Berlin – Those who are vaccinated are getting some basic rights back all over Europe these days. Children cannot benefit from this regulation; there is still no vaccine for them. Many families have to expect this scenario when planning their vacation. What do I have to consider? A checklist:
Vacation in Germany or abroad?
The easiest vacation in Germany this summer is likely to be. Entry and exit regulations as for foreign travel destinations are no longer applicable. However, the rules of the federal states must be observed, which are currently inconsistent. Currently, vacationers always have to check whether and when they have to show a negative test. And where hotels and other accommodations receive guests at all.
Weigh up the risk of infection at the holiday destination
There is currently no approved vaccination for children. Biontech / Pfizer’s vaccine could be approved for over-12s in the summer, but there is no firm plan for this at the moment. So far, the vaccine has been approved in the EU from the age of 16.
Parents should look more critically at countries in which the medical infrastructure is likely to quickly reach its limit if the number of cases increases. “I don’t see this risk in Europe,” says Jelinek, who is also the Scientific Director of the Center for Travel Medicine (CRM). One example is Egypt, a popular holiday destination for families from Germany.
Parents should also be aware of their own risk of infection. “The second vaccination with Astrazeneca is often preferred because of a vacation,” says Jelinek. The expert advises against this: “We know that a longer interval between the first and second vaccination offers better protection.” If protection against corona is important to you, you should not shorten the interval. “With all understanding for the quick vacation.”
The assessments of the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) remain helpful in weighing up the risk of infection, especially since they can always change. They divide countries into four categories: risk-free areas, risk areas with seven-day incidence over 50, high-incidence areas with seven-day incidence over 200, and virus variant areas.
The classifications of the RKI are also decisive for the respective rules when returning to Germany (see point 4).
Check entry requirements
Health protection is one thing, national regulations are another. A vacation only makes sense if nobody has to be directly quarantined at the vacation spot. If this is the case, it depends on who has to present a negative corona test. Vaccinated and convalescent people are exempt from this obligation in some countries, but by no means everywhere. Age matters in unvaccinated children.
In Spain, for example, people under the age of six are exempt from the requirement to test upon entry. A quarantine is not planned. Italy and Austria recently lifted the quarantine requirement for travelers from Germany, among others, and the test requirement remains in place. Only children under two years of age are excluded in Italy and under ten years of age in Austria. Greece, on the other hand, exempts children under the age of five from the obligation to test.
Information on the currently applicable entry rules can be obtained from the Federal Foreign Office, travel agencies or tour operators.
Know the rules when returning to Germany
There is good news here: So far, after returning from risk areas, quarantine at home has been mandatory for all people aged six and over – including many children. Some of the most popular vacation destinations in Europe still fall into this category, such as Greece, Italy and Austria.
With the new, uniform entry regulation, there is now significant relief: The quarantine obligation has been lifted for those who have been completely vaccinated and those who have recovered – and also for everyone who can show a negative corona test. This can be entered in the mandatory digital entry registration.
That means: When vaccinated or convalescent parents return home from a hiking holiday in Tyrol or a beach holiday in Crete, they do not necessarily have to isolate children from the age of six at home. Instead, they can let the little ones test free beforehand. If the parents themselves are not yet fully vaccinated or have recovered, they too need a negative test if they want to avoid quarantine at home.
Important at this point: A negative corona test is required for air travel back to Germany anyway. Regardless of whether the country is a risk area or not. This also applies to people who return home from a high-incidence or virus variant area – regardless of the means of transport. Vaccinated and convalescents can instead provide proof of vaccination or recovery. Again, children up to the age of six are excluded.
The quarantine obligation remains in place for high-incidence areas. It can only be ended by a negative test five days after your return. Recovered and fully vaccinated people only need to be quarantined if they come from an area with new virus variants. Here the duration is always 14 days.
The quarantine regulations apply until June 30th.
Inform about test possibilities at the holiday destination
It is important that a test is reliably available at the holiday destination abroad before departure. “I would do my research early and reserve an appointment in good time,” advises Karolina Wojtal from the European Consumer Center in Germany. Tour operators can help find test facilities on site.
The Ministry of Health advises that the antigen test must have been performed a maximum of 48 hours ago at the time of entry.
Check travel insurance
Before returning home, there is a residual risk that families have to keep in mind: the airlines are only allowed to let passengers on board who have tested negative. If a child is infected with the coronavirus while on vacation and tests positive, it has to be quarantined. “It may not get sick, but the flight is then not possible,” says Tomas Jelinek. The vacation is extended involuntarily – with corresponding costs for the whole family.
The Federal Ministry of Health makes it clear: “A transport by the transport company is only permitted with a negative test certificate. Isolation according to local regulations is to be carried out at your own risk. “
That means extra costs. There is now travel insurance for such cases, says Karolina Wojtal. “But they have to be special Corona products.” Classic travel cancellation and travel interruption insurance are often not yet adapted to the pandemic. “Many standard products exclude service in the event of a pandemic or a travel warning.”
However, families often do not have to take out new insurance. “The existing travel protection can often be expanded specifically for the current corona situation for just a few euros,” says Wojtal. In this way, the involuntarily longer stay on site is usually covered. In this case, it is worth making an inquiry with the insurer.
Health insurance abroad only covers treatment costs, but not the costs of extending your vacation. “If I just have to be in quarantine, that is not covered,” confirms Wojtal. Insurance is still important, even in other EU countries. In the case of a hospital stay, the German health insurances often do not reimburse all treatment costs incurred.
Check cancellation policy
It can happen that a booked vacation cannot or does not want to be taken. A travel cancellation insurance only pays in certain cases: in the event of illness or accident, death of a close relative or a break-in. Travel warnings or restrictions at the vacation spot are not covered.
For this reason, families in particular should check the rebooking and cancellation options for their trip. As a rule, airlines currently offer free rebooking for later periods. Accommodation online can often be booked with a short-term cancellation option. If you book a package tour, you can choose a flexible tariff with a cancellation option up to 14 days before departure for a surcharge. Many tour operators offer such tariffs.
