Germany moves to Level 4 for US citizens - very high risk

[Heartfelttraveler]

23 hours ago, ducklite said:

Unless things have changed, be prepared to take a daily Covid test while you are in Netherlands.  If you are able to get an EU Green Pass with your CDC card you wont' need to do this.  We tried to get the EU Green Pass in Italy and Germany before getting to NL with no luck.

We will try to get an EU Green Pass.

It looks like the USA is now eligible to obtain one.  But it has to be done within 48 hours of arrival in the Netherlands.

We should have a Swiss Pass as we are spending a week in Switzerland prior to our river cruise.

[notamermaid]

It is the 1st of March, meteorological Spring, and as far as I can tell we still have a population of over 80 million despite our former health minister forecasting otherwise the German population is not either vaccinated, cured or dead by the end of winter. And this is no Carnival joke of mine although people have had some poking fun with the dramatic statement today... For reference see post #2.

 

We are right on track with reduced infections and the first major step to a new normal on the 4th of March. Looking pleasant on the graph:

 

 

Officially, river cruise companies could also go back to a 3G rule in Germany, but I guess they will do their own thing in accordance with the association CLIA's guidelines. This would mean sticking to fully vaccinated or even requiring a booster - which you need anyway in many countries, i.e. as you know "fully vaccinated" runs out in much of the EU at 270 days (check each country that you are travelling to) and the booster jab gets you back to "fully vaccinated" status for currently an indefinite length of time (do not count on it staying that way in this mad world).

 

notamermaid

 

[Gopherpharm]

On 2/17/2022 at 12:10 PM, Heartfelttraveler said:

We will try to get an EU Green Pass.

It looks like the USA is now eligible to obtain one.  But it has to be done within 48 hours of arrival in the Netherlands.

We should have a Swiss Pass as we are spending a week in Switzerland prior to our river cruise.

I’m pretty sure you don’t need an EU green pass. https://www.government.nl/topics/coronavirus-covid-19/visiting-the-netherlands-from-abroad/requirements-for-proof-of-vaccination
If fully vaccinated, you need a negative test as part of entry requirements, and be able to show proof of vaccination (or a covid certificate a la the Swiss certificate) to enter museums etc. 

[Gopherpharm]

That being said, If you have a Swiss covid certificate you can upload it to the green pass app easily (and for free)! 
 

the link in my previous post was to show that daily testing in the Netherlands doesn’t seem to be happening for vaccinated and boosted visitors. 

[notamermaid]

Time to dance the night away again as clubs in Germany have reopened. 4 March re-openings and easing of restrictions went ahead as planned and I have waded through the "31. CoBeLVO" at work. That is the legal document for the Coronavirus restrictions in my state of Rhineland-Palatinate. I admit, I gave up and will wait till I get instructions broken down for tourism only. In a nutshell: Many of the rules still in place are the same all over Germany. Basically this means for tourists 3G is in place, i.e. anyone in the country can use a hotel or restaurant, either fully vaccinated or recovered or with a test. There are still restrictions for large scale events and separate rules. It makes life much easier as a tourist, but as regards coming into the country you would still need to check what is going on. I read that entry rules for Germany have been eased for many more countries, so basically looking better from that angle as well.

 

And big news: the 3G rule also applies to river cruises again as they are essentially swimming hotels and restaurants. This means that you do not need a booster shot to go on a river cruise if your "fully vaccinated" certificate has run out. The proof, for Rhineland-Palatinate:

"Für Schiffsreisen –gilt die 3G-Regelung (siehe „3G-Regelung“), d.h., es dürfen nur geimpfte, genesene (siehe „Geimpfte Personen“ und „Genesene Personen“) oder diesen gleichgestellte Personen (siehe „Gleichgestellte Personen“) oder getestete Personen (siehe „Testpflicht“) anwesend sein.

Bei mehrtägigen Aufenthalten ist alle 72 Stunden, gerechnet ab Vornahme der jeweils letzten Testung, eine erneute Testung vorzunehmen."

 

However, I have no way of knowing if your river cruise company will continue to stick to 2G, i.e. not let "unvaccinated" on board.

 

If you are not happy with a booster jab before embarking on a planned river cruise, check if you actually still need it for your trip. You may be able to do the whole trip with the current testing requirements, now or in the near future.

 

Oh, and we are still on track towards the "grand easing" on 20 March. It still depends on hospitalization rates they say. As the German institutions are - err - not so good with some statistical figures, people say, (a thanks and well done to the British Office of National Statistics at this point (I am envious)), "Our World in Data" does not give this data set for Germany. So I cannot say how these are in that respect.

 

notamermaid

 

 

[PhD-iva]

As restrictions start to ease, I’m wondering what’s changed since my visit to Rome in November 2021. This July I’ll be on a Uniworld Rhine/Moselle river cruise (all Germany) followed by 4 days in Germany, then travel to Prague for an Emerald Danube river cruise to Budapest (multiple countries).

I’m fully vacc’ed +boostered. I have my original cdc vax card.
Are US citizens eligible to get a “green pass”?  Is there anything else I need to think about? I know things can change………
Thx for any assistance!

Edited March 11, 2022 by PhD-iva
Edit

[Gopherpharm]

I was able to get a green pass by uploading my Swiss covid certificate. 

[PhD-iva]

4 minutes ago, Gopherpharm said:

I was able to get a green pass by uploading my Swiss covid certificate. 

Ok, so US citizens can apply for a Swiss covid certificate……

Quick question, since I am not traveling to Switzerland, I assume the application does not require me to provide entry dates or airline ticket reservation information, correct?

thx!

[notamermaid]

Currently, a booster gives you unlimited vaccinated status, as far as I know, but closer to July I would check that again. I think you really need to look at each country, the EU has synchronized a lot of regulations but I would not trust all countries to stick to it all. Germany is still in a panicky Covid modus things are supposed to get easier here on 20 March so no point speculating about July before that really.

 

The green pass info is here: https://ec.europa.eu/info/live-work-travel-eu/coronavirus-response/safe-covid-19-vaccines-europeans/eu-digital-covid-certificate_en

 

notamermaid

 

[notamermaid]

Apparently, COVID-19 is in our parliament, meaning attendance is reduced this week due to positive tests and self-isolation regulations. Two women are in charge right now (this girl is not sure if this is a good thing). Emotions are high and there is quite a bit of debate in Berlin and the 16 states about the date on which regulations are supposed to be dropped. Some states have even announced they want to keep them until 2 April (if I remember the date correctly), nothing is official yet, but from the little news I read it appears that authorities are afraid of the BA.2 variant and the rising cases. I dunno, all a bit mad?? Most people just want to get on with life now and concentrate on other things. Denmark and the UK officially do not seem to mind the "new" variant that much.

 

The next three days will be decisive. Will know more by Saturday.

 

notamermaid

 

[Canal archive]

Notamermaid your right there are some who are mentioning covid but I think most of us are trying to carry on just keeping an eye on the general situation. At the moment I’m sitting here listening to the heavy aircraft they are either going or coming from a certain part of Europe and it’s happening more frequently. Keep the yellow and blue flying and fingers crossed.🇺🇦

[notamermaid]

My flag is black, red and gold and I am desperate. But that is a different matter beyond river cruising which is better discussed elsewhere.

 

For now, I just want life and tourists from all over the world to feel at ease in my beautiful country.

 

Hope to see you all soon in comfort and happy spirits.

 

notamermaid 

 

 

Edited March 15, 2022 by notamermaid

[PhD-iva]

6 hours ago, notamermaid said:

My flag is black, red and gold and I am desperate. But that is a different matter beyond river cruising which is better discussed elsewhere.

 

For now, I just want life and tourists from all over the world to feel at ease in my beautiful country.

 

Hope to see you all soon in comfort and happy spirits.

 

notamermaid 

 

 

Notamermaid, keep the faith! I’m coming to visit Germany this July…..pls keep the door open!

[notamermaid]

Thank you for your thoughts.

 

The weather has improved from cool and depressing rain to dry and cloudy with Sahara dust. No joke!

 

Regulations from the Federal government have to generally end by 20 March (constitutional thing) but a few can remain and there is the option of the individual states extending some regulations. Apparently, my state Rhineland-Palatinate yesterday decided to do just that.

 

I am really getting confused and for other states I think you will need to look up things for yourselves. As this US website says: "As the situation will vary across regions, please check..."

 

https://de.usembassy.gov/covid-19-information/

 

I will try and get my head round the new situation and perhaps come back Saturday.

 

notamermaid

 

Edited March 16, 2022 by notamermaid

[notamermaid]

So, it is Saturday and I am not much wiser other than that the government has agreed to go ahead with lifting restrictions. The basic good fact, but beyond that things are complicated. One example: on public transport the 3G rule has been scrapped, but you still need to wear masks, in the restaurant carriage the 3G rule still applies.

 

The health sector is still very much regulated and will continue to be so for additional safety for patients.

 

When the websites are updated I will have another look to see what could apply to tourism.

 

notamermaid

 

[Gopherpharm]

@notamermaid so much changing the past week or so…it’s tough to keep up! Thanks for giving us the info. 

[steamboats]

The current regulation regarding the entry of Germany does expire today. So by tomorrow I don´t see any regulations anymore. Even unvaccinated people can enter now without any test. Unless I missed a new regulation.

 

steamboats

[notamermaid]

Thanks. Had not even got round to looking at that yet. It should indeed go. However, several states are keeping restrictions during the granted transitional phase. Border control is normally Federal policy, so should be good.

 

The entry requirements page has not been updated yet, it shows the regulations as of 3 March.

 

notamermaid

 

[steamboats]

12 hours ago, notamermaid said:

The entry requirements page has not been updated yet, it shows the regulations as of 3 March.

 

March 3rd was the last change (when the high risk areas went away). And with this change the regulation was prolonged til yesterday (March 19th). So we have to check today (or tomorrow) whether there are any changes.

 

steamboats

[CPT Trips]

@notamermaid stay optimistic. Easter and Spargelzeit are just around the corner.

 

In four weeks JerseyGem and I are leaving Philadelphia transferring in Frankfurt for Marseilles and then onward by small ship towards Rome. I am looking for any information about the testing requirements to enter Schengen while transiting FRA, not leaving the airport? I’m hoping that fully vaccinated will be all that is required by then.

 

[notamermaid]

11 minutes ago, CPT Trips said:

I am looking for any information about the testing requirements to enter Schengen while transiting FRA, not leaving the airport?

I remember steamboats knowing a bit about this. It should be on the Federal government website from tomorrow, but not sure where. Would Frankfurt Airport give info on their website?

 

notamermaid

 

 

[steamboats]

9 hours ago, CPT Trips said:

In four weeks JerseyGem and I are leaving Philadelphia transferring in Frankfurt for Marseilles and then onward by small ship towards Rome. I am looking for any information about the testing requirements to enter Schengen while transiting FRA, not leaving the airport? I’m hoping that fully vaccinated will be all that is required by then.

 

If you need a test it must be done prior to flying to FRA (so in the US). But as the German regulation is expired there shouldn´t be anything anymore to come to Germany. And you´re definitely on the save side when you´re fully vaccinated and boostered. Here´s the link for FRA airport testing facilities. Currently there still is one in the transit area.

 

steamboats

[CPT Trips]

7 hours ago, steamboats said:

But as the German regulation is expired there shouldn´t be anything anymore to come to Germany.

Danke!
I hope I’m reading this correctly. Has the testing requirement for fully vaccinated travelers been dropped?

[notamermaid]

Updated web pages: https://www.auswaertiges-amt.de/en/coronavirus/2317268

 

notamermaid

 

[steamboats]

So they did prolong the regulations til April 28th.

 

Anyway there never was a testing requirement for Germany for everyone. You needed to be vaccinated (and boostered after 270 days). Or recovered... or if not vaccinated you need a test.

 

steamboats