Germany has announced that it is removing South Africa and its neighbouring countries from its ‘Virus Variant area’ classification from tomorrow 4 January, after having slapped a travel ban onto our region on Black Friday 26 November, the date on which our country’s scientists shared with the rest of the world the discovery of the new Omicron Virus Variant.

Now classified as a ‘High Risk Area’, tourists to our country and local residents may  enter Germany without a quarantine period in Germany, on condition that they have proof that they have been vaccinated twice, or have recovered from the disease. A 72 hour negative PCR test is also required for entry into Germany.  Should  the vaccination or recovery proof not be provided, a ten day quarantine is required, or five days on receiving a negative test result.

The 26 November travel ban to travellers from Southern Africa was instituted by the UK as an immediate reaction to our scientific research results on the Omicron Variant, with seventy countries following suit, many on the  same day, including Germany.

The UK and the USA have already taken our Southern African countries off their Travel Ban lists, as have Australia,  Canada, The Netherlands, and Denmark.

One hopes that other European Union countries will quickly follow suit.

 

Chris von Ulmenstein, WhaleTales Blog: www.whaletalesblog.com www.chrisvonulmenstein.com/blog Tel +27 082 55 11 323 Twitter:@Ulmenstein Facebook: Chris von Ulmenstein, My Cape Town Guide/Mein Kapstadt Guide Instagram: @Chrissy_Ulmenstein @MyCapeTownGuide