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Autumn is coming; normally, many Germans would fly back to the sun, on the Greek islands or on the beaches of the Far East. But the crisis in the crown is reaching a critical point again, with the number of infections increasing both domestically and abroad. It is not easy to travel during this time, and not only because of the call of the Minister of Health to stop your vacation abroad.
The global travel advisory that the federal government issued in March and gradually eased over the summer, especially within the European Union, ends on Wednesday. But for tourists that does not mean the end of all travel obstacles, because there are new rules. The summary (as of September 30):
What will change from October?
The Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs (AA) has defined the following basic rules, which will apply as of October 1 with respect to Covid-19:
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A Travel warning For unnecessary tourist travel, it basically applies to all countries that are classified by the federal government as a corona risk area, according to the Federal Foreign Office website. The novelty is that a travel warning is now applied automatically to risk areas, as the cabinet decided three weeks ago. Until now, the procedure was: First, the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) declares a country as a risk area, then the federal government issues a travel warning. This happened, for example, in mid-August, when the peninsula and the Balearic Islands were once again designated as risk zones after the relaxation in June. The travel warning is not a ban, but it should have the greatest possible deterrent effect. In a legal sense, it can have a positive effect on combined tourists: they get their money back if they cancel a trip that has already been booked if the destination is declared a risk zone.
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“For countries for which entry is only possible to a limited extent, for which quarantine is envisaged after entry or which do not allow unrestricted travel in an overview, as a rule We advise against unnecessary tourist trips“writes the AA.” There is no travel warning, but due to the circumstances of the country you are traveling to, you should generally avoid such trips. ”In particular, short or tourist trips made little sense due to local regulations.
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“For countries where the incidence of infection is low and there are unrestricted travel options and no other reason speaks against it, the travel warning is lifted and be particularly careful. “The Ministry of Foreign Affairs warns:” The pandemic is not over yet. “Because the situation can change rapidly, the urgent appeal is: inform yourself well about the events in the place – and be sure to observe the protective measures! ” It may still happen that short-term measures such as curfews or travel restrictions are imposed. “
How do I know what the situation of the crown is like in the holiday country?
The departure from the general travel advisory also means: “As of October 1, 2020, travel and safety information and fully differentiated travel advisories will apply again for individual countries,” the AA reports. Here is an overview of all the countries.
The RKI also regularly updates its list of countries where there is an increased risk of coronavirus infection. On Wednesday morning there were 121 countries that were considered entirely at-risk areas, and another 13 countries with individual regions. Together, that’s about two-thirds of the countries in the world.
Due to the rapid increase in the number of infections, one travel advisory after another has also been reactivated in Europe. 15 out of 27 EU countries are now partially or fully affected. Of the Germans’ favorite European holiday destinations, only Greece and Italy currently lack risk zones. There are also non-European countries that are currently not risk areas according to the RKI: for example, Tunisia, Georgia, Japan, Thailand and China (as of September 30).
What will change for travelers after they return?
The new rules for travelers who have been in a risk zone are still in the drafting stage. But if the federal government plans become law, then it will be since mid october Consider the following:
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The federal government and federal states had already agreed at the end of August that travelers returning from risk areas could spend at least five days in quarantine you have to go, and only then should you have a crown test. In a resolution dated August 27, it says: “The prior possibility in many federal states of being able to end self-isolation early with a test shortly before or after entering Germany includes the problem that end-of-stay infections in the area risk or during the return trip is not recorded. “
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Furthermore, passengers arriving in Germany from a risk zone will have to register via an online portal in the future. “The Digital check-in they should be ready for use before October 15, “a spokesman for the Federal Ministry of the Interior (BMI) told SPIEGEL. According to the information, travelers would have to show their entry in the registry at border control, for example, in print or digitally.
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Also one Reporting requirement in local authorities it should be in October, but this is not new. “Anyone who has been in a risk area in the 14 days prior to entry must report to the responsible health authority and provide the address,” is already the norm. According to the BMI spokesperson, failure to comply with the information requirements can be sanctioned with a fine of up to 25,000 euros.
In the next week, the new model ordinance on entry and quarantine regulations will be adopted in Corona’s cabinet. However, it is initially just a proposal for the federal states, which in turn issue quarantine regulations.
Covid-19 is also so treacherous because you don’t notice a Sars-CoV-2 infection at first, but you quickly become a carrier; this, of course, is also possible at the end of the holidays. The incubation period, that is, the time from infection to possible onset of symptoms, averages five to six days. This time it is considered a highly infectious phase. Anyone who has a negative test at the travel destination shortly before departure can still become infected and infect others on the return trip, without realizing it. It is precisely this risk that you want to avoid with a five-day quarantine. After five days, in most cases, a PCR test can be used to determine whether or not a person has been infected.
How is the travel industry reacting?
The German Travel Association (DRV) describes the federal government’s plan for returnees from risk areas to undergo a corona test after five days of quarantine at the earliest as “forced quarantine.” The industry fears massive economic consequences. “If the quarantine rule goes as currently planned, that means a de facto closure of travel activities,” the DRV writes on its website. Much of the package travel destinations would be blocked by this general quarantine rule. “That is disproportionate.” According to the DRV, “there are other equally adequate and softer means available” with which an adequate risk minimization can be achieved. “It is possible and much more sensible to further develop, differentiate, and expand the testing strategy than to quarantine mostly healthy, uninfected people.”
The Federal Association of the German Aerospace Industry (BDLI) also criticizes the planned travel regulations. “If the federal and state governments replace successful tests with a general quarantine obligation, that amounts to shutting down flight operations,” said BDLI President Dirk Hoke.
Whether it will actually go that far remains to be seen. After all, ongoing plans and persistent travel warnings do not mean that all package tours are canceled: the world’s largest travel operator, TUI, wants to start offering trips to the Canary Islands again from 3 October, of which the Federal Ministry of Foreign Relations warns. For package tours, for example to Gran Canaria, Tenerife and Fuerteventura, vacationers should be able to decide for themselves whether to start their vacation when they return to Germany, despite the risk of infection and possible quarantine, said the head of the tourism group in Germany, Marek Andryszak, earlier this week. “We strongly believe that many customers will weigh this carefully.” He believes the opportunity to get tested will mean that many clients will go on vacation despite the travel warning.
Since the travel warning for all of Spain, TUI has significantly reduced flights to the Canary Islands. Andryszak emphasizes that the travel agency does not oppose the federal government with its announcement of the Canary Islands. Travel warnings are not a travel ban, but a recommendation to be careful. “And that is exactly what we are following,” he said.
With dpa material
Note: In a previous version of this text it was indicated that of the non-European countries, only Tunisia and Georgia are not RKI risk areas. That is not right. We have corrected the position.
