It had become apparent because of the rapidly increasing numbers – now it is official: The federal government classifies the popular holiday countries Spain and Portugal as high-risk areas due to the high number of corona infections from Saturday. The USA has also been reassigned to the list of high-risk areas.
Austria, on the other hand, will be removed from the corresponding risk list after six weeks, as the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) announced on Thursday. 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.
Due to the Christmas days, the classifications apply from this Saturday, midnight. Finland, Cyprus and Monaco are also added to the list of high risk areas. In addition to Austria, Belize, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Serbia and Malaysia have also been deleted from the risk list.
The classification as a high-risk area is automatically accompanied by a travel warning from the Federal Foreign Office for unnecessary tourist trips. It 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 not only the infection numbers are decisive for this. 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.
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.
The government and most of the autonomous communities are counting on accelerating third-party vaccinations, making mask compulsory outdoors again and increasing the number of staff in the health facilities. Only Catalonia with Barcelona has ordered a night-time restriction on going out, the closure of nightlife and the limitation of participants in private meetings, but still needs the green light from the judiciary.
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 mandatory wherever possible, and discos and bars will 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.
In the USA, the Omikron variant is now dominant – the number of new infections is increasing. On average over the past few days, the USA recorded a good 149,000 new infections per day, which corresponds to an increase of almost 25 percent compared to the previous week.
Austria recently recorded a further decline in the number of new infections with the corona virus. The seven-day incidence fell below the value for Germany at the beginning of the week. The development is the result of a three-week lockdown. As of Monday, the bars and hotels in Vienna have also been reopened as the last federal state. Also since Monday, as a precaution against the spread of the Omikron variant, however, for the entry 2G plus. Anyone who has been vaccinated twice or has recovered also needs a PCR test. Only those who already have a booster vaccination are allowed to enter the country without further ado.
Neun Virus Variant Area
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 Corona virus variant Omikron. A virus variant area is the highest corona risk category. A two-week quarantine obligation applies to those entering the country – including those who have been vaccinated and those who have recovered. It cannot be shortened by negative tests.
The federal government only tightened the rules for entry from virus variant areas on Wednesday due to the spread of the highly contagious omicron variant of the corona virus. Anyone entering Germany from such an area will also need a negative PCR test in the future. According to the ordinance, the stricter protective measures are intended to help ensure that infections are discovered early before entry.
The PCR test obligation also applies to travelers who only stop in Germany while passing through. With the change in the coronavirus entry regulation, obligations to provide evidence and tests will soon apply to everyone aged six and over.
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