BERLIN, June 12 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Germany will lift its pandemic travel warning for most countries from July 1, Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said, bringing back more normalcy as citizens are increasingly vaccinated against Covid-19.
Countries recording infection rates of 50-200 cases per 100,000 people in seven days would no longer be deemed a “risk-zone”. Restrictions however remain in place for countries with higher levels of infections, or where virus variants are circulating, such as Britain or India.
The German government will also no longer generally advise against tourist travel abroad as of July 1st.
“With the summer, hope and confidence are returning to Germany. In many places, the number of infections is falling and more and more citizens are vaccinated,” said Maas.
“After long months of lockdowns, we can look forward to more normalcy, and that also applies to travelling.”
At the same time, the minister stressed that the lifting of the warning should not be seen as an “invitation to carelessness”.
Maas said “travel with reason and a sense of proportion” would be the motto of the summer.
With an eye on variants, he warned that “the danger from the virus and its mutants is far from over”.
He added: “That’s why we will continue to warn against travel where it makes sense: in high-incidence and virus-variant areas.”
It came as several countries – including the US, Canada, Austria, Ukraine, Cyprus, Lebanon and some regions in Portugal, Norway, Croatia, Switzerland and Greece, were removed from the current ‘risk’ list. The changes come into effect from June 13.
Germany began implementing tough travel restrictions at the start of the first Covid wave in March 2020. In summer last year, the ban on travel was lifted but a general tourist travel warning was put in place for most countries around the world.
The travel warnings have generally stayed in place throughout the second and third wave – and the government has also been urging people in Germany not to travel for non-essential purposes.
However, with an incidence rate of just 19 per 100,000 people on Friday, Germany has seen a massive drop in Covid rates. Plus almost one in four people is fully vaccinated. Nearly half of the population has received at least one vaccine dose.
Domestic tourism, as well as restaurants, leisure and cultural facilities have been opening up around the country in the last few weeks as Covid cases have dropped. Overnight accommodation in the capital Berlin opened on Friday June 11th for the first time in around eight months.
Germany is also starting to roll out a digital vaccine and health pass – known as CovPass – as part of the EU’s plan to facilitate smoother travel among bloc countries.
That is due to come into play fully from July 1st. The aim is that people in the EU will be able to scan their digital vaccine certificate or Covid test results/proof of recovery onto an app(s) at borders.
It is hoped the digital pass can be widened out to non-EU countries in future.
Germany has a tiered warning system in place for countries and regions across the world, ranging from a basic ‘risk’ zone, a ‘high incidence’ area or ‘virus variant area of concern’.
Different rules are required for arrivals from countries around the world depending on their risk status, although quarantine restrictions were eased recently – particularly for fully vaccinated people.
The highest risk areas are ‘virus variant of concern’ spots, which currently include India, Brazil, South Africa and the UK.
There is a general ban on arrival into Germany from these countries although there are exceptions for German residents and citizens.
Anyone who does come from these countries, though, has to do a 14-day quarantine even if they are vaccinated, and there is no option to shorten it.
Despite easing Covid curbs in recent weeks, there are still lots of restrictions in place in Germany.
Rules on mask-wearing in shops and public transport, regular tests for schoolchildren and employees working from home remain in place, for example. — NNN-AGENCIES
