¡Atención, zona de alto riesgo! (Spanish: Attention, high-risk area!) From Sunday, in the worst case, all of Spain could be classified as a high-incidence area. The warning signals also seem to have arrived on the popular holiday island of Mallorca. Bookings are falling sharply, the mood is irritable.
What does “high incidence area” mean?
Whether the Robert Koch Institute Spain increases from “simple risk area” to “high incidence area” will not be revealed until Friday afternoon. Such a rating would be bad news for vacationers.
If German citizens are not vaccinated, in the worst case scenario they would have to be quarantined on Sunday night when they return to Germany.
Regions with more than 200 new infections per 100,000 inhabitants are classified as high-incidence areas according to the Robert Koch Institute. From a German point of view, warnings are issued against unnecessary tourist trips to these hotspots.
Travel warning for Spain or Spanish holiday regions? So far, this is only advised against. Industry experts, large hotel chains and the first flight airlines are already preparing for the horror scenario.
FOCUS Online prophesies: The prices for return flight tickets from Spain to Germany could explode at the weekend.
Who would the quarantine apply to?
The quarantine obligation would apply to all unvaccinated persons and travelers who cannot prove a corona recovery with a positive PCR test. Vaccinated and convalescents may have to go for a rapid antigen test on landing. This is to minimize the risk of corona spread in Germany.
Children from 6 years of age would also have to go to the PCR test and quarantine if they have not been vaccinated or have not recovered.
- Case study: Claudia and her husband Bernd arrive from a high incidence area in Munich. They are both vaccinated. Daughter Lena is 16 years old and not vaccinated. The parents do not have to be in quarantine, daughter Lena needs a PCR test and has to be quarantined at home.
How long would unvaccinated people have to be in quarantine?
According to the current status, it is ten days from arrival. A negative antigen rapid test, which is carried out a maximum of five days after landing, can interrupt the isolation in the event of a negative result.
Danger! The health authorities are checking whether they remain in quarantine at home. You must provide your details via the portal before departure Submit “Einreiseanmeldung.de”. The status is also queried there. In extreme cases, there is a risk of a fine of 25,000 euros.
Who do travelers have to notify if they have to be quarantined?
If travelers have to be in quarantine, they should definitely inform their employer. In extreme cases, those affected have to take unpaid leave. If you experience symptoms or if you feel sick, you can call your family doctor in sick.
Should I cancel now?
First of all, keep calm. The Robert Koch Institute has yet to publish its risk assessment. That might happen on Friday. Ideally, everything stays as it is.
However, if a high-risk assessment occurs, the booking period would be decisive.
If travelers have booked last-minute, the airline could stand up. In the worst case scenario, you would only be reimbursed the flight tax. After all, the situation in Spain has been dynamic for a few weeks. If you have taken out travel cancellation insurance, then holidaymakers in Spain should take action now.
If the trip has been planned for a long time, cancellation can be free of charge for reasons of goodwill. The airline may then send a travel voucher that travelers can use to pay for a later flight. So in principle this is a kind of “flight shift”.
It is now helpful if holidaymakers have booked a flex tariff. You can now postpone your journey without any hassle or stress. The money is not lost. Travel experts emphasize: Package tours are easier to cancel in the event of travel warnings than individual holidays.
- A good service for you:
What to do if the provider charges a cancellation fee?
Anyone who books a trip should be aware of the possibility of changing circumstances at the destination during the pandemic, says travel lawyer Paul Degott from Hanover. “Anyone who books a trip in a crisis situation also has to accept crisis-related circumstances,” says the lawyer. He recommends finding out about the possibilities of cancellation in advance.
If there are cancellation fees, travelers should make use of their right to information, advises Degott. Organizers are obliged to state exactly how the cancellation costs were collected. “If the organizer cannot do that, there is no entitlement to cancellation compensation.” You often get your money back via this detour.
Does that also apply to Mallorca and Ibiza?
That will be evident from Friday.
The Balearic Islands have been above the critical level of 350 for the first time in a few days. The Spanish authorities argue: The high incidence in the popular holiday regions is due to the unvaccinated young adults. The situation in the hospitals is stable.
At the Robert Koch Institute and the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control, the proportion of new infections in the total population also plays the most important role in the evaluation. At the same time, a low test rate with a high positivity rate is an important factor, according to the Robert Koch Institute.
Are Greece and the Netherlands also threatened with a travel warning?
The situation is serious not only in Spain. The numbers are also increasing in Greece. Just like in the Netherlands.
It is possible that the Netherlands (along with Spain) will also be declared a high-risk area from Friday. Spain, Greece and the Netherlands are already considered to be “easy risk areas”. Evidence on the return journey is more important than ever.
Greek islands are ideal super-spreader events. Because unvaccinated young people in the country enjoy the carefree party life. In addition, anti-vaccination campaigners are protesting against a planned vaccination requirement in many places. The incidence is increasing continuously. In addition, there is practically no mask requirement.
This is one of the reasons why the government is taking tough action. Unvaccinated people hardly have the opportunity to sit at a table with vaccinated friends in the catering trade. From September employees must present their boss with the vaccination certificate, which means they lose all protection against dismissal. The retail trade will no longer serve the unvaccinated from next autumn.
Greece has an incidence of 210. Spain has 372.3, Malta has an incidence of 325.9. The Netherlands also has high values (408.8 new cases per 100,000 inhabitants). Meanwhile, the corona virus is out of control in Cyprus. The Mediterranean island broke the 929 incidence mark.
According to the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), the values are lowest in Croatia (22) and Poland (2).