Families unable to get children vaccinated in time forced to drop half-term Spain holidays

ITV News Correspondent Martha Fairlie meets the families and businesses hit by the rules

• Words by ITV News Multimedia Producer Narbeh Minnassian

Families hoping for a half-term holiday in Spain have been forced to scrap their plans, with many children over the age of 12 still unable to get a second vaccine.

Despite proposals by the EU seeking to streamline travel, Spain insists on full vaccination for entry for anyone over 12 - even if travellers have recently recovered from Covid.

Children between 12 and 15 are eligible for vaccines in the UK but must wait 12 weeks for the second jab – which restarts if they become infected in the meantime.

This has left families unable to fully vaccinate their children in time.

Business coach Dina Gindy had planned a trip to Barcelona next week with her son Ziad, who caught Covid last year after his first jab and is still not allowed to go for his second.

She lives in Milton Keynes while Ziad, 13, stays with his dad in Kingston-upon-Thames to be near school – meaning trips abroad are a chance for extended one-on-one time.

“It’s super precious, our travel time has always been my bonding time with him,” Dina told ITV News.

“We were hugely looking forward to it as we haven’t been away properly for two years, we’ve had a few plans fall through.

“Our next trip is booked for April so we have our fingers crossed for that one.”

Dina, who had booked in January, said she cancelled the trip last week when it became clear Spain would require two doses for entry.

Because her booking was cancelled within two weeks of departure, her airline offered a voucher rather than a full refund – adding up to around £7,500 after two years of failed holidays.

“It’s a growing holiday fund,” Dina added. “It will hopefully go towards a bigger trip.”

Travel agents Hays said it hasn’t seen cancellation rates rise as most customers have chosen to amend their holiday instead.

“Some have chosen to amend to a different date in the hope that the restrictions may change,” a spokesperson told ITV News.

“Others have been amending their holidays to different destinations such as Turkey as they do not require children to be vaccinated.”

Depending on the holiday supplier, not all would have been able to amend the holiday for free.

Kirsty Stewart has owned Buddies Bar in Tenerife for ten years, with her customers normally aged 40 or above and coming regularly.

She says her bar should remain largely unaffected by the half-term drop, but that hotels are likely to feel the difference.

“We don’t have a lot of families with children, it’s not our main business,” she told ITV News. “We’ve actually been very busy and have had to turn people away.

“I do think though that the hotels will notice a big difference, especially with the all-inclusive packages.”

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While there have been calls to relax the rules in Spain, Kirsty said her worry would be that people would bring the virus in with them.

With Covid spreading in schools, she said “the pandemic is still here” and that she is strict with customers when it comes to compliance.

“You used to have to wear masks here in the street but I sometimes saw Brits not doing it because they don’t have to at home,” she said.

“That’s not right, you have to adhere to the rules where you go.”

But Anne Kidner, who owns Brown's Bar in Malaga, is worried about another year with few tourists heading to the area.

"We really need help now to make this season - we know it won't be as good as pre-pandemic but it's got to be better than last year".

She called for negotiations between the two governments to make travel easier.

'It's got to be better than last year'

What are the rules for travel to Spain?

Currently the Spanish government do not accept recovery certificates and insist on fully vaccination for all visitors over 12.

Children under-12 are exempt, in line with the EU guidelines.

However, if your child is aged over-12 and has had only one Covid jab, they will be refused entry into Spain even if they've had a recent coronavirus infection.

A spokesperson for the Spanish Tourist Office said: “We do know that Spain is in discussions with the EU and its partners about a possible review of the entry requirements for tourists from third countries with a view to making the current measures more flexible.

“The situation could change in the near future.”

How can children aged 12 get the vaccine?

A jab can be booked online ever since October 22 last year, with the second dose 12 weeks later.

But if a child between 12 and 15 catches Covid after the first dose, they must wait 12 weeks from the date of infection before getting a second jab.

Most children can get the vaccine – which is a Pfizer jab – at school but they can also book an appointment or find a walk-in vaccination site.