BERLIN — Germany’s public health institute said on Monday the United

Kingdom, India, Portugal and Russia were no longer “areas of variant

concern,” reducing travel restrictions for people arriving from those
countries.

All four countries had been downgraded to “high incidence areas,” the
Robert Koch Institute said, meaning their citizens can now travel to
Germany and quarantine on arrival for 10 days.
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The quarantine period can be shortened to five days if they test negative
for COVID-19.

“If you have spent time in a high incidence area prior to entry, the
relevant test may not be conducted earlier than five days after entry,” the
institute said on its website.

Prior to the change in classification, travelers from the four countries

were banned from entering Germany unless they were residents, in
which case they had to quarantine for 14 days on arrival.

The decisions, effective from Wednesday, come after Chancellor Angela

Merkel said on Friday Britons who have had two COVID-19 vaccinations
would soon be able to travel to Germany without going into quarantine
on arrival.

Earlier on Monday, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson set out plans to
end social and economic COVID-19 restrictions in England in two weeks’
time, a test of whether a rapid vaccine rollout offers enough protection
from the highly contagious Delta variant.

BERLIN — Germany’s public health institute said on Monday the United

Kingdom, India, Portugal and Russia were no longer “areas of variant
concern,” reducing travel restrictions for people arriving from those
countries.
All four countries had been downgraded to “high incidence areas,” the
Robert Koch Institute said, meaning their citizens can now travel to
Germany and quarantine on arrival for 10 days.
ADVERTISEMENT

The quarantine period can be shortened to five days if they test negative
for COVID-19.

“If you have spent time in a high incidence area prior to entry, the
relevant test may not be conducted earlier than five days after entry,” the
institute said on its website.

Prior to the change in classification, travelers from the four countries

were banned from entering Germany unless they were residents, in
which case they had to quarantine for 14 days on arrival.

The decisions, effective from Wednesday, come after Chancellor Angela

Merkel said on Friday Britons who have had two COVID-19 vaccinations
would soon be able to travel to Germany without going into quarantine
on arrival.

Earlier on Monday, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson set out plans to
end social and economic COVID-19 restrictions in England in two weeks’
time, a test of whether a rapid vaccine rollout offers enough protection
from the highly contagious Delta variant.