Germany Set China 'Hazardous Virus Variant Areas' Starting Tomorrow

Shenzhen Illustration, Guangdong Province, China (Unsplash)

JAKARTA - Germany, starting January 9. designated China as a "dangerous virus variant area" and appealed to its citizens not to travel non-essentially to the country because a wave of COVID-19 was taking place there, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.

Through its website, the German Foreign Ministry explained that the decision was taken in connection with "the peak level of COVID-19 cases in China and an overwhelmed health care system".

Institut Robert Koch (RKI) mengatakan "Republic Rakyat China, kecuali Wilayah Administrif Hong Kong, mulai 9 Januari dianggap sebagai area varian virus yang menimbulkan kekhawatiran."

Launching Antara, Sunday, "potentially occurring" status is a new category in the classification of virus variant areas, the agency said.

According to the new move, strict entry rules for travelers from China, including antigen or PCR tests, will take effect in Germany from Monday.

The government's statement said Germany implemented a joint recommendation issued by European Union countries.

Travelers from China are at least required to hand over to the airline one negative antigen test result, which was carried out no more than 48 hours before departure to Germany.

Passengers from China can also perform a COVID-19 test upon arrival at the airport at the request of the authorities.

Germany, like Austria and Belgium, is also planning to test aircraft wastewater departing from China regarding a possible new variant of COVID-19.