Germany introduces two-week quarantine for travellers from UK

From midnight Sunday, Germany will classify the U.K. as an “area of variants of concern” following the swift spread of the Omicron COVID strain. That means a two-week quarantine for all travellers from the U.K., even if they’ve tested negative, been vaccinated or recovered from the virus.

Germany’s federal agency for disease control and prevention — the Robert Koch Institute — said the change will also apply to “all British Overseas Territories, Isle of Man and the Channel Islands” and that the quarantine period may not be shortened by additional tests.

U.K. travellers must also be able to present an “up-to-date” negative PCR test, taken no earlier than 72 hours before entering Germany.

The move follows calls from health ministers in Germany’s federal states for stricter entry rules to combat the spread of the new variant.

“I am very concerned about the developments in Great Britain. The Omicron virus variant is spreading rapidly there,” said Bavarian Health Minister Klaus Holetschek, according to the news portal Tagesschau. “We must therefore act consistently and quickly.”

The new rules come on the heels of France’s ban on travel to and from the UK without a “compelling” reason.

* This article was originally published here