Last update: May 19th, 2021.
San Marino has opened its borders to tourists wishing to receive a COVID-19 vaccination, giving birth to the phrase “San Marino COVID Tourism” that many thought previously impossible.
However, this is only one of the curious situations that have recently put San Marino in the pandemic spotlight.
Coronavirus containment measures: What is going on in San Marino?
Geography explains quite a lot about San Marino and its way of handling the COVID outbreak: this European microstate is entirely landlocked within Italy and was suffering a similar coronavirus fate as its neighbor until March.
At the beginning of the pandemic, the country was set to receive one vaccination for every 1,700 that Italy received. Given that San Marino’s population is just over 30,000, this trickle would not make a dent in the country’s COVID problem.
However, pleas to Russia were answered and San Marino quickly received doses of the Sputnik V vaccine.
What’s the (diplomatic) catch? The Russian vaccine has not been approved by the European Medicines Agency (EMA), and although San Marino is not part of the EU, it is considered a de facto microstate of the Schengen Area due to its geolocation.
COVID tourism in San Marino: conditions may apply
On May 17th, the country opened its borders for tourists wishing to get their jab in San Marino.
Visitors can book an appointment to receive a dose of the roughly 20,000 surplus vaccines in the country. A full vaccination will cost tourists just €50.
Those willing to make the journey will also have to stay in a hotel in the country for 3 nights to be monitored after getting injected. They will then return 21-28 days later to get their booster shot.
However, several countries have not approved the Sputnik V vaccine including the USA and Member States in the EU.
This means vaccine tourists might need to rethink the validity of their vaccination since it might not be valid to receive a vaccine certificate that is fully recognized. For instance, the EU Digital Green Certificate only considers vaccines that have been authorized by the EMA.
Did San Marino reach herd immunity?
The landlocked state is set to be the first country in western Europe to reach herd immunity.
It is estimated that roughly 70% of the population needs to be inoculated to reach that status. In San Marino, almost 75% of the citizens over 16 have been vaccinated at this time.
There have been no new deaths in the country since April 29th, which brings their total death toll to 90, while the San Marino infection rate stands at zero.
Also, the only hospital in the country has also closed its COVID ward as no new patients have been admitted.
The Russian factor in the Sammarinese COVID action plan
The Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) has been responsible for marketing the vaccine abroad and they have provided enough supply of Sputnik V to San Marino to make this new venture possible.
“Daily statistics on the number of cases demonstrate that the successful vaccination campaign with Sputnik V allowed San Marino to reduce the level of coronavirus infection to zero and become one of the first European states to begin lifting coronavirus restrictions,” explained Kirill Dmitriev, Chief Executive Officer at RDIF.
According to Dmitriev, San Marino is “returning to normal life and restoring economic activity. Based on the successful vaccination campaign, RDIF is ready to provide additional supplies of the vaccine to arrange vaccination tourism.”
Can I travel to San Marino during the COVID pandemic?
San Marino has lifted most of its restrictions but social distancing and sanitizing are still being observed.
Tourists will have to travel through Italy to reach their vaccination destination, which might make it difficult for some to enter.
Bologna Airport in Italy is the largest airport close enough to receive international visitors. Italy has created a COVID pass and reopened its borders, with restrictions, for “COVID-free flights” in hopes to restart their deteriorating tourism industry.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Luigi Di Maio, said: “This is how we open to safe tourism from all G7 states after over a year.”
The Italian authority pointed out that “so far, with the COVID-free corridor flights, you couldn’t come to Italy for tourism from the extra-EU countries. Now let’s reopen to this opportunity, which allows safe travels without quarantine… With hard work, we are bringing Italy out of the crisis and saving the tourist season.”