Status: 06/28/2021 5:00 a.m.
Because of the spread of the Delta variant, the heads of government of several countries want controls for vacationers. Samples alone will not be enough, warns Berlin’s Governing Mayor Müller.
Several prime ministers are in favor of stricter rules for corona tests when holidaymakers return to Germany. He was clearly in favor, said Berlin’s head of government, Michael Müller, who is currently also chairman of the Prime Minister’s Conference (MPK), in the ZDF program “Berlin direkt”.
“These samples, which are currently being implemented by the federal police, are not enough,” said the SPD politician. There is also no reason at all not to monitor this across the board. “On arrival you can check who has the corresponding negative test evidence. And then, after a certain quarantine period, check with a new test that you are really negative,” explained Müller.
Tschentscher and Weil for tests too
Hamburg’s First Mayor Peter Tschentscher has also spoken out in favor of a rapid tightening of the Corona entry regulations. In its current version, this is “too lax in several places,” Tschentscher told “Welt”. “When entering from risk areas, a single, simple antigen test is currently sufficient to avoid quarantine. That is too unsafe,” criticized Tschentscher.
Tschentscher believes that all non-vaccinated people returning from risk areas and high-incidence areas should go into quarantine, which can be lifted after five days at the earliest with a negative PCR test.
Lower Saxony’s Prime Minister Stephan Weil also spoke out in favor of changing the Corona entry regulation. “I advocate a double test for all returnees who are not yet fully vaccinated,” said the head of government of “Welt”. “Even in countries with comparatively low incidences, you run the risk of meeting other holidaymakers who carry the much more contagious Delta virus with them.”
Müller hopes for progress in vaccination
So far, only returnees from high-risk, high-risk and virus variant areas are subject to graded test obligations. Weil also spoke out in favor of increased test controls. “I expressly support the demand for controls at the borders to see whether there are current negative tests. This is exactly what has been lacking so far,” said the SPD politician.
On the discussion about a possible fourth corona wave in autumn, Mayor Müller said: “If we are not confronted with new variants, with a new large wave of infections, I believe we will have such good protection over the progress of vaccination, including the one we are now familiar with Delta variant that we don’t need another new lockdown. ” But health protection will also be in the foreground in autumn.