Spain and the Netherlands have been classified as corona high incidence areas. This was announced by the Robert Koch Institute.
Berlin – It had already emerged, now it is official: The Federal Government is classifying Spain and the Netherlands as Corona * high-incidence areas from Tuesday onwards due to the high number of infections. The Robert Koch Institute announced on Friday. In both countries, the number of new infections has recently risen dramatically. The Netherlands had therefore only recently pulled the emergency brake and had to reverse some easing.
A classification as a high incidence area is usually from a 7-day incidence of 200. In Spain, according to the Ministry of Health, this was 333 on July 22nd. In the Baleraen, which are particularly popular with German tourists, the incidence was even at 365.5. The majority of the new infections can be traced back to the delta variant. A similar picture emerges for the Netherlands. The incidence here is around 360. More than 50 percent of new infections are said to be due to the delta variant. Incidentally, most Germans get infected in these holiday countries.
Around 400,000 German holidaymakers are still in Spain alone – this must be taken into account on the return journey
According to the travel association DRV, there are currently around 200,000 package travelers from Germany in Spain alone. About 60 percent of it in the Balearic Islands and 30 percent in the Canaries. In addition, there should be an additional 200,000 individual tourists from Germany on the Spanish territory.
Due to the new classification, there are of course new rules for those returning to travel. For example, a digital registration must now be carried out before entering the country. A negative corona test must be presented or proof of complete vaccination or recovery must be provided. Anyone who returns from a high-incidence area and is not fully vaccinated or recovered has to be in quarantine for ten days, but can shorten this with a negative test after five days. Fully vaccinated or convalescent people can end the quarantine as soon as they submit proof of digital entry registration. An overview of the Corona situation in popular holiday countries can be found here *.
Spain and Netherlands upgraded: New pressure on the travel industry – including wave of cancellations
After the start of the important summer travel business, the tourism industry, which was hard hit by the Corona crisis, comes under pressure again. Friday’s decision does not mean a travel ban. Anyone who has not been fully vaccinated or has recovered must be in quarantine for at least five days after returning to Germany. The Netherlands are also classified in this way. Some organizers reported growing uncertainty among customers and cancellation requests.
The most obvious was the German Travel Association (DRV). The decision “destroys the vacation plans of numerous travelers and especially many families with children in the middle of the holiday season”, criticized industry president Norbert Fiebig. “An impending quarantine leads to great uncertainty among people who are currently on vacation or who are about to start their vacation.”
Fiebig demanded: “We have to move away from the pure incidence analysis when classifying target areas.” Instead, the
the actual regional risk situation for travelers and the specific burden on the health system are the focus of the
Considerations are brought forward. This must be taken into account when adjusting the Corona entry regulation, which is necessary anyway.
Representatives of major organizers also expressed their disappointment. “The upgrading of Spain as a high incidence area unsettles many holidaymakers, and we therefore have a lot of inquiries in our service center, including cancellation inquiries,” said Ingo Burmester, Head of Central Europe at DER Touristik. Germany’s second largest travel company is now offering holidaymakers to Spain the option of canceling or rebooking free of charge when they leave for the next two weeks. At the same time, DER emphasized: “A travel warning is not a travel ban.” Guests could still start their vacation. (han / dpa) * Merkur.de is an offer from IPPEN.MEDIA
Headline list image: © John-Patrick Morarescu / dpa
