Austria becomes high-risk area for travel to Germany
Germany has moved Austria into a higher risk category for Covid-19, meaning that from Sunday, unvaccinated people travelling from Austria to Germany will have to quarantine for ten days on arrival.
The change in categorisation came as a result of Austria's high case numbers: it reported 13,152 new infections on Saturday and 48 deaths associated with Covid-19.
This chart from Our World in Data shows sharply rising case levels in Austria.
Germany's national health body, the Robert Koch Institute, has recategorised the country as a "new high-risk area".
It describes these as areas at particularly high risk of infection due to a particularly high incidence of spread of the virus.
The Czech Republic and Hungary were also moved into this category on Sunday.
The new rules came into force at midnight on Sunday, 14th November and apply to the whole of Austria, apart from the municipalities of Mittelberg and Jungholz and Rißtal in the district of Vomp and Eben am Achensee.
This means that anyone travelling from Austria to Germany who is not fully vaccinated/recovered from the virus will have to quarantine for ten days, with the possibility of doing an early-release test from the fifth day.
And nor are children exempt. All children under the age of twelve have to quarantine for five days on arrival in Germany from Austria.
Nationwide lockdown
It's all change in Austria at the moment: a nationwide lockdown for unvaccinated people (excluding the under-12s) is expected to be given the go-ahead on Sunday to start on Monday.
READ ALSO: Austria plans new Covid lockdown for the unvaccinated
Government and state and heads are meeting for online crisis talks on Sunday to discuss this, with details expected at the press conference around midday.
Residents who don't have proof of 2G – i.e. vaccinated or recovered from Covid-19 – will only be able to leave their homes for essential shopping, to go to work or for medical reasons.
Children under the age of twelve are exempt from this.
Vienna has also tightened its restrictions, with the introduction of '2G+', compulsory mask-wearing in more indoor spaces and vaccinations for children over five.
READ ALSO: Key points: New Covid rules for Salzburg and Upper Austria
Comments
See Also
The change in categorisation came as a result of Austria's high case numbers: it reported 13,152 new infections on Saturday and 48 deaths associated with Covid-19.
This chart from Our World in Data shows sharply rising case levels in Austria.
Germany's national health body, the Robert Koch Institute, has recategorised the country as a "new high-risk area".
It describes these as areas at particularly high risk of infection due to a particularly high incidence of spread of the virus.
The Czech Republic and Hungary were also moved into this category on Sunday.
The new rules came into force at midnight on Sunday, 14th November and apply to the whole of Austria, apart from the municipalities of Mittelberg and Jungholz and Rißtal in the district of Vomp and Eben am Achensee.
This means that anyone travelling from Austria to Germany who is not fully vaccinated/recovered from the virus will have to quarantine for ten days, with the possibility of doing an early-release test from the fifth day.
And nor are children exempt. All children under the age of twelve have to quarantine for five days on arrival in Germany from Austria.
Nationwide lockdown
It's all change in Austria at the moment: a nationwide lockdown for unvaccinated people (excluding the under-12s) is expected to be given the go-ahead on Sunday to start on Monday.
READ ALSO: Austria plans new Covid lockdown for the unvaccinated
Government and state and heads are meeting for online crisis talks on Sunday to discuss this, with details expected at the press conference around midday.
Residents who don't have proof of 2G – i.e. vaccinated or recovered from Covid-19 – will only be able to leave their homes for essential shopping, to go to work or for medical reasons.
Children under the age of twelve are exempt from this.
Vienna has also tightened its restrictions, with the introduction of '2G+', compulsory mask-wearing in more indoor spaces and vaccinations for children over five.
READ ALSO: Key points: New Covid rules for Salzburg and Upper Austria
Join the conversation in our comments section below. Share your own views and experience and if you have a question or suggestion for our journalists then email us at [email protected].
Please keep comments civil, constructive and on topic – and make sure to read our terms of use before getting involved.
Please log in here to leave a comment.