Germany removes Czech Republic from list of high-risk COVID-19 countries

Germany removes the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and the Austrian state of Tyrol from the list of coronavirus mutation areas with effect from Sunday 28 March, according to the Robert Koch Institute (RKI), which manages the list. The republic has been on the list that made it practically impossible to travel between Germany and the Czech Republic since 14 February. Now Germany will view Czechia as an area with a high rate of infection.

“This will bring relief for both transit and carriers, and probably also commuters if Saxony and Bavaria take the opportunity to extend the area of quarantine exemptions,” the Czech ambassador to Germany, Tomáš Kafka, said about changes in the German assessment.

Saxony and Bavaria now allow commuters who are considered necessary to commute to work. It applies primarily to healthcare professionals, energy professionals, or workers in the telecommunications sector. Saxony is more open to cross-border workers and allows access to all that the employer considers indispensable. Even so, the final consent is given by the district authorities.

A significant change for trips to Germany will be the possibility to shorten the ten-day quarantine after five days with another negative test. Saxony and Bavaria require two weeks of isolation for mutated areas, which the test cannot shorten. It is still true that a negative test will be required to enter Germany. Kafka emphasized that tourist visits were still out of the question but that the border regime would be milder.