Germany has added new restrictions for people wishing to enter the country from six nations: the United States, Spain, Portugal, Finland, Monaco, and Cyprus.
Germany’s disease prevention and control agency, the Robert Koch Institute, announced that the new restrictions will begin on Dec. 25.
Unless visitors from restricted countries can provide proof of full vaccination or recovery, they will need to share negative COVID-19 test results before departure. They will also have to self-quarantine after entering Germany.
However, they will be able to cut the self-quarantine short if they provide a negative test, proof of recovery, or proof of vaccination.
If visitors have gone to high-risk countries within 10 days before heading to Germany, they must submit a registration form to enter the country. They also need to bring proof of registration while entering Germany.
Some exemptions do exist, though. They include the following groups:
Visitors who briefly entered a high-risk country with no stopover
Travelers who quickly pass through Germany on their way to somewhere else
People who were in high-risk countries for fewer than 24 hours and will not stay in Germany for longer than 24 hours
Travelers who spent fewer than 72 hours in a high-risk country to see close relatives
Not all countries are seeing increased restrictions from Germany, though. The nation previously deemed Austria, Belize, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Malaysia, and Serbia high-risk, but it has now removed them from that category.
In late November, Germany saw a massive spike in cases of COVID-19. A notable rise in death rates followed.
The nation reported its first death from the omicron variant on Dec. 23.