In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and growing pressure to remove travel restrictions, German authorities have updated their list of “international risk areas” as of 30 September 2020.
The updated list added many new regions and some entire countries to be designated as “international risk areas,” however they also removed several countries from the list as well.
The new areas that have been highlighted and added to the German report of “risk areas” include:
- Belgium: the entire country is now considered a risk area.
- Estonia: the Ida-Viru Region is not considered a risk area.
- France: the entirety of mainland France is now considered a risk area, with the exception of the Grand-Est Region.
- Hungary: the counties of Csongrad-Csanad, Vas, and Pest are now considered risk areas.
- Iceland: the entire country is now considered a risk area.
- Ireland: the Border region is now considered a risk area.
- Lithuania: the county of Siauliy is now considered a risk area.
- Romania: the counties of Alba and Cluj are now considered risk areas.
- Slovenia: the Koroska region is now considered a risk area.
- The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland: the nations of Northern Ireland and Wales are now considered risk areas.
Germany has designated nearly every country in the world as a “risk area” with which travel restrictions against are still necessary.
However, some countries have been removed from the list of “risk areas,” which should make traveling to Germany a little bit easier or even possible. The countries that have been removed from the list include:
- Sri Lanka
- Cuba
- Barbados
- St. Lucia
- Dominica
- Grenada
- St. Kitts and Nevis
- St. Vincent and the Grenadines
- Antigua and Barbuda
- Seychelles
- Croatia
- Switzerland
The way that the German authorities have decided on which countries or regions to designate as “risk areas” is based on the number of new COVID-19 infections per 100,000 residents of the area. If there are more than 50 new infections per 100,000 in the last 7 days prior to the evaluation, the country or region will be listed as a “risk area.”
It is still unknown when or if German borders will be open to travelers from all over the world once again.
