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Germany plans mandatory COVID-19 testing of vacationers returning from high-risk countries. The tests are to be free. The German health minister informed about the decision on July 27 on his official Twitter. “We need to avoid vacationers unknowingly infecting other people and creating new chains of infection,” wrote Spahn.
Compulsory free tests for people returning from holidays in high-risk countries
The announcement by the German health minister came the day after Britain restored the obligation to 14-day quarantine for all arriving from Spain. “Fear of a second wave of coronavirus infections has overcome German scruples about the ethics of forcing people to undergo testing,” notes Reuters. “We need to stop people returning from vacation from unknowingly infecting others and creating new chains of infection,” wrote Jens Spahn on Twitter.
Mandatory coronavirus testing will be introduced as soon as legislation authorizes it. “Anyone who consciously went to the risk areas designated by the Robert Koch Institute (one of the most important public health authorities in Germany – editorial note) should also accept the fact that he will have to pass the test when entering Germany” – comments the minister’s decision health newspaper «Rheinische Post» (for «Deutsche Welle»).
- How is the coronavirus test performed?
Which countries does Germany consider to be high-risk countries? So far, there are 130 of them on the “list”. Among them are the USA, Brazil, Israel, Turkey, Egypt and Luxembourg. As noted by PAP, people returning to Germany from these regions had to undergo a 14-day quarantine, unless they performed negative tests. However, in the Tagesthemen program on ARD television, the minister announced that the list would be reviewed on a daily basis. He also added that he was worried about the increase in cases in Spain – many Germans spend their holidays there.
- Coronavirus outbreak in Spain. “I didn’t expect it to be this size until my friend went to work in Italy”
On July 24, the German authorities decided to introduce free and voluntary tests for all vacationers – including those returning from countries outside the “risk group”. According to «Deutsche Welle», people returning from risk areas can be tested at airport test points immediately after entering the country.
On July 28, the Institute of Robert Koch (RKI) reported that 633 new cases of coronavirus infection and four more deaths have been registered in Germany in the last XNUMX hours.
This means that 206 cases of coronavirus and 242 deaths have been confirmed in Germany since the outbreak. 9 people recovered.
The highest number of infections is recorded in Bavaria, North Rhine-Westphalia, Baden-Württemberg and Lower Saxony, the lowest – in the neighboring state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern.
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