As of Sunday, airlines, bus and train companies will only be allowed to transport German citizens or people living in Germany to Germany. A two-week quarantine obligation applies to those entering the country, which cannot be shortened by negative tests.
The UK is the first country in Europe to revert to virus variant territory in some time. Only eleven countries in Asia, Africa and Latin America currently fall into this highest risk category.
More than 3400 cases
The Indian virus variant B.1.617.2 is considered to be particularly contagious and has contributed significantly to the fact that the number of infections in India has exploded in recent months. In the UK, as of May 19, more than 3,400 cases of the variant have been confirmed. The main focus is on the cities of Blackburn and Bolton in Central England and a district in West London. However, there are also individual “clusters” in other areas, said the health authority Public Health England.
WHO warns: Indian variant is “worrying”(00:49)
According to the Robert Koch Institute (RKI), there is not yet sufficient data on the Indian variant. RKI President Lothar Wieler said that there is a much higher transferability and probably a slightly reduced level of vaccination protection. Health Minister Jens Spahn (41, CDU) expressed concern about Great Britain. It should be avoided that the variant spreads in Germany, he said even before it was classified as a virus variant area.
Highest risk level
Great Britain has meanwhile been seen as a model of success when it comes to combating the corona pandemic. A hard lockdown and a high rate of vaccination had pushed the infection numbers so far that the federal government temporarily removed the country from the list of corona risk areas. In the past week, however, it was again classified in the lowest risk category because of the Indian virus variant. As of Sunday, the UK will return to the highest risk level.
So far, the UK government has been confident of getting the spread under control. The test capacities were significantly increased in the affected areas. In addition, everyone over the age of 18 can be vaccinated there, and mobile vaccination centers are in use. Nationwide, only people aged 34 and over are actually eligible to receive a dose.
A slight increase in corona patients in clinics was recently reported in Bolton and Blackburn. Health Minister Matt Hancock emphasized, however, that the majority had not yet been vaccinated against Corona, although those affected were entitled. Government officials were convinced that the vaccinations also protected against the variant.
Several direct flights a day
Prime Minister Boris Johnson was criticized by the fact that the government only declared India a risk area after weeks and put it on a “red list” for travel. Those who return from such “red” countries must check into a hotel for quarantine for ten days immediately after arrival at their own expense. Johnson did not want to risk a visit to India that was planned for the end of April, but was ultimately canceled, during which he wanted to talk about a free trade agreement. That is why the South Asian country was only put on the “red list” weeks after its neighboring states Bangladesh and Pakistan.
The media reported that despite the classification, several direct flights from India land in the UK every day. Direct flights from other “red” countries such as Brazil or South Africa are prohibited. The government defended itself that only British and Irish people or people residing in Great Britain were entering the country. In the case of direct entry, the monitoring of the hotel quarantine is safer. However, the media pointed out that travelers from India waited for hours at the airport next to those arriving from other, safer countries at passport control. (SDA / bra)