Since the start of the pandemic, the archipelago of Madeira has been named one of the safest destinations for 2021 by European Best Destinations. Despite currently being on the U.K.’s red list for being part of Portugal, although it is geographically more than 621 miles from the mainland, there is no evidence of the Brazilian strain of COVID-19 in the destination and cases are dropping significantly.

In the last seven days, there has been an average of 54 new cases and 87 recovered per day. So far, 22,641 members of the population have been vaccinated and the target is to immunize 60-70 percent of the population by the end of the year.

Madeira has worked closely with SGS, a certification company, to ensure safe practice across the destination and minimize risk in regard to COVID-19. The certification process is available to all companies in the tourism sector and to date, there are currently 57 certified or audited companies in the process of certification.

Madeira Airport has been open to those travelers who arrive with a negative PCR test administered within 72 hours. No testing is required for those with a vaccination certificate or proof of recovery within 90 days.

To be eligible, tourists who fall under these new conditions must prove their status through one of two documents. The proof of COVID-19 recovery in the last 90 days must be validated by the respective country of origin, stating the name, date of birth, health number, type and date of the test, and explicit mention of the word “recovered.” The official vaccination certificate for each country is accepted if it includes the date of the two doses taken and regards for the immunization period according to instructions for each vaccine. Documentation in English must be submitted to the site “www.Madeirasafe.com” before the trip is taken.

For more information, visit www.madeirasafetodiscover.com/informations and www.madeiraallyear.com/en.

By Alan Fine