Berlin — Germany is easing strict restrictions on travel from the United Kingdom, India, Nepal, Portugal, and Russia that were imposed due to the rise of the more contagious delta virus variant.
Germany’s national disease control center, the Robert Koch Institute, mentioned late Monday that Britain, Portugal, Russia, India, and Nepal will be removed from the nation’s highest risk category of “virus variant areas” effective Wednesday. They will move into the second-highest category of “high-incidence areas.”
The U.K. had been within the top coronavirus danger category since May 23 and was joined last Tuesday by Russia and Portugal, one of Germany’s partners within the European Union.
Airlines and others are restricted largely to transporting German citizens and residents from “virus variant areas,” and those who arrive must spend 14 days in quarantine at home.
Individuals arriving from “high incidence areas,” however, can avoid quarantine if they can show that they’re fully vaccinated or have recovered from COVID-19. Others can reduce short a mandatory 10-day quarantine by testing negative after 5 days. Transport is no longer restricted.
Officials have mentioned the listings would be reviewed as the proportion of infections caused by the delta variant in Germany rises. Although overall case numbers are very low, more than half of new cases are now believed to be caused by delta.
Chancellor Angela Merkel indicated during a visit to Britain on Friday that the restrictions on travel from the U.K. would soon be relaxed.
Eleven nations will remain on Germany’s “virus variant area” list for now: Botswana, Brazil, Eswatini, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Zambia, Zimbabwe, South Africa, and Uruguay.
