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TRAVEL

Tourists told to leave northern German state ahead of shutdown

Tourists have been told to pack their bags and leave Schleswig-Holstein by Monday November 2nd as Germany is set to go into a partial lockdown.

Published: 30 October 2020 14:59 CET
Tourists told to leave northern German state ahead of shutdown
Westerland, a seaside resort located on the German North Sea island of Sylt. Photo: DPA

For holidaymakers on the North Sea islands and the Halligen, there is an extended deadline – non-residents have to leave by November 5th so the capacity of ferry traffic is not overloaded, the state government announced in Kiel on Friday.

The government made the statement following decisions taken by the federal and state governments for a partial lockdown, which will start on Monday, November 2nd and will last four weeks.

Chancellor Angela Merkel and the state leaders decided that “overnight accommodation in Germany will only be made available for “necessary and explicitly non-tourist purposes” during the partial lockdown.

In Schleswig-Holstein, with a few exceptions, stays in hotels, guesthouses and holiday homes will no longer be offered for the next four weeks.


But accommodation for professional (eg business trips) or social-ethical reasons (eg burial or terminal care) as well as for medical purposes such as accompanying children during a hospital stay will continue to be permitted, a government spokesperson explained.

READ ALSO: Coronavirus shutdown – can I travel within Germany in November?

Tourist favourite – but with strict rules

The northernmost state of Germany is known for the beauty of its coastline and islands such as Sylt, which attracted people from all over the country and beyond.

But it has been in the spotlight in recent weeks due to having some of the strictest rules in Germany when it comes to controlling coronavirus. 

The state banned people from certain 'hotspot' districts in Berlin instead of viewing the capital as one area. But these rules were overturned after an outcry.

It highlighted the issue of states having different internal travel restrictions, causing confusion for people in Germany.

As The Local has been reporting, states around Germany are currently meeting to enforce the measures agreed by Merkel and the state leaders.

Although states are following the regulations, there may be slight differences. For example, Bavaria is opting for tighter rules on private gatherings.

The shutdown will take place from November 2nd until November 30th.

 

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HEALTH

Could there be a new wave of Covid-19 in Germany this autumn?

It’s back again: amid sinking temperatures, the incidence of Covid-19 has been slowly rising in Germany. But is this enough to merit worrying about the virus?

Published: 20 September 2023 12:05 CEST
Updated: 20 September 2023 22:22 CEST
Could there be a new wave of Covid-19 in Germany this autumn?

More people donning face masks in supermarkets, friends cancelling plans last minute due to getting sick with Covid-19. We might have seen some of those familiar reminders recently that the coronavirus is still around, but could there really be a resurgence of the virus like we experienced during the pandemic years?

According to virologists, the answer seems to be ‘maybe’: since July, the number of people newly infected with Covid-19 has been slowly rising from a very low level.

According to the Robert Koch Institute (RKI), nine people per 100,000 inhabitants became newly infected in Germany last week. A year ago, there were only around 270 reported cases.

Various Corona variants are currently on the loose in the country. According to the RKI,  the EG.5 (also called Eris) and XBB.1.16 lines were each detected in the week ending September 3rd with a share of just under 23 percent. 

The highly mutated variant BA.2.86 (Pirola), which is currently under observation by the World Health Organisation (WHO), also arrived in the country this week, according to RKI. 

High number of unreported case

The RKI epidemiologists also warned about a high number of unreported cases since hardly any testing is done. They pointed out that almost half of all registered sewage treatment plants report an increasing viral load in wastewater tests.

The number of hospital admissions has also increased slightly, but are still a far cry from the occupation rate amid the pandemic. Last week it was two per 100,000 inhabitants. In the intensive care units, only 1.2 percent of all beds are occupied by Covid-19 patients.

Still, a good three-quarters (76.4 percent) of people in Germany have been vaccinated at least twice and thus have basic immunity, reported RKI. 

Since Monday, doctors’ offices have been vaccinating with the adapted vaccine from Biontech/Pfizer, available to anyone over 12 years old, with a vaccine for small children set to be released the following week and one for those between 5 and 11 to come out October 2nd.

But Health Minister Karl Lauterbach has so far only recommended that people over 60 and those with pre-existing conditions get vaccinated.

READ ALSO: EXPLAINED: Who should get a Covid jab this autumn in Germany?

“The pandemic is over, the virus remains,” he said. “We cannot predict the course of coming waves of corona, but it is clear that older people and people with pre-existing conditions remain at higher risk of becoming severely ill from Covid-19”

The RKI also recommended that people with a cold voluntarily wear a mask. Anyone exhibiting cough, cold, sore throat or other symptoms of a respiratory illness should voluntarily stay at home for three to five days and take regular corona self-tests. 

However, further measures such as contact restrictions are not necessary, he said.

One of many diseases

As of this autumn, Covid-19 could be one of many respiratory diseases. As with influenza, there are no longer absolute infection figures for coronavirus.

Saarbrücken pharmacist Thorsten Lehr told German broadcaster ZDF that self-protection through vaccinations, wearing a mask and getting tested when symptoms appear are prerequisites for surviving the Covid autumn well. 

Only a new, more aggressive mutation could completely turn the game around, he added.

On April 7th of this year, Germany removed the last of its over two-year long coronavirus restrictions, including mask-wearing in some public places.

READ ALSO: German doctors recommend Covid-19 self-tests amid new variant

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