Changes in the rules for entering Germany resulted in the police intensifying their checks. Officers check whether those entering the country have a negative COVID-19 test result or evidence of vaccination or acquired immunity.
From Sunday 1 August the rules for entering Germany have changed. Under the new regulations, it is mandatory to have a negative COVID-19 test result when crossing the border – also by land. The obligation does not apply to fully vaccinated and healed persons.
– There are random checks. We are trying to check as many people entering the country as possible – said a spokesman for the federal police in Pirna, quoted by ARD TV, referring to the borders of Saxony with Poland and the Czech Republic. – The inspections are focused on motorways and federal roads, as well as the rail route from Prague to Berlin – explained the spokesman.
He emphasized that no one will be sent to the border, but the data is collected and transferred to the relevant health authorities. – We also do not impose any fines, but forward notifications of administrative offenses to the competent authorities – added the spokesman.
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Entering Germany – checks
The German federal police have also started checks in the north of the country. During random checks at the land borders between Poland and Mecklenburg-Vorpommern and between Denmark and Schleswig-Holstein on Sunday until early afternoon, no violations were recorded, a spokeswoman for the federal police in Bad Bramstedt told dpa. Random checks are also carried out at ports.
Also in the west of the country, in the federal states of Rhineland-Palatinate and Saarland, the federal police check more often people entering Germany. Travelers are checked near the border “on a random basis”, a spokesman for the police in Koblenz said on Sunday. The checks are carried out in the border area within a radius of up to 30 kilometers on the German side. For this purpose, more officers are deployed and more checkpoints are manned.
Crossing the border with Germany – new rules, test, vaccination certificate
The test must be done at the earliest 48 hours before entering Germany. The time is counted from the time the sample was taken. Polish tests are recognized if they are translated. The test result must be in English. German, English, French, Spanish or Italian.
There are exceptions. The new rules do not apply to: vaccinated persons (at least 14 days from the administration of the last dose of vaccine authorized in the EU), convalescents (28 days-6 months after illness), children up to 12 years of age, cross-border workers, people who are professionally transporting people or goods, people entering Germany under local border traffic (up to 24 hours).
Previously, only airline passengers were required to submit a negative test if they had not been vaccinated and recovered from COVID-19 in the past six months. People entering by road, rail or sea were not obliged to do so.
Main photo source: Reuters