Germany issues Code Red travel warning for most of the Netherlands

Nearly all of the Netherlands was declared an international risk area for the SARS-CoV-2 novel coronavirus by the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) in Germany. Residents of the bordering country were warned against visiting ten of the twelve Dutch provinces, with only Limburg and Zeeland considered lower risk.

The RKI also kept Aruba and Sint Maarten on their high risk list, which was updated on Friday.

Anyone entering Germany who has spent time in any of the ten affected provinces or the two Caribbean countries within 14 days of their arrival must take a Covid-19 test in Germany. A mandatory quarantine period of up to 14 days will apply, depending on the German state where the traveler arrives.

People arriving in Germany can escape quarantine with a health declaration and negative Covid test result produced within 48 hours prior to arrival, according to the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs. “If you cannot provide this, you must undergo preventive testing upon arrival in Germany. Then you will be asked to go into self-quarantine for 14 days afterwards,” the Dutch office said.

“This quarantine can be lifted if the test is negative.“ People arriving in the Netherlands after spending time in Germany do not have to quarantine on arrival, according to the Dutch government’s latest travel advice.