Since the night of Thursday only country-specific warnings and notices have been in effect again. For the EU states and some other European countries, the ministry had already lifted the general travel warning in the summer.
The risk assessments by the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) remain the basis of the new warning system. However, the warnings never meant a travel ban anyway. However, people who travel to the affected countries and regions despite a travel warning act at their own risk – often with a view to insurance coverage.
The Federal Foreign Office published a whole series of new country-specific travel warnings on Wednesday evening and on Thursday night, most of which refer to countries and areas of the EU. These are based on the reclassification of these states and regions as corona risk areas by the RKI.
German travel warning for Belgium and almost all of France
The Federal Foreign Office is now warning against unnecessary tourist trips to all of Belgium and all of Iceland. It also warns against such trips to almost all of France – only the Grand-Est region bordering Germany, to which Alsace and Lorraine belong, remains exempt from the travel warning.
Parts of Great Britain, namely Northern Ireland and Wales, are now also considered risk areas. The RKI has now also classified the border area with Northern Ireland as a risk area in Ireland. Regions in Estonia and Lithuania, Romania, Slovenia and Hungary – including the Hungarian capital Budapest, have also been declared risk areas.
Federal Minister of Health Jens Spahn recently advised against traveling abroad during the autumn and winter holidays due to the rising number of corona infections. "You can also take a vacation in Germany," said the CDU politician in the ZDF "morning magazine".
The government's travel warnings for high-risk areas say that unnecessary trips should be avoided and that these are vacation trips. In the corona pandemic, it has been shown time and time again that return travelers are increasingly bringing in the virus. "I think we should learn from this together for autumn, winter and Christmas holidays," said Spahn. Although that is tough for the tour operator, it cannot be changed in the current situation.
Travel warning is not a travel ban
In Europe, a travel warning from the Federal Foreign Office also applies to all risk areas. Travelers returning from risk areas must be tested for corona 48 hours before or after entry and then remain in quarantine until the result is there. The travel warning is not a ban, but is intended to have a significant deterrent effect. However, it also has a positive side for consumers: it allows travelers to cancel bookings free of charge.
Quarantine and corona test: what return travelers have to consider
The decisive factor for classification as a risk area is that the number of new infections within seven days is more than 50 cases per 100,000 inhabitants. The classification means that returnees have to present a negative corona test when entering Germany or have to go into quarantine at home for two weeks.
From A new quarantine regulation should apply in mid-Octoberthe details of which have yet to be determined. So far it is planned that the quarantine can only be ended by a test from the fifth day after return.
The corona situation in Austria, Switzerland, Italy and Co
So is it now possible to get rid of the autumn holidays on the Mediterranean or the skiing holiday around Christmas time? A look at popular European holiday countries:
Austria: Tyrol, Vorarlberg and Vienna risk areas
The Austrian government held back on Friday with concrete reactions to Spahn's statements for the time being, but the tension was palpable. "Every travel warning is dramatic for tourism," said Tourism Minister Elisabeth Köstinger at a press conference. The state of Vorarlberg, which borders Lake Constance, has been on the government's risk list alongside the capital Vienna since Wednesday, and Tyrol since Friday evening.
On Thursday evening, the Tyrolean districts of Landeck and Schwaz were re-rated as high-risk areas at Austria's official Corona traffic light. Landeck includes the Ischgl ski area, which became famous in March because of the many infections. There, the tourism companies not only want to implement the government's après-ski ban, but also want to entice guests with further measures. Virus tests for employees are also planned. But is that enough to attract tourists from Germany?
Switzerland wants ski tourism
The Swiss ski areas rely on the principle of hope. The Zermatt ski area wants to open all slopes by the end of November, says a spokeswoman for Zermatt Tourism. On the slopes you are in the fresh air and the distance is not an issue. In the Engadin, too, the ski season is being planned “as always with a lot of anticipation”, including a new ski cross and freeride slope, says the boss of Engadin St. Moritz Mountains, Markus Meili. However, Switzerland Tourism is realistic: "Given the number of guests from abroad, a slump is very likely," says a spokeswoman. Germans are by far the most important tourist group. As a rule, they spend twice as many hotel nights in winter as the next-placed Britons.
Risk area France reports many new infections
The neighboring country with the biggest corona problems is currently France. Most large cities have a high warning level and there will be restrictions on bar opening times. Only 1000 spectators are allowed at the French Open tennis tournament in Paris. In the southern French port metropolis of Marseille, restaurants and bars are even supposed to remain completely closed. The city is outraged by this measure imposed by the government in Paris and feels patronized.
Most recently, the authorities in France reported more than 16,000 new infections within one day. In the Grand Est region bordering Germany, the situation is still relatively relaxed. But there is also cause for concern there: In the Bas-Rhin department, for example, in which the Alsace metropolis Strasbourg is located, more than 50 people were recently infected with corona within seven days. In the spring, border controls there caused considerable annoyance.
Spain: State of emergency in Madrid
In Spain, hopes were high in June that after a three-month lockdown they would have gotten away with a black eye and still be able to save the tourist season. But the country's opening obviously came too soon. From the end of July, the number of new infections rose sharply again. In the meantime, the most popular holiday destination for Germans has developed into the number one European corona hotspot. Spain is the only EU country that has been completely classified as a risk area by the federal government.
There you can also read what could also threaten in this country if the new corona wave does not flatten out soon: mask requirements and an extensive ban on smoking outside your own four walls apply across the country. Restaurants, cinemas, museums, theaters and concert halls are either closed or only allowed in half of the normal visitors. The number of people who are allowed to take part in private meetings is limited in many municipalities, sometimes to just six people. In 86 municipalities across the country, more or less extensive restrictions on freedom of movement apply, such as on Mallorca, where several districts of Palma are partially cordoned off.
But the focus is on the Spanish capital Madrid. There are now 45 residential areas with more than a million inhabitants that are partially cordoned off.
Italy is doing better
Italy, the European Corona hotspot from the very beginning, is doing better. The shock from then continues to this day. Rome responded with a tough, long lockdown in early March. In view of the almost 36,000 corona deaths since then, the fear of a second wave welds many Italians together, even after the easing of the summer: Quite a few wear protective masks on the street during the day even when it is not mandatory.
Politicians in Rome and in many regions react quickly with new restrictions as soon as the number of infections increases. Although tourism has recently picked up and the first larger tour groups are again traveling through Rome with flags and guides, hopes of a mild virus infection in autumn continue to dominate the country.
List of risk areas of the Robert Koch Institute (as of October 1, 2020)
- Afghanistan (since June 15)
- Egypt (since June 15)
- Albania (since June 15)
- Algeria (since June 15)
- Andorra – the Principality of Andorra (since August 26th)
- Angola (since June 15)
- Equatorial Guinea (since June 15)
- Argentina (since June 15)
- Armenia (since June 15)
- Azerbaijan (since June 15)
- Ethiopia (since June 15)
- Bahamas (since June 15)
- Bahrain (since June 15)
- Bangladesh (since June 15)
- Belarus (since June 15)
- Belgium – the whole country (since September 30th)
- Belize (since June 15)
- Benin (since June 15)
- Bhutan (since June 15)
- Bolivia (since June 15)
- Bosnia and Herzegovina (since June 15)
- Brazil (since June 15)
- Bulgaria – the following administrative districts ("oblasts") are currently considered to be risk areas:
- Blagoevgrad (since August 7th)
- Burkina Faso (since June 15)
- Burundi (since June 15)
- Cabo Verde (since July 3rd)
- Chile (since June 15)
- Costa Rica (since June 15)
- Côte d'Ivoire (since June 15)
- Denmark – the following regions are currently considered risk areas:
- Region Hovedstaden (since September 23)
- Dominican Republic (since June 15)
- Djibouti (since June 15)
- Ecuador (since June 15)
- El Salvador (since June 15)
- Eritrea (since June 15)
- Estonia – the following regions are currently considered risk areas:
- Idu-Viru (since September 30th)
- Eswatini (since June 15)
- France (all of the country except the Grand-Est region) (since September 30)
- Gabon (since June 15)
- Gambia (since June 15)
- Ghana (since June 15)
- Guatemala (since June 15)
- Guinea (since June 15)
- Guinea Bissau (since June 15)
- Guyana (since June 15)
- Haiti (since June 15)
- Honduras (since June 15)
- India (since June 15)
- Indonesia (since June 15)
- Iraq (since June 15)
- Ireland – the following regions are currently considered to be at risk:
- Dublin region (since September 23)
- Region Border (since September 30)
- Iran (since June 15)
- Iceland (since September 30th)
- Israel (since July 3)
- Jamaica (since June 15)
- Yemen (since June 15)
- Cameroon (since June 15)
- Kazakhstan (since June 15)
- Qatar (since June 15)
- Kenya (since June 15)
- Kyrgyzstan (since June 15)
- Colombia (since June 15)
- Comoros (since June 15)
- Congo DR (since June 15)
- Congo Rep (since June 15)
- Korea, People's Republic (since June 15)
- Kosovo (since June 15)
- Croatia – the following counties are currently considered risk areas:
- Brod-Posavina (since September 16)
- Dubrovnik-Neretva (since September 9th)
- Lika-Senj (since September 23)
- Požega Slavonia (since September 9th)
- Split-Dalmatia (since August 20th)
- Virovitica-Podravina (since September 16)
- Kuwait (since June 15)
- Lesotho (since June 15)
- Lebanon (since June 15)
- Liberia (since June 15)
- Libya (since June 15)
- Lithuania – the following regions are currently considered as risk areas:
- Šiaulių region (since September 30th)
- Luxembourg (July 14th – August 20th and since September 25th)
- Madagascar (since June 15)
- Malawi (since June 15)
- Maldives (since July 17th)
- Mali (since June 15)
- Morocco (since June 15)
- Mauritania (since June 15)
- Mexico (since June 15)
- Mongolia (since June 15)
- Montenegro (June 15-19 and since July 17)
- Mozambique (since June 15)
- Namibia (since June 15)
- Nepal (since June 15)
- Nicaragua (since June 15)
- Netherlands – the following provinces or autonomous countries are currently considered risk areas:
- North Holland (Noord-Holland) (since September 16)
- South Holland (Zuid-Holland) (since September 16)
- Utrecht (since September 23)
- Aruba (since August 26)
- St. Maarten (since August 26)
- Niger (since June 15)
- Nigeria (since June 15)
- North Macedonia (since June 15)
- Oman (since June 15)
- Austria – the following federal states are currently considered risk areas:
- State of Vienna (since September 16)
- State of Vorarlberg (since September 23)
- State of Tyrol (since September 25)
- Pakistan (since June 15)
- Palestinian Territories (since July 3)
- Panama (since June 15)
- Papua New Guinea (since June 17)
- Paraguay (since June 15)
- Peru (since June 15)
- Philippines (since June 15)
- Portugal – the following regions are currently considered to be at risk:
- Region (Greater Lisbon) (since September 23)
- Republic of Moldova (since June 15)
- Romania – the following areas ("districts") are currently considered to be risk areas:
- Alba (since September 30th)
- Bacau (since August 12)
- Bihor (since August 7th)
- Brăila (since August 12)
- Brașov (since August 12)
- București (since August 12)
- Caras Severin (since September 16)
- Cluj (since September 30th)
- Covasna (since September 23)
- Iasi (since September 9th)
- Ilfov (since August 12)
- Neamt (since September 16)
- Prahova (since August 12)
- Vâlcea (since August 20)
- Vaslui (since August 12)
- Russian Federation (since June 15)
- Zambia (since June 15)
- São Tomé and Príncipe (since June 16)
- Saudi Arabia (since June 15)
- Switzerland – the following cantons are considered risk areas:
- Geneva (since September 9th)
- Waadt (Vaud) (since September 9th)
- Senegal (since June 15)
- Serbia (since June 15)
- Sierra Leone (since June 15)
- Zimbabwe (since June 15)
- Slovenia – the following regions are considered to be risk areas:
- Koroska (since September 30th)
- Primorsko-notranjska (Coastal Inner Carniola) (since September 23)
- Somalia (since June 15)
- Spain – all of Spain, including the Canary Islands (since September 2nd)
- South Africa (since June 15)
- Sudan (since June 15)
- South Sudan (since June 15)
- Suriname (since June 15)
- Syrian Arab Republic (since June 15)
- Tajikistan (since June 15)
- Tanzania (since June 15)
- Czech Republic – all of the Czech Republic (since September 25)
- Timor Leste (East Timor) (since June 17)
- Togo (since June 15)
- Trinidad Tobago (since June 15)
- Chad (since June 15)
- Turkey (since June 15)
- Turkmenistan (since June 17)
- Ukraine (since June 15)
- Hungary – the following regions (counties) are considered risk areas:
- Capital Budapest (since September 16)
- Csongrád (since September 30th)
- Györ-Moson-Sopron (since September 23)
- Pest (since September 30th)
- Vas (since September 30th)
- USA (since July 3, entire USA)
- Uzbekistan (since June 15)
- Venezuela (since June 15)
- United Arab Emirates (since September 23)
- United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland – the following regions and nations are considered risk areas:
- Northern Ireland (since September 30th)
- Wales (since September 30th)
- the British overseas territory Gibraltar (since August 26)
- Central African Republic (since June 15)
The official list of the RKI can also be found here.