Because the Omicron variant of the coronavirus is spreading in the UK, the country is classified as a virus variant area. What does this mean for people entering Germany?
Frankfurt / London – The corona situation in the United Kingdom is worsening. Because of the rapidly spreading omicron variant of the coronavirus, Great Britain will be classified as a virus variant area in Germany from next Monday (December 20, 2021). The Foreign Office announced this on Saturday evening (December 18, 2021). Northern Ireland, the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands are also affected. The classification of Great Britain as a virus variant area should initially apply for two weeks, said the Foreign Office.
When entering Germany from Great Britain, vaccinated and convalescent people are now obliged to quarantine for 14 days. This cannot be shortened by a negative corona test. A current PCR test must also be presented upon entry. This can be a maximum of 72 hours old.
Omicron variant and virus variant area: what applies when entering from the UK?
After arrival, further PCR tests can be ordered by the health department at the airport or at the quarantine location, according to the Federal Foreign Office. These regulations apply to all entries into Germany from a virus variant area.
Before entering Germany, a digital entry registration is required be made. This must always be presented if you have been in an area classified as a high-risk or virus variant area – at the time of entry – within the last ten days before entering the country.
Entry registration when traveling from virus variant or high-risk areas
The digital entry registration can be made via the homepage www.einreiseanmeldung.de.
If a digital entry registration is not possible, a replacement notification must be completed in paper form.
Corona pandemic in Great Britain: Omicron variant dominates in London
The Mayor of London Sadiq Khan had previously declared a disaster in Great Britain because of the rapid spread of the highly contagious Omicron variant, as the Agence France-Presse reported on Saturday (December 18, 2021). The rise in Omicron cases in the British capital is “very worrying,” said Khan.
In London, the omicron variant is already the dominant coronavirus variant. More than 65,000 cases of infection have been recorded in the British capital in the past seven days, according to Agence France-Presse. On Saturday there were even 26,418 new cases within 24 hours – the highest number since the beginning of the pandemic. The 7-day incidence for the whole of the UK is 746.7 on Sunday, 12/19/2021.
Various experts estimate that the Omikron variant is far more infectious than the Delta variant, for example. However, according to vaccine maker Moderna, it will be a while before the vaccine can be adapted to the Omikron variant. (Anna Charlotte Groos)
List of rubric lists: © Frank Augstein / dpa
