Anyone who comes to Germany must be in quarantine for two weeks. And that regardless of travel route and nationality. There are exceptions. But a court in Lower Saxony has now fundamentally questioned the order. North Rhine-Westphalia's Prime Minister Armin Laschet (CDU) wants to know how long the regulation will continue to apply.
The most important questions and answers:
When did the regulation apply?
The heads of state had agreed in April that every foreigner who is allowed to enter the country and every German who returns from a trip abroad must be in quarantine for 14 days. The Federal Ministry of the Interior was asked to draft a corresponding model regulation. The individual federal states then took up this proposal of 8 April – each with small deviations – and poured it into their own regulations. The health authorities are responsible for monitoring.
What does it do?
The quarantine obligation is intended to prevent people from bringing the virus with them from abroad and then passing it on in this country. From the federal government's point of view, this worked quite well, even if not all entries could be recorded. Because there are stationary border controls at all airports and the borders with France, Luxembourg, Denmark, Austria and Switzerland. At the borders with other neighboring countries – including Belgium, where the number of infected has recently been relatively high – but not. In addition, despite quarantine, people were sure to leave their homes without the Health Department knowing.
Does the duty apply to everyone?
There are exceptions – for example for commuters, truck drivers, members of the medical profession. On Mother's Day, people who wanted to see their mother were also allowed to enter for one day. Seasonal workers for agriculture were also allowed to come – provided that they isolated themselves where they worked at first. In addition, the obligation no longer applies in Lower Saxony after a court granted an urgent request from a vacation home owner.
Who can remove the quarantine rule?
The responsibility lies with the heads of government of the countries. It is up to you whether you act alone or together as in April. NRW Prime Minister Laschet has now spoken out in the "Rheinische Post" for a relaxation. He agreed with the prime ministers from Rhineland-Palatinate and Saarland, Malu Dreyer (SPD) and Tobias Hans (CDU).
What about border controls?
Federal Minister of the Interior Horst Seehofer (CSU) decides. He believes that the temporary internal border controls introduced in mid-March make sense. He is in discussion with the prime ministers of the border federal states about how long they will continue. The decision whether to extend controls beyond Friday is likely to be expected this Wednesday. The fact that only those who have a valid reason to do so – for example because they want to travel on to their home country as EU citizens – applies only to Germany – regardless of the controls.
Here you can find out which rules apply in your state
What does this have to do with the travel warning?
The German government has also issued a worldwide travel warning, more precisely the Federal Foreign Office. This means that Germans should (but do not have to) do no holiday trips abroad until June 14th inclusive. One of the reasons for this is that travel traffic has been drastically restricted, making it very difficult to return.
What does the quarantine rule mean for summer vacation?
It is not entirely clear. The question of whether the travel warning is extended is also relevant. The Lower Administrative Court of Lower Saxony had also given the owner of a holiday property in Sweden right on Monday. He does not have to be quarantined when returning to Lower Saxony. The judges temporarily suspended the relevant paragraph of the Lower Saxony Corona Ordinance. One of the judges' arguments: Not everyone entering the country can be seen as a suspect of illness or contagion.
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