Commission proposed to extend the EU Digital COVID Certificate system by a year, until 30 June 2023.

Read more in this factsheet

Person-based approach

Travellers in possession of a valid EU digital COVID Certificate should, in most cases, not be subject to additional restrictions to free movement.

A valid EU Digital COVID Certificate includes:

• A  vaccination certificate  for a vaccine approved at European level if at least 14 days and not more than 270 days have passed since the last dose of the primary vaccination series. Vaccination certificates for booster doses are valid immediately and without a maximum validity, at this stage. EU countries could also accept vaccination certificates for vaccines approved by national authorities or the WHO.
• A negative PCR  test result  obtained no more than 72 hours before travel or a negative rapid antigen test obtained no more than 24 hours before travel.
• A  certificate of recovery  indicating that no more than 180 days have passed since the date of the first positive test result.

Persons who are not in possession of an EU Digital COVID Certificate should be required to undergo a test prior to or no later than 24 hours after arrival.

Travellers with an essential function or need, cross-border commuters and children under 12 should not be required to be in the possession of a valid EU Digital COVID Certificate.

Map of EU regions

The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) will continue to publish a map of Member States’ regions according to a traffic light system (green, orange, red, dark red). The map will be based on the 14-day case notification rate, vaccine uptake and testing rate.

The traffic light map serves mainly as an information tool, but also to coordinate measures for areas with particularly high circulation of the virus. Based on this map, EU countries should apply measures regarding  travel to and from dark red areas , where the virus is circulating at very high levels. They should discourage non-essential travel and require persons arriving from those areas who are not in possession of a vaccination or recovery certificate to undergo a test prior to departure and to quarantine after arrival.

Certain exceptions to these measures should apply to travellers with an essential function or need, cross-border commuters and children under the age of 12.

Emergency brake

When a Member State imposes restrictions in response to the emergence of a new variant, the Council, in close cooperation with the Commission and supported by the ECDC, should review the situation. The Commission, based on the regular assessment of new evidence on variants, may also suggest a discussion within the Council. Similar measures are also possible in case the epidemiological situation in a Member State or in an area within a Member State worsens quickly.

During the discussion, the Commission could propose that the Council agree on a coordinated approach regarding travel from the areas concerned. Any situation resulting in the adoption of measures should be reviewed regularly.

Common passenger locator form and data protection

Passenger locator forms play a key role to ensure effective contact tracing of travellers. Data exchanges between Member States' contact tracing authorities can be particularly important when passengers are crossing borders in close proximity to each other, such as in airplanes or in trains. In order for Member States to exchange relevant passenger data across borders, the Commission adopted two implementing acts in May and July 2021, thus providing the necessary legal conditions for processing such personal data and establishing a passenger locator form exchange platform. To support the digitalisation and harmonisation of passenger locator forms, the EU Healthy Gateways Joint Action developed a web application for an  EU Digital Passenger Locator Form . Digital passenger locator forms combined with the passenger locator form exchange platform allow for easier and more rapid data collection and exchange between Member States, making contact tracing more effective and efficient.

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Travel safely with the EU Digital Covid Certificate

Find out how the new EU Digital Covid Certificate allows you to travel safely and easily in Europe during the pandemic.

How does the EU Digital Covid Certificate work?

The certificate makes it easier for you to travel safely through the EU by showing that you have been vaccinated, had a negative test result or recovered from Covid-19 in the last six months.

It is issued by national authorities.

This information takes the form of a QR code, which can be electronic (on your smartphone or tablet, for instance) or printed and scanned when travelling.

The certificate is free.

The system came into effect on 1 July, will be in place for 12 months and covers all 27 EU countries as well as some non-EU countries. Find out the latest information on the countries participating in the EU Digital Covid Certificate initiative

Can I use it to travel?

No, you will still need your passport or another form of identification.

You don’t have to have the certificate to travel - national requirements then remain in place - but having it should make travelling easier. For example, it could mean you don't have to quarantine.

However, if exceptional circumstances arise in an EU country, such as the sudden appearance and spread of a new variant, new restrictions may have to be put in place.

What is included under the EU Digital Covid Certificate?

There are three versions of the certificate:

• Vaccination certificate
• Test certificate: indicates the holder’s result, type and date of a NAAT test or a rapid antigen test
• Recovery certificate: confirms that the holder has recovered from a SARS-CoV-2 infection following a positive NAAT test

Antibody testing is not recognised, though this may change.

Tests recognised under the certificate include Nucleic Acid Amplification Test (NAAT) tests, such as RT-PCR tests and rapid antigen tests.

The European Commission will use at least €100 million under the Emergency Support Instrument to purchase the Covid tests needed for the test certificate.

MEPs approved the EU Digital Covid Certificate during the plenary session that took place in Strasbourg in June 2021.

More on EU measures to address the coronavirus pandemic:

• Coronavirus: a timeline of EU action in 2021
• Coronavirus: practical advice for safe travel
• Covid-19: 10 things the EU is doing for economic recovery

Find out more

• Adopted texts
• Civil liberties committee
• - Press Release: Parliament gives its final green light to the EU Digital Covid Certificate
• Vaccines against Covid-19
• The EU's response to the coronavirus

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Can Americans visit Europe this fall after EU decision? It's complicated. What travelers need to know.

Travel to Europe has been complicated this summer due to a hodgepodge of COVID-19 travel restrictions and entry requirements . Some countries are only allowing vaccinated visitors, others are open to all with a negative COVID-19 test or and/or proof of recovery and still others are throwing quarantines into the mix.

The European Union's decision Monday to remove the United States from its list of safe countries due to a spike in COVID cases, essentially recommending a ban of nonessential travel such as vacations, adds more confusion to the mix for travelers with plane tickets or plans in the works to visit Europe this fall.

The EU's announcement is only a recommendation to the 27 countries in the bloc and Monday's announcement said those countries are free to make exceptions for fully vaccinated people.

►EU takes US off safe country list: Recommends Europe travel restrictions tighten for Americans

Travel experts expect most countries to still welcome vaccinated visitors, perhaps adding another requirement for visitors such as a negative COVID test, but confusion is likely to remain until individual countries announce their plans.

Learn more: Best travel insurance

"The headlines are frightening,'' said Scott Keyes, founder of Scott's Cheap Flights, a subscription service for airfare deals. "You see, 'EU bans tourists.' I've got a trip to the EU next week, what am I supposed to do?''

Similarly, Steve Perillo, CEO of Perillo Tours, a New Jersey-based operator of tours to Italy since 1945, said the widely publicized announcement might prompt some vacationers to put off booking new trips until individual countries reaffirm or adjust their entry requirements in the coming days and weeks.

"(Travelers) might say, alright, let me just wait another six months. It's going to be too complicated,'' he said.

Here's what travelers need to know about the EU's decision on COVID travel:

►Europe residents still banned from US :  US keeps travel restrictions in place

Can US citizens still visit Europe?

Yes, at least until — and if — individual countries change their entry requirements. And then the changes might only be the addition of a COVID-19 test or other additional measures.

Travel would only technically be banned for vacations and other leisure trips if the country changes its policy and doesn't allow any nonessential travel, even with a quarantine. 

The European Union's governing body removed the United States from its list of safe countries based on COVID-19 case rates. The U.S. was added to the list in June, opening Europe travel this summer to vaccinated and unvaccinated travelers. Previously, travel was generally only open to vaccinated travelers under EU recommendations announced a month earlier, in May.

►Europe reopening this summer : What American travelers need to know

Keyes of Scott's Cheap Flights said unvaccinated travelers are likely to face the most changes under any new travel restrictions.

"I would imagine most countries will continue to allow in vaccinated Americans,'' he said, noting that many countries rushed to reopen to vaccinated visitors before the EU gave the green light. "If you're unvaccinated you may not be able to travel to as many places in Europe next work or in two weeks as you are able to today.''

Travelers flocked to popular European destinations this summer including Greece, Italy, and France.

Even before the EU's policy change, some European countries and travel companies had already increased restrictions due to the Delta variant.

Earlier this month, Germany reimposed restrictions on unvaccinated Americans. Those who are unvaccinated or unable to show proof of recovery will need to self-isolate for 10 days upon arrival. The quarantine period can end on the fifth day with proof of a negative coronavirus test. 

Previously, unvaccinated travelers had to show a negative coronavirus test to enter Germany. 

Given ever-shifting travel restrictions, Perillo Tours , which just restarted tours to Italy, changed its policy a few weeks ago to require all passengers to be vaccinated. Most already were, Perillo said, with just 3% of passengers having to cancel.

Can vaccinated Americans travel to Europe?

Travelers will have to keep tabs on the entry requirements in individual countries this week and into September. 

Check the websites of the country's tourism board, U.S. embassies in the country, and airline and travel company websites for the latest restrictions if you don't have a travel agent.

►Want to see the Eiffel Tower and other attractions in France : Bring vaccination proof

Can Americans still visit England, other UK countries?

The United Kingdom left the EU in early 2020 so it has its own policies. In early August , England, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales lifted quarantine restrictions for vaccinated Americans. Testing is still required to bypass a 10-day quarantine.

Will airlines refund my tickets if I don't want to travel to Europe?

Probably not, unless your airline ticket is refundable or the airline cancels your flight. Travelers who voluntarily cancel trips are likely to receive credit for a future flight, depending on the terms of their ticket.

During the height of the pandemic last year, airlines issued a variety of travel waivers so keep an eye out for any that might make travel changes more flexible. The good news: Even without new pandemic waivers, most major airlines have permanently eliminated those pesky change fees on most tickets.

What is essential travel to Europe?

The EU's list of essential travel allowed during the pandemic includes travel by health care professionals, students, certain workers and government officials, and others.

What are the 27 EU countries?

There are 27 countries in the European Union: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyrpus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain and Sweden.

Contributing: Bailey Schulz, USA TODAY

15 Cheapest European Countries to Visit in 2024

This article looks at the 15 cheapest European countries to visit in 2024. If you wish to skip our detailed analysis of Tourism in Europe and ways to budget your vacation, you may skip ahead to 5 Cheapest European Countries to Visit in 2024. Tourism in Europe Europe is by far the most popular tourist […]

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The New Reality of a European Trip: ‘Things Are Going to Change’

Curfews, vaccine requirements, conflicting advice. As variants like Delta spread, rules and restrictions are popping up across the continent and staying informed can feel like a job.

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By Ceylan Yeginsu

When Europe reopened its borders to Americans in mid-June, it seemed to promise a summer of relative normality, with U.S. tourists boarding trans-Atlantic flights and once again freely strolling the plazas of the continent’s cities.

The American visitors are back, but, driven by the highly contagious Delta variant, so are the restrictions.

In Greece and Spain, some regions have brought back nighttime curfews and rules on socializing to contain a sharp rise in coronavirus infections among young people . France, which is battling a fourth wave of the virus, is requiring people to show proof of vaccination or a negative coronavirus test to access restaurants, bars, shopping malls and public transport. Italy will introduce a similar mandate in August, requiring at least one dose of the vaccine or a negative test result for social activities, including visiting museums.

“This is not your usual Europe summer trip where you can just hop between countries carefree without preparation and planning,” said Adrian Kelsey, a market research analyst from New York, who went to Greece last month with a group of friends to celebrate his 40th birthday.

“Chances are things are going to change or something is going to go wrong, and you need to be OK with that reality before you decide to travel internationally,” he added.

For Mr. Kelsey, the issues began before he boarded his flight from New York to Athens. He had been so focused on finalizing details of his itinerary in the Greek islands that he forgot to fill out a passenger locator form that must be submitted before midnight a day before a passenger’s scheduled arrival in Greece.

“They wouldn’t let me on the plane,” he said with an embarrassed laugh. “All my buddies got through and I was left behind and had to pay 600 bucks to change my flight to the next day. It was like a bad joke,” he recalled.

As Mr. Kelsey found, documenting your vaccination or negative test results has become a key part of the experience. Increasingly, countries across Europe, including France and Italy, are extending the use of their digital health passes to allow entry into restaurants, bars and cultural sites.

Getting into the Louvre, for instance, requires not only a reservation, but also proof that you’ve been vaccinated or that you’ve tested negative for the virus within the last 48 hours or that you’ve had the coronavirus and have recovered. Europeans can show their digital health passes, while Americans must bring their vaccination cards or test results.

Making things even more complex is the fact that the rules frequently change. In Spain, nighttime curfews banning people from being outside between 1 a.m. and 6 a.m. were reintroduced in some spots last week, including Barcelona.

“If you’ve come here to party then it could be disappointing, but if you are here for the food, beaches and cultural activities then the restrictions don’t really affect you,” said Mallory Hill, 37, a banker from Seattle, who is traveling around the Catalonian region for the next two weeks with family.

“What’s scary is how quickly the cases are going up here and the trend of vaccinated people getting sick. But there’s also a lot of misinformation and conflicting advice so it’s hard to decide whether we should stay or go all the way back home,” she said. “It looks pretty bad everywhere.”

Even some official advice can be contradictory. On July 26, the U.S. State Department issued a series of “do not travel” advisories for Spain, Portugal, Cyprus and Britain because of a rising number of coronavirus cases in those countries, raising the warning level to a 4, the highest. But just days after that warning, the British government announced that fully vaccinated Americans could visit without having to quarantine.

Visiting Britain can also be challenging, because it uses a complex “traffic light” system that determines restrictions based on which country you are traveling from. The list also changes every three weeks, or earlier, depending on the status of the coronavirus in each destination.

So while Americans coming straight from the United States don’t have to quarantine, if they first visit France, they would be required to quarantine for 10 days and take multiple tests because of concerns over the prevalence of the Beta variant in that country.

Going from Britain to the countries of the European Union isn’t any easier. A growing number of countries in the bloc have imposed additional measures for travelers from Britain, including PCR tests and quarantine, because of the high rate of the Delta variant in Britain. All visitors traveling from Britain to Italy must present a negative Covid-19 test before departure, quarantine for five days upon arrival, and present another negative test at the end of their isolation period.

“Before when I visited Europe, I would visit multiple countries to make the long trip worthwhile,” Ms. Hill said. “But now I think it’s smart to just pick one place and stick to it because restrictions are being reintroduced everywhere, even between European countries.”

Figuring all this out can be head spinning and the American Society of Travel Advisors says it has seen an 81 percent increase in interest from potential travelers seeking advice about the constantly changing rules.

“We are telling our clients to pack their patience because the rules are constantly changing and there is a lot of misinformation, so patience is really key,” said Jennifer Wilson-Buttigieg, a co-president of Valerie Wilson Travel, a New York-based travel consulting company.

“We don’t want people to overreact, we want them to have the facts,” Ms. Wilson-Buttigieg continued. “This is a global health crisis and it’s not just about looking at infection rates in each country, it’s about recognizing that you might get sick and it’s really important to have a conversation with an adviser to determine what your risk tolerance is and the best choices for you.”

Jennifer Collett, 38, a therapist from Boston, dreamed of visiting seven countries in Europe this summer. Then she reached out to a travel adviser for tips.

“It was the best thing I did because she gave me the reality check I needed,” she said. “The pandemic is not over and traveling over a long time is complicated and risky. She told me to pick one place and I chose Paris and went in June.”

At the time Ms. Collett said she did not face any restrictions, but found it useful to be prepped about capacity restrictions at museums and types of insurance that would pay to repatriate her if she got sick.

“Everything is so unpredictable with this pandemic that it really helps to have a guide, even if they aren’t physically with you during your trip,” she said.

Mr. Kelsey, who went to Greece with his friends, feels lucky that he managed to take the trip before cases started going up in Europe and new restrictions were put in place, particularly on the island of Mykonos, known for its party atmosphere, which they visited weeks before music was banned, and a nighttime curfew was reinstated. (The restrictions have since been lifted.)

“We had a great time, and we didn’t get Covid, which is all you can ask for,” he said. “But things are different now and it’s much harder to figure out where to go that isn’t suddenly going to become restricted.”

Follow New York Times Travel on Instagram , Twitter and Facebook . And sign up for our weekly Travel Dispatch newsletter to receive expert tips on traveling smarter and inspiration for your next vacation. Dreaming up a future getaway or just armchair traveling? Check out our 52 Places list for 2021 .

Ceylan Yeginsu is a London-based reporter. She joined The Times in 2013, and was previously a correspondent in Turkey covering politics, the migrant crisis, the Kurdish conflict, and the rise of Islamic State extremism in Syria and the region. More about Ceylan Yeginsu

Ukraine-Russia war latest: Fighting 'intensifies in eastern Ukraine as troops fall back'; UK estimates 450,000 Russian losses since war began

Gen Oleksandr Syrskyi says his troops have taken up new positions west of Berdychi, Semenivka and Novomykhailivka in order to conserve their forces while armed forces minister Leo Docherty tells the UK Defence Journal tens of thousands have deserted Russian's military since February 2022.

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As we've been reporting, Russia has been pushing forward in Ukraine's eastern Donetsk region. 

Ukrainian military officials say their troops are falling back to new positions in at least three places along the frontlines. 

But they are facing public criticism about the transparency of their military updates. 

Ukrainian military blogger Myroshnykov and Ukraine's DeepState monitoring group, which updates daily changes in frontline positions, both say the updates have been unrealistic. 

DeepState shared a video on social media of a Russian soldier being killed in a drone strike in the village of Soloviove, arguing such footage was being used to mask a bigger picture. 

"You can watch with pleasure forever the video of a Russian [soldier] being torn to pieces, but nearby there is another location that requires attention: Muscovites calmly moving around the village, keeping it under control. 

"The [Ukrainian] Defence Forces inflict fire damage on them, and one can repeat at least a billion times that two-thirds of the village is under the control of the Ukrainian military, but the picture of reality is completely different." 

It appeared to be referring to a statement from Nazar Voloshyn, a spokesperson for Ukraine's military in the east, who also said the nearby village of Ocheretyne was still two-thirds controlled by Ukraine. 

However, DeepState says it believes Russian troops have been in control of the centre of Ocheretyne for at least three days. 

The site accused some military spokespersons of incompetence last week. 

Police have arrested a 57-year-old Russian on suspicion of murder following the killings yesterday evening, German news agency dpa reported. 

The two Ukrainians were 23 and 36 years old, and lived in the southern German county of Garmisch-Partenkirchen.

They were killed at a shopping centre in the village of Murnau in Upper Bavaria.

The names of the victims and suspect have not been released due to German privacy rules. 

It is not clear if the men knew each other. 

More than one million Ukrainian refugees fled to Germany following Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022. 

Donald Trump's stance on Ukraine is "not as black and white as some people think", the Polish foreign minister has said. 

The former US president, who is running for election again this year, has said he will not commit to providing Ukraine with defence assistance. 

Republicans aligned with Mr Trump were also the reason behind a six-month delay to aid for Ukraine. 

But foreign minister Radoslaw Sikorski said in an interview with the Axel Springer media company that Mr Trump had sent Ukraine anti-tank missiles before Russia's invasion "when others were not doing it". 

He was referring to Javelin anti-tank missiles supplied by the US in 2018. 

Mr Sikorski also said Mr Trump was "right in urging us all in Europe to spend more on defence".

He said he "did not hear any protests from Trump" once the $61bn aid package for Ukraine was approved. 

"So, I hope that candidate Trump has seen that this opposition to helping Ukraine is not actually popular in the United States, that it is harming his chances [to be re-elected]," he added.

Earlier we reported that a top Ukrainian general said troops had fallen back from three villages in the east of the country. 

We can now bring you more from Oleksandr Syrskyi, the chief of Ukraine's armed forces, about the situation on the ground.

Mr Syrskyi said the Donetsk region (in the east) remains one of the hottest sectors of the frontline as Russia continues its offensive.

He described the situation in the eastern cities of Pokrovsk and Kurakhove as "the most difficult one" now.

Russia is reportedly using up to four brigades (anywhere from an estimated 8,000 to 32,000 personnel) to conduct assault operations in the direction of both the cities, which lie west of Avdiivka, which was captured earlier this year. 

Mr Syrskyi said the situation is changing "dynamically" on the frontline as a result. 

Meanwhile, Mr Syrskyi said the situation in the south also remains "intense" as Russia tries to advance near the village of Krynky in Kherson.

It also wants to advance towards the villages of Robotyne and Verbove villages in Zaporizhzhia.

Since 2023, there's been a record 30% increase in Russian men aged 31-59 with disabilities, the UK's Ministry of Defence says.

In data provided by the MoD, there were 2.17 million Russian men aged 31-59 with disabilities, up from 1.67 million the year before. 

It said the increase may be down to a growth in military casualties.

Two people have been injured after Russian strikes in the cities of Kupiansk and Vovchansk, local authorities have said.

A 52-year-old was taken to hospital for treatment after being injured, the military administration in Kharkiv said. 

Meanwhile, a 36-year-old woman was trapped under rubble and was given medical care after being rescued. 

Both cities are in the region of Kharkiv with Vovchansk close to the Russian border and frontline, while Kupiansk is crucial for logistics. 

Fighting in eastern Ukraine has worsened, with troops falling back to new positions in at least three places along the frontlines, Ukraine's top general has said.

Oleksandr Syrskyi said in a statement on the Telegram messaging app that his troops had taken up new positions west of the villages of Berdychi, Semenivka and Novomykhailivka in order to conserve their forces. 

All three villages are in the Donetsk region of Ukraine. 

Mr Syrskyi said Russian troops "achieved certain tactical successes in these areas, but could not gain operational advantages".

Earlier, we reported that the Russian defence ministry claimed that they had taken the village of Novobakhmutivka which is in the same region.

Ukraine has not commented on the claim.

Led by a 68-year-old commander known as Grandpa, Ukraine's Steppe Wolves unit, is made up of volunteers who are considered too old to fight - but still want to.

Staying behind the frontline, the mobile artillery unit use truck-mounted rocket launchers, take orders from field commanders and work with other troops, contributing to the war effort despite lacking official support from the military.

"We... get by thanks to the pension fund," commander Oleksandr Taran said.

The unit also depends on donations, in order to repair faulty rounds and capture weapons from the enemy. 

Mr Taran said his unit has been attempting to officially join Ukraine's armed forces to directly receive ammunition - and salaries - but has so far been unsuccessful.

Younger men who have been ruled unfit to fight have also joined Mr Taran's unit. 

Estimates by the UK's minister for the armed forces say 450,000 Russian military personnel have been killed or wounded in Ukraine.

Leo Docherty told the UK Defence Journal that in addition to those killed, tens of thousands of people have deserted the Russian military since the start of the war in February 2022.

He said he did not know the number of personnel that were killed serving in Russian private military companies like the Wagner Group.

Turning his attention to estimates on weapons, Mr Docherty said over 10,000 Russian armoured vehicles, including nearly 3,000 main battle tanks, 109 fixed wing aircraft, 136 helicopters, 346 unmanned aerial vehicles, 23 naval vessels of all classes, and over 1,500 artillery systems have been destroyed, abandoned or captured by Ukraine in over two years.

The bodies of two people have been discovered in the Tisa River near Ukraine's border with Romania, Ukraine's state border guard reported. 

"Despite the lowering of the water level in the Tisa, it is extremely dangerous to swim across it, especially at night," a statement by the border guard said.

"Sharp stones, roots, tree debris, and the swift and cold stream can pose danger to life and health."

The identities of the individuals are yet to be released. 

Since the beginning of the war in Ukraine, a total of 24 people have died trying to cross the river, according to the border guard. 

Law enforcement agencies have uncovered nearly 400 criminal networks that help individuals evade military service by helping them flee abroad, according to Andriy Demchenko, a spokesperson for the state border guard service.

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What we know about unauthorized immigrants living in the U.S.

The unauthorized immigrant population in the United States reached 10.5 million in 2021, according to new Pew Research Center estimates. That was a modest increase over 2019 but nearly identical to 2017.

The number of unauthorized immigrants living in the U.S. in 2021 remained below its peak of 12.2 million in 2007. It was about the same size as in 2004 and lower than every year from 2005 to 2015.

The new estimates do not reflect changes that have occurred since apprehensions and expulsions of migrants along the U.S.-Mexico border started increasing in March 2021 . Migrant encounters at the border have since reached historic highs .

Pew Research Center undertook this research to understand ongoing changes in the size and characteristics of the unauthorized immigrant population in the United States. The Center has published estimates of the U.S. unauthorized immigrant population for more than two decades. The estimates presented in this research are the Center’s latest, adding new and updated annual estimates for 2017 through 2021.

Center estimates of the unauthorized immigrant population use a “residual method.” It is similar to methods used by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Office of Immigration Statistics and nongovernmental organizations, including the Center for Migration Studies and the Migration Policy Institute . Those organizations’ estimates are generally consistent with ours. Our estimates also align with official U.S. data sources, including birth records, school enrollment figures and tax data, as well as Mexican censuses and surveys.

Our “residual” method for estimating the nation’s unauthorized immigrant population includes these steps:

• Estimate the total number of immigrants living in the country in a particular year using data from U.S. censuses and government surveys such as the American Community Survey and the Current Population Survey.
• Estimate the number of immigrants living in the U.S. legally using official counts of immigrant and refugee admissions together with other demographic data (for example, death and out-migration rates).
• Subtract our estimate of lawful immigrants from our estimate of the total immigrant population . This provides an initial estimate of the unauthorized immigrant population .

Our final estimate of the U.S. unauthorized immigrant population, as well as estimates for lawful immigrants, includes an upward adjustment. We do this because censuses and surveys tend to miss some people . Undercounts for immigrants, especially unauthorized immigrants, tend to be higher than for other groups. (Our 1990 estimate comes from work by Robert Warren and John Robert Warren; details can be found here .)

The term “unauthorized immigrant” reflects standard and customary usage by many academic researchers and policy analysts. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Office of Immigration Statistics also generally uses it. The term means the same thing as undocumented immigrants, illegal immigrants and illegal aliens.

For more details on how we produced our estimates, read the Methodology section of our November 2018 report on unauthorized immigrants.

The unauthorized immigrant population includes any immigrants not in the following groups:

• Immigrants admitted for lawful residence (i.e., green card admissions)
• People admitted formally as refugees
• People granted asylum
• Former unauthorized immigrants granted legal residence under the 1985 Immigration Reform and Control Act
• Immigrants admitted under any of categories 1-4 who have become naturalized U.S. citizens
• Individuals admitted as lawful temporary residents under specific visa categories

Read the Methodology section of our November 2018 report on unauthorized immigrants for more details.

Pew Research Center’s estimate of unauthorized immigrants includes more than 2 million immigrants who have temporary permission to be in the United States. (Some also have permission to work in the country.) These immigrants account for about 20% of our national estimate of 10.5 million unauthorized immigrants for 2021.

Although these immigrants have permission to be in the country, they could be subject to deportation if government policy changes. Other organizations and the federal government also include these immigrants in their estimates of the U.S. unauthorized immigrant population.

Immigrants can receive temporary permission to be in the U.S. through the following ways:

Temporary Protected Status (TPS)

In 2021, there were about 500,000 unauthorized immigrants with Temporary Protected Status . This status provides protection from removal or deportation to individuals who cannot safely return to their country because of civil unrest, violence or natural disaster.

Deferred Enforced Departure (DED) is a similar program that grants protection from removal. The number of immigrants with DED is much smaller than the number with TPS.

Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA)

Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals is a program that offers protection from deportation to individuals who were brought to the U.S. as children before June 15, 2007. As of the end of 2021, there were slightly more than 600,000 DACA beneficiaries , largely immigrants from Mexico.

Asylum applicants

Individuals who have applied for asylum but are awaiting a ruling are not legal residents yet but cannot be deported. There are two types of asylum claims, defensive and affirmative .

Defensive asylum applications are generally filed by individuals facing deportation or removal from the U.S. These are processed by the Department of Justice’s Executive Office for Immigration Review. At the end of 2021, there were almost 600,000 applications pending.

Affirmative asylum claims are made by individuals already in the U.S. who are not in the process of being deported or removed. These claims are handled by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). At the end of 2021, more than 400,000 applications for affirmative asylum were pending, some covering more than one applicant.

Here are key findings about how the U.S. unauthorized immigrant population changed from 2017 to 2021:

• The most common country of birth for unauthorized immigrants is Mexico. However, the population of unauthorized immigrants from Mexico dropped by 900,000 from 2017 to 2021 , to 4.1 million.
• There were increases in unauthorized immigrants from nearly every other region of the world – Central America, the Caribbean, South America, Asia, Europe and sub-Saharan Africa.
• Among U.S. states, only Florida and Washington saw increases to their unauthorized immigrant populations , while California and Nevada saw decreases. In all other states, unauthorized immigrant populations were unchanged.
• 4.6% of U.S. workers in 2021 were unauthorized immigrants , virtually identical to the share in 2017.

Trends in the U.S. immigrant population

The U.S. foreign-born population was 14.1% of the nation’s population in 2021. That was very slightly higher than in the last five years but below the record high of 14.8% in 1890.

As of 2021, the nation’s 10.5 million unauthorized immigrants represented about 3% of the total U.S. population and 22% of the foreign-born population. These shares were among the lowest since the 1990s.

Between 2007 and 2021, the unauthorized immigrant population decreased by 1.75 million, or 14%.

Meanwhile, the lawful immigrant population grew by more than 8 million, a 29% increase, and the number of naturalized U.S. citizens grew by 49%. In 2021, naturalized citizens accounted for about half (49%) of all immigrants in the country.

Where unauthorized immigrants come from

Unauthorized immigrants living in the U.S. come from many parts of the world, with Mexico being the most common origin country.

The origin countries for unauthorized immigrants have changed since the population peaked in 2007, before the Great Recession slowed immigration. Here are some highlights of those changes:

The number of unauthorized immigrants from Mexico living in the U.S. (4.1 million in 2021) was the lowest since the 1990s. Mexico accounted for 39% of the nation’s unauthorized immigrants in 2021, by far the smallest share on record .

The decrease in unauthorized immigrants from Mexico reflects several factors:

• A broader decline in migration from Mexico to the U.S.
• Mexican immigrants to the U.S. continuing to return to Mexico
• Expanded opportunities for lawful immigration from Mexico and other countries, especially for temporary agricultural workers.

The rest of the world

The total number of unauthorized immigrants in the U.S. from countries other than Mexico has grown rapidly. In 2021, this population was 6.4 million, up by 900,000 from 2017.

Almost every region in the world had a notable increase in the number of unauthorized immigrants in the U.S. from 2007 to 2021. The largest increases were from Central America (240,000) and South and East Asia (180,000).

After Mexico, the countries of origin with the largest unauthorized immigrant populations in the U.S. in 2021 were:

• El Salvador (800,000)
• India (725,000)
• Guatemala (700,000)
• Honduras (525,000)

India, Guatemala and Honduras all saw increases from 2017.

The Northern Triangle

Three Central American countries – El Salvador, Honduras and Guatemala – together represented 2.0 million unauthorized immigrants in the U.S. in 2021, or almost 20% of the total. The unauthorized immigrant population from the Northern Triangle grew by about 250,000 from 2017 and about 700,000 from 2007.

Other origin countries

Venezuela was the country of birth for 190,000 U.S. unauthorized immigrants in 2021. This population saw particularly fast growth, from 130,000 in 2017 and 55,000 in 2007.

Among countries with the largest numbers of U.S. unauthorized immigrants, India, Brazil, Canada and former Soviet Union countries all experienced growth from 2017 to 2021.

Some origin countries with significant unauthorized immigrant populations showed no change, notably China (375,000) and the Dominican Republic (230,000).

Detailed table: Unauthorized immigrant population by region and selected country of birth (and margins of error), 1990-2021 (Excel)

U.S. states of residence of unauthorized immigrants

The unauthorized immigrant population in most U.S. states stayed steady from 2017 to 2021. However, four states saw significant changes:

• Florida (+80,000)
• Washington (+60,000)
• California (-150,000)
• Nevada (-25,000)

States with the most unauthorized immigrants

The six states with the largest unauthorized immigrant populations in 2021 were:

• California (1.9 million)
• Texas (1.6 million)
• Florida (900,000)
• New York (600,000)
• New Jersey (450,000)
• Illinois (400,000)

These states have consistently had the most unauthorized immigrants since 1990 and earlier .

At the same time, the unauthorized immigrant population has become less geographically concentrated. In 2021, these six states were home to 56% of the nation’s unauthorized immigrants, down from 80% in 1990.

Detailed table: Unauthorized immigrant population for states (and margins of error), 1990-2021 (Excel)

Detailed table: Unauthorized immigrants and characteristics for states, 2021 (Excel)

Unauthorized immigrants in the labor force

The share of unauthorized immigrants in the U.S. workforce was slightly less than 5% in 2021, compared with 3% of the total U.S. population.

Demographics help explain the difference: The unauthorized immigrant population includes relatively few children or elderly adults, groups that tend not to be in the labor force.

Overall, about 7.8 million unauthorized immigrants were in the U.S. labor force in 2021. That was up slightly from 2019 but smaller than every year from 2007 through 2015.

Detailed table: Unauthorized immigrants in the labor force for states, 2021 (Excel)

Here are some additional findings about unauthorized immigrants as a share of the workforce nationwide and in certain states:

• Since 2003, unauthorized immigrants have made up 4.4% to 5.4% of all U.S. workers, a relatively narrow range.
• Fewer than 1% of workers in Maine, Montana, Vermont and West Virginia in 2021 were unauthorized immigrants.
• Nevada (9%) and Texas (8%) had the highest shares of unauthorized immigrants in the workforce.
• Immigrant Populations
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• Unauthorized Immigration

Jeffrey S. Passel is a senior demographer at Pew Research Center

Jens Manuel Krogstad is a senior writer and editor at Pew Research Center

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Reflections on Travel to Europe – Part Three

By: Robert M. Califf, M.D., Commissioner of Food and Drugs

This trip finally gave me a chance to take my first train ride through the Chunnel—frankly, it was disappointing as it was already dark so there was no view going into the tunnel and there is no view at any time of the day under the ocean! The good news is that we were traveling with FDA colleagues—a real treat.

After a good night’s sleep, we visited the U.S. Mission to the European Union (EU) in Brussels, an important historic focus for the U.S.-Europe relationship. Brussels has always had a particular significance to me because my dad was in the Battle of the Bulge, centered not far from Brussels, and he was saved from capture by Belgian people in the countryside.

We visited Ambassador Gitenstein, the U.S. Ambassador to the EU, and got a useful briefing from the mission staff representing the variety of U.S. Government agencies with posts in Brussels. The stress levels are high with the war continuing in the Ukraine coupled with issues in the Middle East. The intertwining of public health and the business of food, medical products and healthcare delivery gave us plenty to talk about concerning the synergies and tension between protecting health and international trade as a key element of the economy. I was honored to spend time with our staff in Brussels—what a complex and interesting job representing the many aspects of the FDA in a complex multinational environment.

Carlos Goncalo das Neves, Chief Scientist of the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) came to visit us and we had a virtual session with EFSA’s leadership, including Executive Director Bernhard Url. It was not surprising to learn that they are watching our proposed foods program reorganization closely and share aspirations to use better data, genomics and risk-based analytics to drive a safer food supply. There is also a growing scientific interest in the issue of ultraprocessed food and its impact on health. Jim Jones, the FDA’s Deputy Commissioner for Human Foods, Don Prater, D.V.M., the FDA’s Acting Director, Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition and our FDA team joined the EFSA call, giving me a chance to call out Don for his previous service in the Brussels post.

Our visit to the European Commission (EC) yielded a rich discussion ranging from food safety and nutrition to the difficulties encountered implementing the new EU medical device regulations, to generic drug shortages. The EC’s Directorate-General SANTE is the Directorate responsible for food safety and health, led by Stella Kyriakides with a competent and focused staff. The complexity of coming up with consensus on regulation in the EU was impressive, but the Commissioner and her staff were focused on many of the same issues that concern us.

We had a nice train ride from Brussels to Amsterdam (the trains in Europe are impressive!) and quickly went to work across the street from the hotel at the beautiful European Medicines Agency (EMA) headquarters.

We connected on a range of common issues with the EMA. As it relates to drugs and biologics, the benefits of broader collaboration were clear in areas like rare disease and cell therapy treatment, combination products, clinical trial methods and real-world evidence. We also shared concern and intent to develop strategy to deal with the pervasive influence of misinformation on the health of our populations and the need to bolster confidence in public institutions. Improving the resiliency of the generic drug supply chain is a major common interest.

Emer Cooke, the Executive Director of the EMA, was a superb host. The connection between EMA experts and complementary experts at the FDA was in full view, and enthusiasm was high for our bilateral meeting that starts tomorrow at the FDA White Oak Campus in Maryland.

My main takeaways from the trip: 1) The tremendous benefits to our well-being if we can collaborate effectively across the world given that we‘re grappling with common problems in a complex global supply chain environment. 2) The magnitude of the complexity is vast, so it’s critical that we spend energy where it will make the most important differences for public health. 3) The high esteem in which the FDA is regarded across the world. As Churchill said: “the price of greatness is responsibility.” 4) Gratitude for our staff, both those who work in foreign posts and in the U.S. for the dedication and hard work for the good of Americans and people around the world.

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Europe's travel strikes: Flight and train disruption you can expect in April and May

Our guide is updated as soon as a new European strike is announced.

Strikes are a regular occurrence in Europe, as employees withhold their labour to fight for better pay and conditions.

Walkouts are sometimes planned months ahead but others are announced last minute, showing that it always pays to check before you travel.

Luckily, we have gathered all of the strike information together below.

Read on to find out where and when are walkouts taking place.

If your flight or train is cancelled or delayed, you will be entitled to a new ticket or compensation. Read our guide for the full details.

• Germany strikes: Cancelled flights and trains cause travel chaos across the country
• Cancelled flight? EU and UK consumer rights and what you’re entitled to

UK: Heathrow Border Force worker strikes in April and May

Border Force workers at London's Heathrow Airport plan to walk out from 29 April to 2 May over plans to lay off staff.

This could cause major disruption for international flights. A smaller scale 'work to rule' strike between 3-18 May could cause further disruption.

Heathrow flights could also be grounded on 4-6 May as 50 refuelling workers stage a 72-hour strike over cuts to their benefits.

Gatwick Airport: Catering workers to strike on easyJet and TUI flights

Passengers on easyJet and TUI flights departing from London's Gatwick Airport will be left hungry as Dnata catering workers go on strike.

Around 100 workers, including HGV drivers and warehouse workers, will strike from 26-29 April , 3-6 May and 10-13 May . Strike action will intensify if the dispute over pay is not resolved, the Unite union has threatened.

Train strikes in April and May

While there is no national train strike planned in the UK, various localised action is planned for April.

London Underground workers will walk out on 26 April with last minute station closures possible, and disruption continuing into Saturday morning. An overtime ban from 29 April to 5 May could cause further station closures.

Members of train drivers' union ASLEF are also set to strike on 8 May , as well as taking part in an overtime ban from 6-11 May, which is likely to mean cancellations on some lines.

Impacted services include Avanti West Coast, Chiltern Railways, CrossCountry, East Midlands Railway, Great Western Railway and West Midlands Trains.

• UK passport holders warned to check expiry date after hundreds stopped from flying
• Refunds and compensation: Everything you are entitled to if your flight is delayed or cancelled

Belgium: Strikes threatened at Charleroi Airport

Brussels' Charleroi Airport has issued a strike warning that lasts until the end of April. 

Catering staff and baggage handlers are expected to walk out at the start of May if their concerns over working conditions are not addressed.

France: Air traffic controllers cancel strike

SNCTA, the largest union representing air traffic controllers in France, has dropped plans for a 24-hour strike on Thursday.

However, the deal came too late to roll back cancellations ordered by France's DGAC civil aviation authority, meaning many flights will still be grounded on 25 April .

It is thought that it could affect up to 75 per cent of flights at Paris Orly and other major airports.

Over 300 Ryanair flights across Europe could also remain cancelled on Thursday due to the strike threat, with members of the smaller UNSA-INCA and Usac-Cgt unions still likely to go ahead with the walkout.

Could strikes hit Paris Olympics?

CGT-RATP union members announced a seven-month strike notice from 5 February to 9 September that could hit the Ile-de-France bus and metro network - including during this summer's Olympic Games.

However, the French Senate adopted a bill on 9 April to allow the state to ban transport strikes for set periods each year to avoid disruption during major events like Paris 2024. It also calls for more advance warning of strikes and increased minimum service obligations.

The bill faces opposition and must be adopted by the French National Assembly before it becomes law.

Workers at the state-owned public transport company say they are walking out over pay.

• ‘The kids now prefer trains to planes’: How I took my family on a 7-day rail adventure around Europe

Germany: Threat of various strikes ends

On 25 March, Deutsche Bahn reached an agreement with Germany’s GDL train drivers' union, bringing an end to five months of negotiations and strikes. 

The deal means that GDL will abstain from strikes until at least February 2026.

German union Verdi has also called off strikes at various German airports after reaching a pay deal.

If you know of a big strike happening in your country that we have missed, we'd love to hear from you via Twitter .

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Amsterdam flight turns back after maggots fall on passengers

When and why are Heathrow Airport staff striking?

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COVID-19 is an illness caused by SARS-CoV-2 that emerged in late 2019 and quickly spread. It was declared a global pandemic on 11 March 2020 by the World Health Organization. In May 2023 it was declared that COVID-19 is no longer a public health emergency of international concern. However, the virus continues to circulate in communities and remains a potentially serious risk to health.  Symptoms of COVID-19 can vary in severity from asymptomatic to:

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The most severe cases can lead to shortness of breath due to pneumonia and acute respiratory distress syndrome, as well as other complications, potentially leading to death. 

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Most people infected with COVID-19 have asymptomatic or mild to moderate respiratory illness and can recover without needing special treatment. 

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SARS-CoV-2 spreads mostly through respiratory droplets that carry the virus, coming straight from someone infected, who sneezes, coughs, talks, sings, or even just breathes near other people. Virus-containing particles can be inhaled or deposited in the nose and mouth or on the eyes.

Although the virus can survive on some surfaces for up to several days, the amount of viable virus declines over time and it is rarely present in sufficient amounts to cause infection after a few days.

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