by Lacey Pfalz
Last updated: 11:04 AM ET, Thu May 13, 2021
The German government has relaxed its requirements for both vaccinated and unvaccinated travelers this week, preparing to make summer travel easier.
According to The Associated Press, those who have been vaccinated against COVID-19 or who have recovered from an infection can avoid testing and quarantine when they enter the country unless they come from countries with concerning variants.
The German government's website states that for travelers entering Germany from the United States, as long as they are vaccinated they won't have to be tested prior to arriving in Germany. They will still have to digitally register with Germany to be allowed in the country. They will also not be required to quarantine themselves.
Chancellor Angela Merkel's Cabinet also approved a change to the requirements for unvaccinated individuals, adding a stipulation that they can end their mandatory quarantines earlier provided they test negative for COVID-19.
According to the CDC's COVID Data Tracker, which can track both domestic and international rates of everything from case counts, weekly averages, to vaccination rates, Germany has 8.3 million of its citizens completely vaccinated, which is around 9.93 percent of its population. About a third of its population has received one dose.
Jens Spahn, Germany's Health Minister, has said that the country will introduce a digital immunity certificate by July, which will be compatible with the European Union's vaccine certification system, which is also in development. "If we manage to do this for the EU in the coming weeks, then we'll likely set a global benchmark," said Spahn.
Most countries in the world have yet to agree on a vaccine verification system at a national level, let alone for a group of countries like the EU.
For the latest travel news, updates and deals, subscribe to the daily TravelPulse newsletter.
Topics From This Article to Explore
