Germany tightens restrictions for Dutch border-crossings

Updated restrictions for people traveling from the Netherlands into Germany begin on Tuesday. The measures were announced several days earlier when the Robert Koch Institute placed the Netherlands on Germany’s list of areas where there are a high number of coronavirus infections.

The stricter federal rules require people from the age of six to test negative for the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus infection before arriving, and then enter quarantine once they cross the border for up to ten days. A second negative test after five days can release the quarantine obligation.

Those exempt from the rules include people who are fully vaccinated against Covid-19, and those who have recently recovered from the disease. Evidence of either must be submitted to the German government in order to avoid the quarantine obligations.

Other exemptions were granted for people transiting through Germany to a different destination, and those who drove through the Netherlands and other high incidence areas without stopping.

Germany adapts its restrictions based on a weekly risk assessment by the Robert Koch Institute. The country’s new rules for the Netherlands were announced days after a majority of the Netherlands was placed at the highest coronavirus risk level by the European Centre for Disease Control and Prevention.

The ECDC updates its own assessments on Wednesdays based on coronavirus testing data submitted by national governments.