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Copenhagen residents required to quarantine on arrival in Germany

Michael Barrett
Michael Barrett - [email protected]
Copenhagen residents required to quarantine on arrival in Germany
Copenhagen on September 24th. Photo Emil Helms/Ritzau Scanpix

Germany has introduced new coronavirus travel restrictions on arrivals from Denmark’s Hovedstaden (Greater Copenhagen) region.

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People arriving from the region, which includes the Danish capital and surrounding areas as well as Baltic Sea island Bornholm, must now self-isolate for 14 days on arrival in Germany after the country updated its list of risk areas.

Throughout the pandemic, Germany has introduced travel restrictions to try and control the spread of coronavirus.

The Robert Koch Institute (RKI) for public health maintains an updated list of risk areas.

A risk area is any country or region outside Germany where there is an increased risk of Covid-19 infection.

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The German rules are applied to areas with over 50 infections per 100,000 residents per week.

That means other Danish regions could potentially be encompassed in future, should the current upward trend in infections across the country continue.

Foreign Minister Jeppe Kofod said he was unsurprised by the decision taken by Germany.

“We are in a situation where infections are increasing and we must expect more restrictions if this picture continues in the coming period,” Kofod told DR.

Denmark registered 559 new cases of coronavirus on Thursday, according to the State Serum Institute. That is the second-highest daily figure since the pandemic began, although testing is now far more comprehensive than in the spring.

Thursday also saw a sharp jump in the number of people hospitalised with Covid-19 in the country, from 78 to 95.

Travellers coming to Germany by road, train, plane or by sea who have been in a risk area 14 days before their arrival are required to go directly to their home (or suitable accommodation). 

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This doesn’t apply, however, to those who have simply travelled through the risk area, without making any stops, as part of their journey -- this includes, for example, people who live outside the Hovedstaden region in Denmark but travel from Copenhagen Airport.

A two-week quarantine period follows, although in some cases this can be shortened when the traveller receives a medical certificate stating a negative test result.

Until October 1st, you can avoid having to be quarantined if you bring a negative coronavirus test to Germany. It must not be more than 48 hours old.

If you fly to Germany without a test, you can get a free test at the airport on arrival, but must self-isolate until you have received a negative response.

After October 1st, the rules are scheduled to be tightened according to the German government website. As such, you will be quarantined for 14 days on arrival from a risk area. However, the quarantine can be lifted after if you test negative for coronavirus in Germany five days (at the earliest) after your arrival.

According to information provided to The Local and reports in Danish media, some speculation exists as to whether the October 1st restriction will in fact be put back to October 15th or even later in the month. It is therefore a good idea to contact the health department of the state you are visiting or living in for detailed information prior to travel.

To arrange a test in Germany, you can call the hotline for the medical appointment service at 116 117.

Free testing is currently available in Germany to those who spent time in a risk area up to 14 days before entry into the country.

They will qualify for the test - which is conducted at airports, ports, doctors’ surgeries and sometimes train stations, such as Berlin’s Hauptbahnhof - for up to 10 days after their arrival. 

 

 

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