Greece and the Netherlands are risk areas from Sunday (July 18). The Danish regions of Hovedstaden and Faroe Islands are also affected.
For those returning from vacation, this means that you need proof of vaccination, proof of recovery or a negative rapid test when you return home. A quarantine is not provided, as this is not provided for “simple risk areas” within the EU.
Because the 7-day incidence is continuously increasing in both countries, there may also be a risk of a travel warning. If the numbers do not decrease, the Netherlands and Greece could be declared high incidence areas. Spain is also on the verge of this. That would be fatal for the Mediterranean countries because tourism is particularly important for the economy.
What does risk area mean?
The Robert Koch Institute has been looking at the infection situation in Greece with concern for weeks. The number of new infections is going through the roof, especially among young people. The situation is similar in the Netherlands.
The “simple risk assessment” is an indirect warning mechanism that now takes effect.
What does that mean for returnees?
Unvaccinated holidaymakers must present a negative antigen rapid test or PCR test (72 hours) from all departure airports in the country from Sunday night (midnight on the dot) when they enter Germany.
Vaccinated persons, in turn, have to present their digital or written evidence. The same applies to those who have recovered. Here the PCR test is sufficient, from which a positive result is obtained. The document must not be older than six months.
What is new, however, is that spontaneous rapid tests can also take place upon landing in Germany.
The regulation applies to all holidaymakers coming from Greece and the Netherlands. Children up to 6 years of age are exempt from the obligation to test on their return journey.
How bad is the situation in Greece?
As the Greek authorities announced on Thursday evening, the situation is very serious. The number of new infections increases every three days by up to 200 percent, especially on the islands. The current 7-day incidence in Greece is currently 167.8 infected per 100,000 population.
The values are particularly high in:
- Athens
- Chalkidiki
- Heraklion (Crete)
- Ios
- Mykonos
- Paros
- Rethymnon (Crete)
- Rhodes
- Santorini and
- Thessaloniki
For a few days there have been massive restrictions for unvaccinated tourists. You need a negative PCR or rapid test in the tavern, restaurant or bar. Unvaccinated and vaccinated people (recovered) are separated from each other in the catering trade.
The first hotels on Crete, Rhodes and Kos told FOCUS Online that they provide information material at the reception and that tourist regions preferably serve all holidaymakers (unvaccinated, recovered and vaccinated).
FOCUS Online advises: Unvaccinated people should keep their negative PCR or rapid test on arrival in Greece. It could be requested again at the hotel when checking in. It is also advisable to reserve a table for breakfast, lunch or dinner in advance. Due to the limited number of tables, companies can quickly be booked out.
How serious is the situation in the Netherlands?
The current 7-day incidence in the Netherlands is again 376.2 infected people per 100,000 inhabitants.
The situation is particularly critical in:
- Friesland (225.1)
- Gelderland (275.5)
- Groningen (657.3)
- North Brabant (301)
- North Holland (557.8)
- Overijssel (313)
- South Holland (376.2)
- Utrecht (512.8)
Clubs and discos are closed again in the Netherlands, the catering industry closes at midnight. Festivals and other major events where no safe distance can be guaranteed are prohibited.
What does this mean for travelers who are now flying to Greece or traveling to the Netherlands?
A negative rapid test for unvaccinated persons (or PCR) is sufficient. Vaccination and recovery certificates are also valid. Otherwise, travelers must also adhere to the guidelines on site.
Anyone who is not vaccinated should consider: If the numbers continue to rise, quarantine is mandatory on return.
Does that also apply to children?
Children from 6 years of age who have not been shown to have had Corona (recovery) or who have not been vaccinated must have a PCR test when they return to Germany.
Is cross vaccination accepted?
Cross vaccinations are carried out by the Greek and Dutch health authorities, so these are also accepted in both countries. Travelers are therefore considered “fully vaccinated” 14 days after the second vaccination.
Cross-vaccination, or mix-and-match vaccines, consist of a vector and an mRNA vaccine. As a rule, those entitled to vaccination receive Astrazeneca at the beginning and later either vaccine preparations from Biontech or Moderna.
What is changing now – what happens afterwards?
Travelers who are going to Greece or the Netherlands in the next few weeks should definitely pay attention now.
If the incidence continues to rise, both countries could be recognized as “high risk areas”. That would mean that unvaccinated people would have to go back to a ten-day quarantine. At least the European Union has agreed on this regulation. The mandatory isolation can be reduced to five days with a negative rapid test.
The Foreign Office would then issue a travel warning.
Should I cancel my planned trip?
There is no reason to cancel the planned trip. In addition, there is no explicit right to cancel for risk areas. Reason? Tourist trips to these areas are not warned, only “discouraged”.
FOCUS Online says: Keep calm, don’t let this drive you crazy. At the airport, however, there can now be longer waiting times because individual documents have to be checked.
Should I take out insurance when booking?
Due to the dynamic location, it is advisable to take out travel insurance. We generally advise against making bookings in high-risk areas, as the free cancellation right also expires here. Lawyer and consumer expert Roosbeh Karimi from GetRight advises in an interview with FOCUS Online to conclude a Travel cancellation insurance.
Karimi explains that providers differentiate between an annual policy that covers a certain amount per year and individual policies that are booked for a specific trip. Ideally, travelers should check whether the insurance is “suitable for pandemics” when booking and before taking out the policy. Anyone who has taken out outdated travel cancellation insurance should “update” the annual tariffs accordingly in order to also be able to make use of pandemic protection.
The Covid travel protection is particularly helpful when, for example, an airline refuses to board a passenger who has a fever and a hotelier or vacation rental owner denies entry to a guest with symptoms. Incidentally, this can also affect fully vaccinated and recovered people, not just corona infected people.
Also one private foreign health insurance is worth it on vacation, recommends Sandra Klug from the Hamburg consumer center, for example. According to her, such a policy costs around ten euros a year.
The advantage of foreign health insurance: With it, vacationers do not have to pay the treatment costs themselves in the event of an emergency. In addition, the provider usually pays for a medically necessary return transport to Germany – which the statutory health insurances usually do not do.