Ten cantons on risk list – Germany is planning a special...

After Geneva and Vaud, Germany had eight more Swiss cantons on Thursday evening put on the risk list: Zurich, Zug, Schwyz, Nidwalden, Uri, Freiburg, Jura, Neuchâtel. For people from these cantons, entry into Germany is made more difficult from Saturday by a quarantine obligation, but there are also exceptions for cross-border commuters, family visits and business trips. The risk classification for Holiday travelers from both countries and for Swiss shopping tourists.

At least this is true for the next three weeks. Because on Friday morning the Swiss ambassador in Berlin gave a partial all-clear. Paul Seger said opposite Radio SRFthat shopping tourism should be facilitated from November 8th. Then one occurs new sample quarantine regulation in force, with which Germany wants to standardize the rules in all federal states. “As soon as this model regulation comes into force, it would be possible to continue shopping tourism without coronavirus restrictions,” said Paul Seger on Friday.

In the detailed model ordinance, this is dealt with under the paragraph “Exceptions”: “People who have stayed in a risk area for less than 24 hours or who are entering the federal territory for up to 24 hours as part of border traffic with neighboring countries.” So if you only go shopping in Waldshut, Singen or Konstanz for a few hours, you should be able to do so again from November 8th without restrictions. The individual federal states could issue regulations that differ from the model quarantine ordinance, but this would hardly be in their mind, especially in the case of shopping tourism.

The affected Swiss cantons will have to adapt to changing rules when traveling to Germany and when dealing with German tourists in the coming weeks. This applies from Saturday or with the new model regulation from November 8th:

General rules

From Saturday 17th October: After crossing the border, travelers who have been in a risk area in the last 14 days must be directly quarantined for 14 days. Quarantine can be dispensed with in most federal states if a negative PCR test is presented on entry that was carried out no more than 48 hours beforehand. Tests from Switzerland are recognized in Germany. If a test is only carried out after entry, this can shorten the quarantine. Depending on the state, tests must be repeated after 5 or 7 days.

Germany warns of “unnecessary tourist trips” to the affected Swiss cantons. The major winter sports destinations of Graubünden, Valais and Bern are currently not considered risk areas.

From November 8th: The quarantine then only lasts 10 days. But it can only be shortened after 5 days with a negative test. The German government decided on this change on Wednesday. How the individual federal states will implement them in detail is still open.

Shopping tourists

From Saturday: Because the borders are open, shopping tourists can enter Germany. Baden-Württemberg and Bavaria waive the quarantine requirement for shopping tourists if they can present a current PCR test (not older than 48 hours). In practice, when it comes to the cost of a corona test, shopping tourism from the cantons will probably collapse on the risk list.
From November 8th: The new model ordinance provides for exceptions for people who “enter the federal territory for up to 24 hours”. According to the will of the German federal government, shopping tourism is then allowed again. The federal states retain sovereignty and could also impose stricter rules. Also, the date November 8th is not set in stone, the exemptions will only come into force if the federal states adjust their regulations to this date.

Frontier workers

From Saturday: According to the German government: anyone who commutes across the border to work has free travel. Baden-Württemberg and Bavaria, the two federal states that are most closely linked to Switzerland, also state this in their ordinances on quarantine rules. The exceptions also apply to schoolchildren, students, and service providers.

For certain groups of people, not only daily commuting, but even a stay of up to 72 hours is permitted: for employees in the health care system (with certificate), people who for work-related cross-border people, goods or goods by road, rail, ship or transport by air, or high-ranking members of the diplomatic and consular services, from popular assemblies and governments.

But Germany also has stricter regulations: For example, the Bavarian district of Cham introduced mandatory testing for cross-border commuters from the Czech Republic at the weekend. The Czech Republic has been severely affected by Corona for a few weeks.

Visiting family members

From Saturday: In Bavaria, there are various exemptions from quarantine for people entering from risk areas – for example for urgent medical treatment, the care of animals or visiting family members or partners.

In principle, Baden-Württemberg knows the same exceptions. In the explanations of its regulation, however, the state explicitly states that simply visiting relatives does not constitute an exception to the quarantine obligation. There must be valid reasons for this – such as shared custody of children or visiting a partner.

From November 8th: The new model quarantine ordinance stipulates that first-degree relatives can always be visited without the obligation to quarantine. There is also no need to present a negative test.

Transit

The fastest possible transit is still allowed, the new regulation does not change anything. Tourists can therefore continue to travel to the mountains via “risk cantons” without triggering an obligation to quarantine.

anf/ldc

Posted today at 10:07 am