Since many European countries have opened their borders to tourists again, there has been great joy about the freedom to travel. But it seems that it only lasts a short time. Because exactly the case that many experts feared is now happening: the number of infections at many popular travel destinations such as Spain, Portugal and Austria is increasing again.
When do travelers need to be in quarantine
For vacationers, this means not only an increased risk of infection, but also possibly a quarantine after the return if the country is classified as a risk area in the short term due to rapidly increasing numbers. The quarantine time is usually 14 days and is subject to the regulations of each individual state. Only those who can submit a negative Sars-CoV-2 test that is no older than 48 hours upon entry are exempt from quarantine.
Test requirement for travelers from high-risk areas
If you are returning from a country that has been declared a risk country at short notice, you can have it voluntarily tested at some airports in Germany to avoid quarantine – for example in Munich and Nuremberg.
In future, these tests will even be mandatory for returnees from high-risk areas. The Federal Minister of Health Jens Spahn announced on Monday at a switching conference with his counterparts from all federal states. It should be free of charge and is expected to come into force next week.
Travelers from non-risk countries can also be tested voluntarily and free of charge within 72 hours – but not then at the airport, but in doctor's offices or health offices.
These countries are risk areas
The Federal Foreign Office's worldwide travel warning, which advises against unnecessary trips to all countries except most of the EU countries as well as the Schengen-associated countries Switzerland, Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein as well as Great Britain, still applies until August 31. It is not illegal to travel to these countries, but in an emergency holidaymakers could find themselves in a difficult situation due to difficult entry and travel conditions and lockdowns.
The Robert Koch Institute also lists a total of 130 countries that are considered a risk area for the corona virus – including some popular holiday countries:
Which criteria apply to the classification as a risk area
The Federal Ministry of Health in cooperation with the Federal Foreign Office and the Federal Ministry of the Interior for Building and Home decides when a country is classified as a risk area. The criteria do not only include increasing numbers of infections of more than 50 newly infected people per 100,000 inhabitants within the past seven days, but also an analysis of the type of outbreak – whether local or nationwide. The test capacities as well as measures such as hygiene and contact restrictions for local containment are also considered for the classification.
According to information from the Federal Foreign Office, the classification is checked every two weeks, but this also happens more frequently if action is required, so that changes can occur at short notice.
Luxembourg's only risk country within the EU
As the only European country that is currently on the list of the Robert Koch Institute as Risk area applies is Luxembourg. Because the infection there has exceeded the value of 50 newly infected people per 100,000 inhabitants in the past seven days, the Federal Foreign Office warns explicitly against entry. However, the borders are open and there are no restrictions on entry.
How quickly a country's rating can change is currently shown in the case of Spain. The Federal Republic does not currently classify the country as a risk country, but for this it put Great Britain on the list of risk countries on July 26 and introduced a quarantine obligation for all returnees to Spain. It also warns of unnecessary trips there.
The result: Many holidaymakers from Great Britain tried to leave Spain quickly after the measure was announced so that they did not have to be quarantined at home.
Rising infection numbers – this is the risk in European holiday countries
Vacationers should therefore inform themselves about the risk status of the respective holiday country before departure. Here is the current overview of some travel countries in Europe that currently not are considered risk countries.
Spain: According to information from the Federal Foreign Office, the number of new infections in Spain is still less than 50 cases per 100,000 inhabitants. The European Center for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), on which the Federal Foreign Office is based, quantifies the Number of new infections within the last 14 days in Spain to 35.1 – So far from the specified limit.
This threshold is currently only significantly exceeded locally in the regions of Aragon, Catalonia with the capital Barcelona and Navarra. Because of the high number of infections and local barriers, the Federal Foreign Office advises against unnecessary tourist trips to these regions. Spain still applies not as a risk country.
Croatia: Although the popular holiday destination on the Adriatic initially got through the crisis well, the number of infections has recently increased sharply. Regional focal points are the capital city of Zagrab and its surroundings as well as Slavonia and Split-Dalmatia. The number of New infections within the last 14 days are 27.8.
Austria: The number of infections has been rising again since the beginning of July. The capital Vienna reports the most acute infections with 484 cases. They are similarly high at 480 in the state of Upper Austria, which also includes St. Wolfgang, which is currently developing into a corona hotspot. In the federal states of Carinthia and Tyrol, on the other hand, the corona situation is much more relaxed: At 14 and 48, they currently report very little. Overall, the number of newly infected people in the country has reached 18.5 within the past 14 days.
Sweden: The Scandinavian country, which became known for its special way in terms of corona and avoided a hard lockdown, points with one 40.1 new infections within the last 14 days, no low numbers, but is still below the limit as a risk area. According to the Federal Foreign Office, the number of newly infected people was consistently high in June, but has been falling steadily since the beginning of July, despite the high level of testing. Regional focal points are currently in Gävleborg and Jönköping.
Portugal: Compared to its neighboring country Spain, Portugal got through the crisis comparatively well. For some weeks now, however, there has been a worrying increase in new infections, especially in the greater Lisbon area. In several suburbs of the capital – less visited by tourists – there was a lockdown since the end of June to Sunday, July 26th. With a 35.5 new infections within the last 14 days Portugal is not considered a risk area.
Bulgaria: The number of newly infected people in Bulgaria has been increasing significantly for some time. The capital Sofia is particularly affected. Regional focus is also on Blagoevgrad, Varna, Dobrich and Kjustendil. The number of New infections within the last 14 days is 45.4 still just below the limit.
Italy: In the former Corona hotspot Italy has improved the situation extremely. Since June, the number of newly infected people has fluctuated between 200 and 300 per day, and there are rarely any outlier days with significantly more new cases. The authorities recently reported minor local outbreaks in Calabria, for example. Overall, however, the situation in Italy has stabilized: the number of New infections within the last 14 days are 5.1.
France: Infections with Sars-CoV-2 have increased again in France. On Thursday and Friday of last week, the authorities reported more than 1000 new infections for the first time since May for two consecutive days.
The departments of Seine-Saint-Denis near Paris and Mayenne in the north-west of the country have a particularly high number of infections, where last week the limit since the lockdown was exceeded with 50.1 corona cases per 100,000 inhabitants. Nationwide, the rate of However, new infections for the past 14 days only at 14.6.
Greece: Hellas lies with 3.6 new cases within the last 14 days far from the limit. Most infections are found in the greater Athens area and in the Xanthi region in the northeast of the country.
Great Britain: The United Kingdom is still badly affected – regional focus is on Wales and the north of the country. A regional lockdown applies to the city of Leicester. According to the ECDC, however, the total number of Newly infected people at 14.7 within the past two weeks and thus far below the border to the risk country.