After all, the Turkey travelers more time than those in Israel and the U.S. When news broke Friday afternoon that the federal government was upgrading all three countries to high-risk pandemic areas, the former vaccination frontrunners the U.S. and Israel were already on Sunday night.
Only for Turkey, the new status will not take effect until Tuesday night. The background is the current infection situation in the country. The seven-day incidence was recently just above 200, and the number of new daily Corona infections had risen sharply in recent weeks. There is great concern that Returners could further fuel the infection in this country as well.
Turkey journeys in the summer: Many visit relatives
The new classification is likely to disrupt the travel plans of thousands of people. Turkey, with its turquoise sea and numerous historical and cultural attractions, is not only a Popular vacation destination.
Many people of Turkish origin living in Germany also use the summer to visit relatives and friends in the country. Alone 170.000 people, estimates the German travel federation, are at present in the context of package tours in Turkey, in addition come many even organized stays. All these trips could now be abruptly cut short.
Children under 12 cannot avoid quarantine
Because those who come from a high-risk area and can prove neither a complete Corona vaccination nor a survived Corona disease, must on their return in Quarantine. For ten days, returnees should isolate themselves, according to the Foreign Office, a shortening of the quarantine by a negative test result is possible after five days at the earliest. For children under 12, quarantine ends automatically after five days.
But for this group in particular, there is still no approved vaccine – and thus no possibility of avoiding the quarantine altogether, criticizes the German Travel Association (DRV). Especially families with younger children are therefore affected by the current regulation "explicitly to the disadvantage", said association president Norbert Fiebig. In the summer vacations many families in Turkey would be on vacation.
"We have already pointed out that this decision by the German government is contrary to European resolutions. It would be desirable to bring about a change here as quickly as possible." The EU Council had recommended a few weeks ago, Minors, who travel with their vaccinated parents or companions, from quarantine.
Vacation in high-risk area could jeopardize participation in school lessons
The situation could become particularly problematic for families with schoolchildren who had planned to return shortly before the end of the summer vacations. Pupils and pupils in North Rhine-Westphalia, for which classes start again on Wednesday, still have time to get home in time. But in ten other German states, the vacations are still running.
"Particularly in cases where the return from Turkey occurs just before the start of school, participation in the Presence lessons endangered in the first days of school," Heinz-Peter Meidinger, President of the German Teachers' Association, told our editorial team. The association appeals to those affected to adhere to the quarantine rules: Since the classification as a high-risk area was made so late, they are not responsible for the possible delayed start of school, he said.
Turkey: criticism of late classification as Corona high-risk area
The opposition criticized the federal government's classification as hasty and lacking foresight. "Too late, erratic and too short notice" would react the responsible ministers Jens Spahn and Horst Seehofer, said FDP faction vice MichaelTheurer our editorial office. "The short-term classification of Turkey as a high-risk area will cause thousands of holidaymakers to miss their vacations because of the threat of quarantine for the unvaccinated or the cancellation fee the spoil vacation."
Green Party health expert Janosch Dahmen also accuses the government of lacking foresight. How strongly the Travel mobility to the renewed increase and the fourth wave now beginning, shows itself in particular to the end of the vacations, where for example in North Rhine-Westphalia or Berlin the seven-day incidence already lies again over 50 and continues to rise.
"I think it's wrong that we're going to be at the diffuse international pandemic events Regarding testing at all still make differences," Dahmen told our editorial staff. "It would make sense, quite fundamentally, to always test before departure and on the fifth day."