Austria tightened its entry rules
A military policeman during a check at Pass Thurn (archive image)
Source: dpa / Expa Jfk
In order to slow down the spread of Omikron, the Austrian government has adopted new entry rules. In the future, valid 2G proof will be required, and there is a new hurdle for people who have been vaccinated twice. The federal government classifies France and Denmark as high-risk areas.
Austria tightened its entry regulations to contain the Omikron variant. According to the Ministry of Health, only people who have a valid 2G certificate decreed.
Specifically, this means that they have to be vaccinated three times or have recovered. If you don’t have a booster vaccination, you have to a PCR test submit. Otherwise the travelers would have to be quarantined immediately.
the Switzerland relaxed the entry requirements against it. While a PCR test has been required for entry into the country for vaccinated persons since the beginning of December, a rapid antigen test will be sufficient from December 20, which was carried out a maximum of 24 hours before the border was crossed. In addition, vaccinated and convalescent people no longer have to undergo a second test after four to seven days, as was previously the case. The rule remains in effect only for the unvaccinated.
Exceptions for pregnant women and children in Austria
In Austria, the new ordinance will come into force on Monday, December 20, as the Ministry of Health announced on Friday evening. The home quarantine should only be ended if a PCR test was carried out after entry and a negative result was confirmed.
Pregnant women and people who cannot be vaccinated for health reasons are excluded from the 2G proof. The reason for the exception must be proven by a medical certificate. There are also special rules for children. For commuters, the usual 3G rule will remain.
“These stricter entry regulations pose major challenges, especially for people traveling abroad over the Christmas holidays. However, they are necessary at this point in time in order to counteract the spread of Omikron in Austria, “said Health Minister Wolfgang Mückstein (Greens).
School-age children are allowed to enter the country with sufficient test evidence, which means around three tests per week. The rules do not affect children under the age of twelve either.
France and Denmark are becoming corona high-risk areas
The federal government has meanwhile classified France and Denmark as high-risk areas due to the high number of corona infections from Sunday. This also applies to Norway, Lebanon and Andorra, as the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) announced on Friday. Anyone who enters from a high-risk area and is not fully vaccinated or recovered has to be in quarantine for ten days and can only get rid of it with a negative test five days after arrival at the earliest.
With the exception of Luxembourg, all of Germany’s neighboring countries will be classified as high-risk areas in the future. Bulgaria, Estonia, Latvia, Albania, North Macedonia and Moldova will be removed from the risk list.
The classification as a high-risk area is automatically accompanied by a travel warning from the Federal Foreign Office for unnecessary tourist trips. It makes it easier for tourists to cancel trips that have already been booked free of charge, but does not mean a travel ban.