Status: 23.12.2021 5:54 p.m.
With Portugal and Spain, Germany classifies two popular holiday destinations as high-risk areas. The USA and Cyprus will also be on the list from Saturday. A ski holiday in Austria, however, should be possible again.
The federal government has classified the popular holiday countries Spain including the Balearic Islands and Portugal including Madeira and the Azores as high-risk areas due to the high number of corona infections from Saturday. This was announced by the Robert Koch Institute. The USA, Cyprus, Finland and Monaco will also be on the list from then on.
On the other hand, in addition to Austria, Bosnia-Herzegovina and Serbia, Belize and Malaysia are removed from the corresponding risk list, as the RKI also announced.
At least ten days of quarantine
Anyone who enters from a high-risk area and is not fully vaccinated or recovered has to be in quarantine for ten days and can only get rid of it with a negative test five days after arrival at the earliest.
The classification makes it easier for tourists to cancel trips that have already been booked free of charge, but does not mean a travel ban. Countries and regions with a particularly high risk of infection are classified as high-risk areas. But it is not just the infection numbers that are decisive. Other criteria are the speed at which the virus is spreading, the burden on the health system or a lack of data on the corona situation.
Spain: high numbers despite high vaccination rate
In Spain, the number of new infections had recently skyrocketed again. The seven-day incidence was last at 486 and thus much higher than in Germany. However, because of the high vaccination rate of 80 percent, many sick people have no or only mild symptoms.
Catalonia with Barcelona has ordered a night-time exit restriction, the closure of nightlife and the limitation of participants in private meetings, but still needs the approval of the judiciary.
Similar picture in Portugal
The government in Portugal had brought forward planned restrictions on public life for New Year’s Eve in view of the sharp rise in corona numbers. From December 25th, working from home will be a must wherever possible. Discos and bars have to close.
After the New Year, school lessons will start again later than usual – on January 10th. Despite a high vaccination rate of around 90 percent, the seven-day incidence in the popular holiday destination has risen to 327.
A total of more than 50 countries on risk list
In total, more than 50 countries are wholly or partially listed as high-risk areas by the RKI. In addition, there are nine virus variant areas, which, in addition to African countries, have also included Great Britain since Monday due to the massive spread of the Omikron virus variant.
The federal government had tightened the rules for entry from virus variant areas due to the spread of the Omikron variant only on Wednesday. Anyone entering Germany from such an area will also need a negative PCR test in the future.