German Airports to Offer Free COVID-19 Tests to Returning Travellers

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Germany’s Health Ministry has decided to offer free Coronavirus tests to returning travellers at all German airports, in an effort to prevent a surge of COVID-19 cases due to summer travel.

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According to Berlin’s Health Minister, Dilek Kalayci, the tests would initially be non-mandatory, and the state would cover the costs in all cases, SchengenVisaInfo.com reports.

“Those returning from risk countries should be tested, and those returning from non-risk countries will also have the option,” Kalayci pointed out.

She stressed that persons returning from non-risk countries would not be tested at the airport, but could receive a free test from their local health authority.

Test facilities will be installed at all airports to help persons returning from high-risk countries to be tested immediately on arrival.

Persons who do not want to get tested or those who test positive will be obliged to go through two weeks of mandatory quarantine.

Airports in Frankfurt, Cologne/Bonn and Munich had already been applying this new scheme. Whereas Berlin plans to introduce airport tests from this week, Berlin’s city government has announced.

According to Germany’s public health institute, the Robert Koch Institute  (RKI) as of 130 nations worldwide are considered to be “risk countries”, with EU and Schengen area neighbours among the exceptions.

Germany’s latest decision came amid raised concerns that an increasing number in summer tourism could lead to a surge in Coronavirus cases across the country.

Eastern city of Cottbus had its first confirmed Coronavirus case, last week, after a family of four tested positive after returning from Mallorca.

Since July 2, residents of 11 third-countries have been allowed to enter the territory of Germany, as they were also part of the European Union Council’s list of ‘safe’ third countries.  The decision was taken by the German Federal Cabinet, in line with the recommendation of the Council of the European Union issued on June 30, which suggested to the EU Member States and the Schengen zone countries to lift entry restrictions for the residents of 15 third-countries, deemed as safe. The authorities have since removes Montenegro from the list, upon a new recommendation of the Council published on June 16, suggesting the change.

Last month, the country also decided to permit holders of expired Schengen visas who are stuck in Germany since March due to COVID-19 outbreak to continue staying in Germany until September 30.

A previous Ordinance permitted Schengen Visa holders to stay in Germany only until June 30. Due to the ongoing Coronavirus pandemic, the new Ordinance extends the permitted period of stay until September 30.

In April, an EU official confirmed, in an exchange of emails with SchengenVisaInfo.com, that all persons wishing to travel to the Schengen Zone, once the situation in the Member States is brought under control, may need to present a negative COVID-19 test.

In an effort to stop the further spread of the deadly virus, a large share of EU countries, including France, have decided to impose COVID-19 tests and mandatory quarantine.

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