Germany requires proof of COVID immunity or negative test on arrival

Government sources said that starting this weekend, all travelers arriving in Germany will be required to prove immunity to COVID-19, whether it is vaccinated or previous infection, or provide negative test results.

The plan reflects the growing concern of German regional and national leaders that the increasing number of cases in tourist destinations may help trigger a fourth wave when Germans return home from vacation.

Germany now only requires people from so-called “risk areas”, “high-risk areas” and “viral mutation areas” to have a negative test or proof of immunity. These areas now include the United Kingdom, Spain and the Netherlands in Europe.

Now, the rules for airports and road intersections are also different, and regional leaders are eager to make the rules more consistent.

According to data from the Robert Koch Institute for Infectious Diseases, its main disease control agency, Germany saw 3,142 new infections on Thursday. The average daily number of new cases in the UK is close to 30,000.