Germany makes negative pre-departure Covid test report must for travellers from China
Chinese travellers will have to show at least a rapid antigen test to enter Germany.
The German government said on Thursday (January 5) that it will ask arrivals from China for a negative Covid test report amid fears of a spike in infections. In a statement, German health minister Karl Lauterbach said that passengers arriving from China will be required to show at least a negative rapid antigen test report to enter Germany, news agency AFP reported. It is not yet specified when this rule will come into place.
Lauterbach said the authorities would also carry out random spot checks to identify Covid variants and wastewater tests for journeys from China. The health minister also pointed out that Germany would change its entry requirements at a short notice, following a recommendation by European Union (EU) experts to tighten travel rules.
ALSO READ |No Covid test needed for travellers from China, says Thailand
Germany had earlier not imposed any restrictions on Chinese travellers despite other European countries such as France, Italy and the United Kingdom (UK) doing so.
On Wednesday, foreign minister Annalena Baerbock said that the current Covid wave from China must be taken "very very" seriously while highlighting Beijing hardly released any details (regarding the pandemic).
Meanwhile, Germans living in China started receiving the BioNTech vaccine against Covid on Thursday, the first such rollout of a foreign vaccine in China which has not approved the use of non-Chinese vaccines despite the massive surge in infections.
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As per an official agreement during chancellor Olaf Scholz's visit to Beijing in November 2022, Germans aged 12 and older may receive their first dose or a booster of the BioNTech vaccine at designated international hospitals in Beijing, Shanghai, Shenyang, Guangzhou or Chengdu, news agency Reuters reported.
On Tuesday, the German foreign ministry said over 8,000 doses of the vaccine were shipped to China and over 1,500 people registered their interest. The ministry added that German officials were trying to expand the offer (to administer BioNTech vaccines) to other nationalities as well.
(With inputs from agencies)
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