Germany has partially lifted the travel warning for Turkey. In the meantime, the corona test obligation applies to those returning home at risk areas - and also provokes harsh criticism. All information in the news ticker.
- Summer vacation in the corona pandemic *: Many citizens still go to Italy and Croatia .
- The CDU Economic Council is now calling for a travel ban to certain areas (see update from August 7th, 8:48 a.m.)
- The general practitioners , however, fear a "rush of test-willing" for which they are not prepared (see update from August 8, 11:56 am) .
- Here you will find the basic facts about the coronavirus * and the corona news from Germany . We also offer you the current number of cases.
Update from August 9th, 11.11 a.m.: The region around Antwerp in Belgium is now officially a risk area . The Robert Koch Institute announced this now. Travelers to the area must therefore expect a compulsory corona test on their return . Unless you go to the "Corona village" at the gates of the city before leaving. Up to 600 people can be tested for the virus there every day . A negative test there allows you to enter Germany.
Update from August 8, 6.44 p.m.: While some time ago there was still a strong celebration on the golden sands in Bulgaria , the corona numbers in a region near the party zone became so negative that the Robert Koch Institute among others Varna administrative district as a risk areahas declared. Some regions are also affected in Australia and Bulgaria.
Vacation despite Corona: Risk areas determined “far too generalized”? Family doctors rate mandatory tests as "insane"
Update from August 8, 11:56 a.m .: The German Association of General Practitioners criticizes the compulsory corona test for travelers returning from risk areas . "To test a lot is sensible in itself, but the obligation to test is actionism , which I think little of," said the association chairman Ulrich Weigeldt of the world . The risk areas have been divided into “far too generalized” and many general practitioners are not equipped for a huge “rush of test-willing” .
Weigeldt also called it " absurd" that returning travelers the doctor would have to substantiate, to be actually been abroad - for example through a boarding pass or a hotel bill . “We are doctors who are there to treat people and not the branch of the Federal Ministry of Health. How am I supposed to check a hotel bill at all? Who was where and when exactly? ”Said Weigeldt. "That's crazy."
Anyone who comes to Germany from risk areas has to be tested for the corona virus when entering the country this Saturday . Alternatively, a negative test result that is no more than two days old can be presented.
Queuing for a coronavirus test at Frankfurt Airport - family doctors now fear a similar rush.
© Thomas Frey / dpa
Vacation despite Corona: CDU Economic Council calls for travel ban - second lockdown conceivable for world medical chief
Update from August 7, 8:48 a.m .: The CDU Economic Council has called for a ban on travel to corona risk areas . The "right to travel" could not be valued higher than the rights of millions of Germans who could face a new lockdown , said the Secretary General of the Economic Council, Wolfgang Steiger, of the Bild newspaper on Friday. Therefore, travel to risk areas must be "consequently" prohibited.
A renewed lockdown with operating and school closures will be Germany "only under most substantial difficulties can afford again," warned Steiger. This must be clear to everyone. That is why he expects "more forward-looking action" from politicians. Federal Health Minister Jens Spahn (CDU) announced on Thursday that returnees from corona risk areas will have to be tested for the virus when entering Germany on Saturday.
Corona and vacation trip: Take part and vote
Because of holiday returnees in the corona pandemic: Another lockdown in Germany?
The chairman of the World Medical Association, Frank Ulrich Montgomery , demanded that all returnees from risk areas should be in quarantine - including those who tested negative . Tests are only "a snapshot," said Montgomery of the Passauer Neue Presse . To be really sure whether someone was infected or not, a second test had to be done at least 72 hours later. And even then, individual infected people would slip through.
Montgomery said the renewed increase in infection rates in Germany was to be expected with the return of summer vacationers . The world medical president did not rule out another general lockdown in Germany : “One can only hope that politicians have the courage to do that should it be necessary.” Montgomery stated that Germany is in a “corona perm” .
Corona travel warning: Federal government advises against the North Sea hotspot - otherwise there is a risk of quarantine
Update from August 5, 10 p.m.: Next travel warning from the federal government in the coronavirus pandemic * : For the Belgian province of Antwerp. Because of the recent increase in new corona infections , the Federal Foreign Office announced on Wednesday evening that there was a warning "against unnecessary tourist travel."
Especially in Antwerp itself, the number of Covid 19 diseases and corona deaths has increased again since the end of July, the statement said.
There, the number of new infections currently exceeds 50 cases per 100,000 inhabitants within seven days. The Robert Koch Institute (RKI) therefore declared these areas to be risk areas . This means that travelers from Antwerp have to go into quarantine - unless they can show a negative Covid-19 test .
Important note # COVID19: the 🇩🇪 Federal Government classifies the 🇧🇪 Province #Antwerp due to the high number of infections as a risk area: the @AuswaertigesAmt therefore warns against unnecessary, especially tourist trips to the province: https://t.co/2Qj1NsUXmm #coronavirus
- Ambassador Martin Kotthaus (@DBoBruessel) August 5, 2020Antwerp flows over the Scheldt into the North Sea, which is popular with tourists . In addition, the city's port is one of the largest in the world, and the city with more than 500,000 inhabitants is on the main traffic axis between Amsterdam in the Netherlands and Paris in France, which is why many travelers pass through here.
Vacation despite Corona: Relaxation for travel to Turkey
Update from August 5, 9.45 p.m.: The Corona crisis is affecting Ryanair heavily, now the airline is threatened with a draconian penalty by Italy for allegedly disregarding Covid-19 protective measures . Many flights from Germany are at risk.
Update from August 4th, 9:38 pm: Relaxation in terms of vacation in Turkey . The German government is lifting the travel warning for the four Turkish coastal provinces of Antalya , Izmir , Aydin and Mugla with immediate effect. Vice-government spokeswoman Ulrike Demmer announced this on Tuesday in Berlin. The basis is therefore an agreement with the Turkish government on safe travel in the corona pandemic , which, however, also contains requirements, including mandatory tests for travelers before their return.
The chairman of the German-Turkish parliamentary group in the Bundestag, Sevim Dagdelen (Left), sharply criticized this decision. This step was "like a bow to Erdogan ," Dagdelen told the world . "Obviously, Turkish ministers just have to hit the table often enough and the federal government will jump in," she added.
Sevim Dagdelen has been a member of the German Bundestag since 2005. The politician cannot understand the opening of Turkey to German tourists.
© dpa / Uwe Zucchi
However, Dagdelen also turned against travel to Turkey regardless of the corona pandemic . "There should have been a travel warning for Turkey long before Corona, if only because of the arbitrary imprisonment of dissenters and the taking of Germans hostage," she said, referring to the persecution of critics of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan .
The Turkish government had been pressing for the travel warning to be lifted for weeks. Foreign Minister Mevlüt Cavusoglu made a special trip to Berlin at the beginning of July to promote it - initially in vain. He accused the European Union of maintaining travel restrictions for Turkey for "political reasons". "When it comes to health, Germany and
Turkey are two of the best countries in the world," he said. Germany is now going its own way
when it comes to Turkey - regardless of the EU.
Vacation despite Corona: German party tourists flock to the European metropolis - their measures fail
Update from August 4, 4:45 p.m.: German party tourists have apparently identified a new destination in the corona pandemic : Amsterdam in the Netherlands.
As the Morgenpost reports, German party and celebration holidaymakers pour into the notorious red light district of the Dutch metropolis and cause a lot of trouble for the residents. And as the news portal ntv.de writes, Amsterdam has now called on tourists to voluntarily refrain from visiting at the weekend. The fear of a second corona wave is omnipresent.
Even more: According to the report, the streets in the city center are so full that tourists and locals alike can no longer adhere to the applicable distance rules of 1.5 meters. A strict mask requirement has recently been introduced in the city . No alcohol may be served in the red light district - except in pubs.
In addition to German tourists , party-goers from France, Belgium and the Netherlands in particular would travel to Amsterdam themselves, it said.
Often colorful: Party in Amsterdam (symbol picture).
© Ferdy Damman / dpa
Vacation despite the corona pandemic: mask requirement now also in Nice in southern France
Update from August 4, 4:20 p.m.: The corona pandemic is spreading more and more in Croatia . There are local Covid-19 outbreaks in Istria and Dalmatia - popular holiday destinations for Germans. A high school trip to Croatia for German students ended with a rude awakening.
Update from August 3, 3:58 p.m.: With Nice , one of the most popular French vacation spots has now introduced a mask requirement also in public.
Mayor Christian Estrosi announced on Monday that all people in the urban area must wear mouth and nose protection between 10 a.m. and 1 a.m. by Wednesday at the latest . The new regulation will last until a herd immunity of 50 percent is reached or a vaccine is available, said the town hall chief. Anyone who violates the condition currently has to pay a fine of 35 euros . The amount should be increased to 135 euros.
Police officers should then check compliance with the mask requirement from Wednesday . In addition, there are loudspeakers at popular tourist hotspots, such as the Promenade des Anglais on the beach, to indicate measures. Dozens more are to follow, so the Estrosi. Prime Minister Jean Castrex also called on the population to be prudent to prevent a new lockdown . "The virus is not on vacation."
Airport corona test: high positive rate among returnees from risk areas
Update from August 3, 3:20 p.m.: It is not only, but especially during the Corona crisis, a popular travel destination for German vacationers: the Baltic Sea .
The founder of the "Lila Bäcker" chain has now died here near Usedom in a crash with a fighter plane.
Update from August 3, 1.30 p.m.: In the corona tests for travelers returning from risk areas at the airports in North Rhine-Westphalia, just under 2.5 percent of vacationers tested positive for the Sars-CoV-2 coronavirus , as reported by bild.de. Karl-Josef Laumann (CDU), the health minister of North Rhine-Westphalia, spoke of a "relatively high" hit rate. Around 40 to 50 percent of travelers took advantage of the offer and had themselves tested for the corona virus free of charge .
"Anyone who goes on vacation in a risk area must at least, I think, have so much solidarity with the people here that if they come back they won't infect other people," said Laumann. The CDU politician also appeals Also of the sense of responsibility of holidaymakers who travel by car to risk areas, who should also be tested on their return or be quarantined for 14 days .
Update from August 3, 11 a.m .: Look out over the city from the City Skyliner, stroll in the Rotondes, immerse yourself in history in the Musée Dräi Eechelen - Luxembourg may not be the number one tourist destination, but it still has a lot to offer travelers.
Summer vacation despite the coronavirus pandemic: the Balkans as a corona hotspot
But be careful: The small Grand Duchy with its just over 620,000 inhabitants is a real Corona hotspot in the middle of Central Europe - right on the border with Germany. The neighboring country, which borders on Rhineland-Palatinate, is one of eleven countries for which the federal government has issued an official travel warning.
Capital of the country of the same name: Luxembourg, in front the medieval district of Grund.
© Lars Halbauer / dpa
On Thursday (July 30), the 7-day incidence was 108.2. To classify: If the value in the coronavirus pandemic is over 50, it becomes critical and in Germany the authorities would be urged to address lockdown measures and new Covid-19 restrictions . There are no controls and no entry restrictions at the borders with the Grand Duchy.
Only in one country was the incidence higher at the same point in time: In Montenegro the value was 130.5. A travel warning is currently in force for six countries in the Balkans : Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Albania, North Macedonia and Kosovo .
In Croatia , which is popular with German holidaymakers , the corona numbers had recently risen sharply, but a travel warning does not apply to this Adriatic country - as of August 3, 11 a.m.
Summer vacation despite the corona pandemic: Markus Söder wants to reassess Covid 19 risk areas
Update from August 2, 5.45 p.m.: Suggestion from Markus Söder : To protect against Corona infections by vacationers , the Federal Government should, in the opinion of the Bavarian Prime Minister, constantly reevaluate so-called risk areas.
"The flexibility in acting, what is a risk area, should also be checked daily," said the CSU boss in the ARD summer interview in Berlin. Travel returnees from Corona hotspots , ie areas with a particularly high risk of infection due to high numbers of cases have, to the insidious mandatory in Germany coronavirus get tested.
Update from August 2, 11:23 a.m .: Because there is no approval by the flag state of Italy, the cruise line Aida Cruises has to postpone its restart after the Corona break: Several mini-cruises from Hamburg planned for the beginning of August have to be canceled. 750 crew members were flown in from Asia for the restart - eleven of them had to be isolated because of proven coronavirus infections . The company is currently assuming that cruises can start as planned on August 16. As Die Zeit reported, many German shipping companies do not register their ships in Germany, but under the flag of other countries - primarily to save taxes.
After a meeting of the emergency committee, the WHO estimates that the pandemic may still last “a very long time”.
New corona infections in Croatia are increasing - Split-Dalmatia holiday coast affected
Update from August 1, 8:58 p.m.: After the number of daily new corona infections in Croatia had decreased sharply in May and June, higher case numbers are again emerging in July and early August. On August 1st, Croatia recorded 86 new cases , the country announced on its official Corona website.
Vacation despite Corona in Croatia? Daily new infections increase
Thus, the number of absolute corona cases in Croatia has risen to 5,224. If 4,341 infected people are considered recovered and 145 died, it results that 738 people are actively infected. Three regions are particularly affected: Vukovar-Srijem in the east of the country with 160 active cases, the capital Zagreb with 148 currently infected and Split-Dalmatia on the southern coast with 120 cases.
Popular with Croatia vacationers: the island of Korcula.
© Josip Madracevic / Croatian ZFT / dpa
Unlike many other countries, Croatia has not yet been officially designated as a corona risk area. Nevertheless, the Foreign Office informs about the increase in the number of new infections on its website: "The COVID-19 infection rate was low in Croatia for several weeks, but has recently increased sharply and has reached values that are on average above those of spring."
Coronavirus: Entry into Croatia still allowed without restrictions
The office also explains that there is currently no 14-day quarantine at home for travelers from EU member states. Tourists only need to provide their contact details and the length of their stay at the border. To avoid waiting times, the Croatian Ministry of the Interior recommends registering online.
Update from August 1, 2020, 11.45 a.m.: Holidaymakers returning from abroad can have themselves tested for the corona virus free of charge from Saturday, Saturday . The tests are possible for all travelers returning to Germany, even if they do not show any signs of illness, within 72 hours of arrival in Germany - for example at test sites at airports, in health authorities and doctors' surgeries.
The corona tests are initially paid for by the statutory health insurance companies . The federal government then wants to cover the costs with a higher subsidy that has already been decided on. By the way: One repeat test per person is also free. The test result should usually be available after about 24 to 48 hours. In Germany, there were almost 1000 new infections in just one day.
Coronavirus / Vacation: Free Tests for Returners
Update from July 31, 2020, 6:20 p.m .: Anyone who does not decide to go on vacation in their own country runs the risk of having to go back to quarantine in the currently constantly changing situation. From Saturday, however , the following applies: All holidaymakers returning from abroad can have themselves tested free of charge. As the Ministry of Health announced, the costs will initially be borne by the health insurance companies, but will later be offset by a subsidy from the federal government.
The test result should be available within 24 to 48 hours - the costs are also covered for a repeat test per returnees. There should be test stations at airports, train stations and other travel hubs, in health authorities or practices - they can be inquired about on 116 117. A travel warning for three Spanish regions was only issued on Friday.
Holiday in Corona times: tourism researchers expect "overtourism" to increase
First report from July 31, 2020, 4.45 p.m .: Munich - The corona pandemic is used by many people to take vacation in their own country. In Germany , the beaches on the North and Baltic Seas are partially overcrowded. The Alps and other places in Upper Bavaria are also popular excursion destinations. There are already protests there against the onslaught of tourists. A challenge that, according to tourism researcher Harald Pechlaner from the Catholic University of Eichstätt-Ingolstadt, will have to be mastered in the future. Because he says: "Corona does not stop overtourism - on the contrary."
Vacation despite Corona: Expert expects increasing conflicts between locals and vacationers
As Over Tourism conflicts between locals and travelers referred to the most visited destinations. In an interview with the SZ, the tourism professor commented on current developments. In the time when there was practically no tourism due to Corona , the people who live from visitors longed for it, but the people who are not directly involved with it did not. "Many in the population do not want to go back to the pre-Corona times," says Pechlaner .
Almost 40 million guests came to #Bayern in 2018. So many that locals start to complain about "#Overtourism". @allgaeuinfo # Königswinkelhttps: //t.co/OkNnI04FcB pic.twitter.com/8oSw53FZr4
- FFH Natura 2000 🇪🇺 ◽ (@ 2020_NATURA) July 25, 2020The task is therefore to make a functioning living space a prerequisite for tourism development . “First of all, the place has to be suitable for the people who live, work, shop and spend their free time there. If their quality of life is right, then that is the basis for the quality of the guests' experience and not the other way around, ”affirms the tourism expert .
Vacation despite Corona: Pechlaner expects a trend towards more conscious travel
Some holidaymakers , as recently became clear when the Ballermann was closed, seem to show little consideration for the locals. However, Pechlaner expects that a trend towards more conscious travel will develop in the future . "The fact that many holidaymakers got to know new regions in their own country this year means that they will continue to be taken into account as an alternative when planning trips in the future," believes the tourism professor . (ph) * merkur.de is part of the nationwide Ippen-Digital network
List of rubric lists: © Thomas Frey / dpa
