Indians now can fly to Germany as it eases travel curbs

Berlin: Travellers from India, Britain, Portugal, Russia, and Nepal can now fly to Germany with its latest notification easing curbs that had been imposed on flyers from these countries due to the prevalence of more contagious delta virus variants.

Germany's national disease control centre, the Robert Koch Institute, removed these countries from its list of highest risk categories to put them into the second-highest category of "high-incidence areas."

The Germans who have been stranded in these countries due to the travel restrictions can now take the opportunity to go back home provided that they shall have to spend 14 days compulsory quarantine at home.

There will be no guarantee mandate on people coming from high incidence areas if they could prove they have fully vaccinated or recovered from the COVID. The 10-day mandatory quarantine can be shortened for others if tested negative after five days. Transport is no longer restricted.

Officials have said the listings would be reviewed as the proportion of infections caused by the delta variant in Germany rises. Although overall case numbers are very low, more than half of new cases are now believed to be caused by delta.

Chancellor Angela Merkel indicated during a visit to Britain on Friday that the restrictions on travel from the UK would soon be relaxed.