Corona incidence: RKI declares Greece a risk area - this applies to vacationers

First Portugal, Spain and Cyprus, from Sunday also Greece - the RKI is putting the next holiday destinations on the corona risk list.

What applies to vacationers?

Berlin - The Greek sparrows have been whistling from the roofs of Athens for days.

Due to the corona incidence in Greece, the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) will classify the country as a risk area on Friday, July 16, 2021, as will the Netherlands from July 18, 2021.

On the Greek islands in particular, the number of new infections rose by almost 200 percent every three days.

Country:	Greece
Capital:	Athens
Population:	10.72 million (2019) Eurostat
Currency:	Euro
Islands:	3054 (islands, islets, islets, rock islets, rocks and reefs)

According to the latest findings, the 7-day incidence is 167.8 (as of July 16, 2021).

Overall, there is talk of 2794 new cases in connection with Covid-Sars-2.

The country also recorded another six deaths from Covid-19.

Incidence in Greece: According to the classification by the RKI, the Federal Foreign Office advises against traveling to the risk area

The classification of the RKI has the consequence that the Foreign Office of vacation trips.

This means that the Federal Foreign Office advises against one of the most popular vacation destinations for Germans over the summer vacation due to the Greek incidence.

However, there is still one bright spot: Portugal and Cyprus are even declared as high incidence areas, which entails a quarantine obligation of five to ten days for those who have not been vaccinated and those who have not recovered.

In Greece, the number of infections has been rising sharply for several weeks - since the government relaxed the corona measures and many young, still unvaccinated people enjoyed the nightlife to the full.

The corona infection numbers can also be broken down into this.

After all, the high number of new infections mainly affects people under 30.

Young people are responsible for the high incidence of corona in Greece

"The average age of the newly ill is 27 years, hundreds of cases have been reported in connection with entertainment companies," said civil defense chief Nikos Chardalias.

• The cities of Greece are particularly affected by the high incidence:

• Athens

• Chalkidiki

• Heraklion (Crete)

• Ios

• Mykonos

• Paros

• Rethymnon (Crete)

• Rhodes

• Santorini

• Thessaloniki

The Greek government recently responded with a ban on dancing for tourists and locals in Greece.

Means: It is only allowed for people to sit in restaurants and no longer stand together or dance.

In the event of violations, the restaurants and pubs face severe penalties: fines, bans lasting several days or even license revocation are in the room.

Other corona measures such as locking out unvaccinated people in the interior of restaurants or other restrictions for non-vaccinated people came into force a few days ago.

Demonstrations against compulsory vaccination: Greeks take to the streets against Corona measures

In addition, the government made vaccination compulsory for workers in the health sector, elderly care workers and the military.

It was precisely these measures that made the Greek temperament so hot that thousands of Greeks took to the streets for demonstrations.

Around 4,000 people went to the Parliament in Athens on Wednesday, July 14, 2021.

There were also protests in Thessaloniki and Crete.

Demonstrators on the spot insisted on their rights and campaigned against a possible two-class society of vaccinated and unvaccinated people.

“It is getting tighter for us (objectors).

We have the right not to be vaccinated, ”the demonstrators told reporters.  

Incidence in Greece: The number of intensive care patients remains low despite the high number of infections

Fortunately, the high incidence value in Greece has so far not resulted in an overload of the health system.

The number of patients in intensive care units remained at a low level.

Currently, “only” 132 patients have to be civil serviced in the hospital.

+

Corona incidence over 50: RKI classifies Greece as a risk area.

(Kreiszeitung.de-Montage)

© Kay Nietfeld / dpa & Norbert Schmidt / IMAGO

However, the new classifications may only be valid for a short time.

After all, the federal government has already announced that the federal government will be working on a new entry regulation from August 1st.

With this new classification, risk areas should apparently be completely eliminated.

At present, 82 countries fall into this category.

There are also 29 high incidence and 11 virus variant areas.

Greece as a risk area: what applies now to German travelers, tourists and vacationers?

But what actually applies from Sunday to German holidaymakers who are classified as risk areas who are on their way back from Greece to the Federal Republic?

Not that much changes for vacationers, but it's not that little either.

Risk area Greece: What does that mean for returnees from the holiday country on the Mediterranean

In plain language, the classification of Greece as a risk area means: Unvaccinated holidaymakers are obliged to be able to show a negative antigen rapid test or PCR test (72 hours) from all departure airports, whether Greek islands or the mainland, from Sunday night (point 12:00 midnight), if you want to travel back to Germany.

What applies to recovery on the return journey from Greece?

For those who have been vaccinated, the following applies: Always have digital or written evidence on the woman or man.

The same applies to those who have recovered.

A PCR test that clearly shows a positive result is sufficient here.

However, the document must not be older than six months.

What is new, however, is that spontaneous rapid tests can be ordered when entering Germany after landing.

This regulation applies without exception to all holidaymakers who return from Greece.

But as it is almost the law in Germany, the exception is almost the rule: Because children up to 6 years of age are exempt from the obligation to test on the return journey.

What applies to vacationers flying to Greece?

The first hotels on Crete, Rhodes and Kos told FOCUS Online that they were providing information material at the reception and that they would preferably serve all holidaymakers (unvaccinated, recovered and vaccinated) in tourist regions.

A negative rapid test or PCR test for unvaccinated persons is sufficient for this.

Vaccination and recovery certificates are also valid.

Furthermore, travelers must of course adhere to the guidelines on site.

For those who have not been vaccinated, the following applies: If the number of infections continues to rise, quarantine could be required after their return.

What applies to children

Children from the age of 6 who can be proven to have Corona or have not been vaccinated must also undergo a PCR test when they return to Germany.

Are cross vaccinations accepted for holidaymakers in Greece?

Since these are administered as corona vaccinations even in Greece by the local health authorities, the southern European nation is not one of the countries that do not accept holidaymakers with cross vaccinations.

Even if the WHO warns against cross-vaccination *.

Travelers are therefore considered to be “fully vaccinated” 14 days after the second vaccination.

Cross vaccinations are carried out by the Greek and Dutch health authorities, so these are also accepted in both countries.

Travelers are therefore considered to be “fully vaccinated” 14 days after the second vaccination.

Cross-vaccination or mix-and-match vaccines are a mixture of vector and mRNA vaccines.

Those willing to vaccinate first receive Astrazeneca and then either vaccine preparations from Biontech or Moderna.

Risk area Greece: should I cancel my vacation?

We generally advise against traveling to risk areas because there is no free cancellation right.

Consumption experts therefore say that it is advisable to take out travel cancellation insurance.

Here providers differentiate between an annual policy, which is set at a certain amount per year, and individual policies, which can be booked explicitly for a certain trip.

Therefore, vacationers and travelers should also find out exactly whether the insurance also covers pandemics.

In the case of outdated travel insurance policies, there may be options for an upgrade so that pandemic protection is in place.

Should travelers for Greece take out Covid travel insurance and foreign health insurance?

Covid travel protection is particularly advisable if an airline could deny access to the aircraft for a passenger with a fever.

The same applies to the possibility that a hotelier or holiday apartment owner prohibits access to a guest with corona symptoms.

Incidentally, this can also apply to fully vaccinated and convalescent people and not just corona infected people.

For these reasons, private foreign health insurance can also pay off for your vacation.

At least that's what consumer advice centers recommend.

The cost of such a policy is around ten euros a year.

The advantage of a foreign health insurance is obvious: If the worst comes to the worst, travelers do not have to deal with pending treatment costs.

In addition, in most cases the provider bears the costs for a medically necessary return transport to Germany - a service that statutory health insurances usually cover.

* Kreiszeitung.de is an offer from IPPEN.MEDIA.

List of rubric lists: © Kay Nietfeld / dpa & Norbert Schmidt / IMAGO